Since the 1800s, tobacco usage has been popular. Some chewed it, others smoked it in pipes while some rolled it into Cigarettes.
By the 1940s, up to 300million cigarettes were commercially produced per year. Health experts have been frowning at Cigarette usage since it has been linked to several diseases (cancer being only one of many) and a lot of preventable deaths. For this reason, smoking cessation has been a top priority in public health.
One of the methods of smoking cessation is the use of nicotine replacement therapy such as nicotine patches and chewing gums that still deliver the addictive component of cigarettes (nicotine) but prevent exposure to the tobacco smoke.
The quest for tobacco free smoke led to the development of E-cigarette by a Chinese Pharmacist in 2003. The earlier versions look like traditional cigarettes but do not contain any tobacco. Newer versions look like pen sticks. They usually have nicotine and some flavorings dissolved in ethylene glycol. The E cigarette stick has a heating element that converts the solution to vapour that looks like the smoke which the individual inhales. E-cigarette usage is also known as “Vaping” because essentially it is the vapour that the patient is inhaling.
Since E-cigarettes have been sold commercially, sales have skyrocketed dramatically and even well-established
Tobacco companies are moving to producing their own E-cigarette brands.
Majority of people that use E-cigarettes are smokers. A huge share of people that also use it are Ex-smokers. Another fraction of users that is gradually becoming significant are younger individuals who use it for recreational purposes especially in developed countries.
Nowadays there are even gatherings of teens and youths that refer to themselves as cloud-chasers or the vaping community, that meet regularly to use E-cigarettes in
congregations.
E-cigarette use is not yet popular in Nigeria but is gradually being introduced as major Nigerian online retail websites have now added E-cigarettes to their inventory.
There is still a lot of debate amongst health experts in favour of and against the usage of E-cigarettes.
On the good side, E- cigarettes have a huge potential of reducing tobacco usage significantly and thereby reduce the number of deaths and diseases associated with tobacco smoking. It also reduces the potential of environmental pollution and exposure to second hand smoke caused by traditional tobacco cigarettes.
On the other hand, Nicotine itself is addictive, and nicotine is known to damage blood vessels and affect the heart. When an addicted individual tries to stop its usage,
he/she experiences withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness or depression hence making it difficult to stop using it.
Another drawback is the possibility that E-cigarette usage would also help to maintain the traditional cigarette industry as individuals that use E-cigarettes would still
use tobacco cigarettes occasionally. Hence the progress made so far in eliminating the tobacco industry and its propagation through adverts may be lost.
Most worrisome is the wide acceptance of E-cigarettes amongst teens and youth especially those that would never have smoked tobacco cigarettes. The sweet flavourings even make it more appealing to this generation. The potential with this is the creation of a nicotine-hooked or nicotine dependent generation.
Many national drug agencies have however concluded that enough research has not been carried on the safety of E-cigarettes hence recommended that its sale should be regulated until even evidence is out concerning its safety or otherwise.
So here’s my take on E-cigarettes:
If you have been smoking Tobacco cigarettes, E-cigarettes may be a safer alternative, however the best option would be to stop smoking.
For ex-smokers or non-smokers, I would strongly advise you do not start using E-cigarettes as they have not been shown to be safe or confer any health benefit. If in the nearest future an adverse effect is linked with usage of E-cigarettes, you’d be glad you stayed safe rather than sorry.
So what do you think about the E-cigarettes?
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