E-cigs Reduce Harm From Cigarette Smoke

April 19, 2013

Cigarette smokers all over the world have been looking for ways to get rid of their habit. The introduction of e-cigarettes in 2004 has been the best possible solution as these revolutionary devices are regarded as effective tools to reduce the harmful effects of smoking. Health experts are of the belief that e-cigarettes have five times the potential to help a smoker give up cigarettes for good, in comparison with other techniques.

According to research, electronic cigarettes may not help you quit smoking immediately, but will significantly reduce the intake of nicotine among smokers. In addition, e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco. Although nicotine is addictive, it doesn’t cause cancer. In fact, consuming nicotine without tobacco can help in weaning off tobacco in the long run.

Growing Popularity of E-cigarettes

Two-thirds of people who smoke cigarettes intend to quit, and 75 percent of these people have already made vain efforts. Prof Gerry Stimson, a co-founder of the ‘Harm Reduction’ association said that people who find it extremely difficult to quit smoking must shift to safer products that deliver nicotine. Public health is a major concern with cigarette smoking because the smoke emitted from conventional tobacco cigarettes not only causes uneasiness among non-smokers but also increases the risks of cancer due to passive smoking.

Prof Stimson believes that non-smoky products such as nicotine gums and patches are a good alternative to cigarette smoking. However, these delivery systems have not impressed users and people still continue smoking. But e-cigarettes offer something different while providing the same sensation and experience as smoking a regular cigarette.

Compared to the three per cent of smokers who switched to e-cigarettes in 2010, seven per cent of the entire smoking population in the UK did the same by 2012. The number of smokers who tried the electronic cigarette had also increased from nine percent in 2010 to 22 percent in 2012. The WHO says that there will be more than one million e-cigarette users by the end of this year, from the estimated 650,000 in 2012.

E-cigarettes are preferred over regular tobacco sticks because they carry a significantly lower risk of potential heart and lung diseases. They are also cheaper as compared to regular cigarettes. Moreover, e-cigarettes allow you to control the level of nicotine you wish to intake, making them effective harm reduction tools for those who smoke more than a pack per day.