Health effects of electronic cigarettes

The health effects of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) include a range of potential risks such as exposure to toxic chemicals, the possibility of increased likelihood of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and concerns about their possible role in cancer development. Upon their introduction, there were marketing claims that they were a safer alternative to traditional tobacco products.

Electronic cigarettes are under the category of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). Their use can help current tobacco smokers decrease their dependence on combustible tobacco cigarettes. However, as a result of their almost regulation-free marketing initially, it is unclear how safe these products really are.[1]

Nevertheless, the use of electronic cigarettes are on the rise in young adolescents and adults. Experts believe this trend will continue to increase in the coming years due to the misconception that e-cigarettes are safe.[1] In the United Kingdom, vaping is considered by some to be around 95% less harmful than tobacco after a controversial landmark review by Public Health England.[2] Despite this, the use of electronic cigarettes carries many health risks.[1][3] These risks depend on the fluid in these devices and varies according to design and user behavior.[4] The resulting aerosol that users inhale affects the respiratory, cardiovascular, immunologic and central nervous systems.[5] E-cigarettes also reduce lung function, reduce cardiac muscle function, and increase inflammation.[6][7]

Even though traditional cigarettes have a higher damage record than e-cigarettes, e-cigarettes can have risks such as the highly publicized and deadly 2019–20 vaping lung illness outbreak in North America that lead to 68 deaths and was strongly linked to vitamin E acetate in THC-containing vaping liquid.[8] There are also risks from misuse or accidents.[9] Such accidents can be through nicotine poisoning (especially among small children[10]),[11] contact with liquid nicotine,[12] and fires caused by vaporizer malfunction.[13]

  1. ^ a b c "Electronic Cigarettes". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 7 September 2017.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "E-cigarettes around 95% less harmful than tobacco estimates landmark review". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2021-02-27.
  3. ^ "Electronic nicotine delivery systems" (PDF). World Health Organization. 21 July 2014. pp. 1–13.
  4. ^ Cheng T (May 2014). "Chemical evaluation of electronic cigarettes". Tobacco Control. 23 (Supplement 2): ii11–ii17. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2013-051482. PMC 3995255. PMID 24732157.
  5. ^ Breland A, Soule E, Lopez A, Ramôa C, El-Hellani A, Eissenberg T (April 2017). "Electronic cigarettes: what are they and what do they do?". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1394 (1): 5–30. Bibcode:2017NYASA1394....5B. doi:10.1111/nyas.12977. PMC 4947026. PMID 26774031.
  6. ^ Darabseh MZ, Selfe J, Morse CI, Degens H (January 2020). "Is vaping better than smoking for cardiorespiratory and muscle function?". Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine. 15 (1): 674. doi:10.4081/mrm.2020.674 (inactive 2024-03-29). PMC 7348661. PMID 32670575.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of March 2024 (link)
  7. ^ Münzel T, Hahad O, Kuntic M, Keaney JF, Deanfield JE, Daiber A (November 2020). "Effects of tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and waterpipe smoking on endothelial function and clinical outcomes". European Heart Journal. 41 (41): 4057–4070. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa460. PMC 7454514. PMID 32585699.
  8. ^ CDC's Office on Smoking and Health (2020-11-27). "Smoking and Tobacco Use; Electronic Cigarettes". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
  9. ^ Farsalinos KE, Polosa R (April 2014). "Safety evaluation and risk assessment of electronic cigarettes as tobacco cigarette substitutes: a systematic review". Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety. 5 (2): 67–86. doi:10.1177/2042098614524430. PMC 4110871. PMID 25083263.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hajek2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Brandon TH, Goniewicz ML, Hanna NH, Hatsukami DK, Herbst RS, Hobin JA, et al. (February 2015). "Electronic nicotine delivery systems: a policy statement from the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society of Clinical Oncology". Clinical Cancer Research. 21 (3): 514–525. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-14-2544. PMID 25573384.
  12. ^ Durmowicz EL (May 2014). "The impact of electronic cigarettes on the paediatric population". Tobacco Control. 23 (Supplement 2): ii41–ii46. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2013-051468. PMC 3995262. PMID 24732163.
  13. ^ Grana R, Benowitz N, Glantz SA (May 2014). "E-cigarettes: a scientific review". Circulation. 129 (19): 1972–1986. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.114.007667. PMC 4018182. PMID 24821826.