Electronic Cigarette Research Paper

884 Words2 Pages

Electronic Cigarettes: Looking Through the Haze Electronic cigarettes or “e-cigarettes” were developed in 1963, when Herbert A. Gilbert filed for a patent for a device that replaced burning tobacco with moist, flavored air. It wasn’t until 2004 that the e-cigarette was introduced as a smoking cessation device in the Chinese market, which was attributed to a pharmacist named Hon Lik. (Bekki et al. 11193) Since then, a nicotine carrying aerosol rather than a carcinogen laden smoke. One study of the effectiveness of electronic cigarettes showed that a surveyed group showed that 66.8% reported a reduction in smoking, suggesting that the e-cigarette may be a promising smoking-cessation method. (Siegel et al. 472) Unfortunately, as with all “medicinal” …show more content…

(Raloff “Dangers of Vaping” 20) A research team looking into dry and scratchy throats reported by e-cigarette users also found that the vapors caused intense inflammation of lung cells. Public reports indicate symptoms associated with e-cigarettes include trouble breathing, dizziness, nose bleeds, chest pains, and heart palpitations. (Gostin and Glasner 595) The idea that e-cigarette vapors are safer than combustion cigarettes is due to the fact that the user inhales an aerosol rather than smoke, which contains tar and many other dangerous chemicals. That idea, however, is under the belief that a harmless water vapor is all that is being inhaled, which is a mistruth with possibly deadly consequences. Vaping fluids often contain minute traces of varying compounds and trace amounts of metals, and some reports indicate hazardous compounds such as formaldehyde, acrolein, and glyoxal. (Bekki et al. 11192) One of the greatest challenges facing researchers attempting to test vaping fluids and delivery systems is the sheer magnitude of varieties available. One survey taken in January 2014 showed 466 different brands of e-cigarettes on the market, along with 7,764, uniquely flavored e-liquids while hundreds more appear each month (Raloff “Dangers of Vaping”

Open Document