By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

These days, electronic cigarettes are pretty ubiquitous, with people puffing away in places cigarettes haven’t dreamed of going in years. I actually saw someone smoking an e-cigarette in the lobby of my gym the other day!  But are these electronic alternatives really better than the real thing?  The market is totally unregulated and the research is murky, but one thing is for sure, these addictive high-tech gadgets are anything but “safe.”

The biggest health marketing claim purported by electronic cigarette companies is that the absence tobacco and all the other harmful chemicals that are added to cigarettes render it completely harmless to your health.  That, however, is being disproven with more and more research studies coming out each year.  Although it is definitely safer than tobacco products, liquid nicotine, in its inhaled form, is definitely not devoid of harmful effects. 

Harmful Effects of Electronic Cigarettes

• Nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure, and long-term use is linked to heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
• Liquid nicotine, as is found in e-cigarettes, is a toxic chemical.  High doses can lead to nicotine poisoning with symptoms like nausea, vomiting and headaches.  The amount of pure nicotine in e-cigarettes is not regulated, and the dosage is often much higher than the packaging claims.
• Inhaled nicotine impairs healthy lung function, restricting air passages and causing inflammation after just minutes of use.
• The nicotine vapors in e-cigs can cause dry mouth and throat, irritation, and cough.
• Nicotine in e-cigarettes is suspended in a liquid propylene glycol solution.  Propylene glycol is a toxic chemical, which is linked to cancer, reproductive issues, endocrine disruption and neurotoxicity.  The FDA has found at least two other cancer-causing chemicals in the cartridge delivery system of e-cigs.
• Nicotine causes premature aging and wrinkles by decreasing blood flow to the skin and oxygenation of blood.  This makes e-cigs just as aging as tobacco products.

As a short term solution for quitting smoking, e-cigarettes can be useful.  But, unlike the nicotine patch or gum, e-cigarettes perpetuate the oral fixation and mechanical connection to the act of smoking, making them a much greater risk for long-term addiction.  They are safer than tobacco, but they are by no means without serious health risks.  Our verdict?  Stay away from them!

{Photo: JoyCheapBuy}