The pros and cons around E-cigarettes

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By Carlyle Harry

In the Caribbean Times’ issue of April 6-19, I did a Commentary on the effects of (addictive) opioids, and substances like heroin.

That Commentary prompted personnel who are locked in research-pursuits and debates around the pros and cons of utilizing E-cigarettes to request a Commentary on that topic;and I am hereby complying with those requests.
Full-Disclosure, I have no personal interest in this topic, because I was never a smoker–I am merely assembling an evidence based analysis}.
Because of the several medical and associated battles that were being won against ‘tobacco-laden cigarettes’, entrepreneurs have turned to the manufacture— marketing—and promotion of E-cigarettes.
And as had happened with tobacco-laden cigarettes, a variety of opponents including the Food and Drug Administration and Health-Care personnel, have been pointing out the disadvantages of consumers using E-cigarettes.
Thus,principal combatants in the E-cigarette battle, are the Producers on the one hand, and Medical Entities/ Researchers( and their financial-backers) on the other hand.
** According to Li Lun and Corinne Husten of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco products, sales of E-cigarettes during 2016, are projected to hit an estimated $1.7 Billion…It is being reported that more than 250 brands of E-cigarettes are now available on the market.
The pair added that E-cigarettes’ sales might exceed the sale of traditional cigarettes within ten years.
They opine that at least in every five smokers has tried E-cigarettes; while 10% of U.S. High
school students has tried those cigarettes.
Engineers developed E-cigarettes several years ago, in order to provide tobacco-users with a smoke free source of nicotine…
The devices heat up a liquid that the user inhales. Because E-cigarettes burn nothing they do not release any smoke.
Though E-cigarettes do no release smoke, several Municipal leaders are moving to ban them from being used in public, and at parks.

E-CIGARETTES
Electronic Cigarettes (“e cigarette”) are electronic devices that vaporize a liquid solution, usually referred to as “e liquid” or “e juice”, to produce vapor with appearance, sensation and flavour of regular smoking without any combustion.
Vaping or vape, as it is commonly referred to as, is spreading rapidly.The resulting vapor (reportedly) doesn’t contain any tar, carbon monoxide or chemicals normally present in ordinary tobacco cigarettes, hookahs and cigars.
Because vaporizers like E-cigarettes (reportedly) do not produce any foul odor or smoke
they facilitate a more pleasant social experience for non-smokers and non-vapers around audiences.
Electronic cigarettes are battery operated devices designed to look like, and to be used in the same manner as conventional cigarettes…The devices generally contain cartridges filled with nicotine, flavor and other chemicals…
They turn nicotine (which is claimed to be highly addictive) into a vapor, that is inhaled by the user.

RESEARCH-CLAIMS
The debates around the pros and cons of using E-cigarettes, normally center on a few queries.
They are:
*Are E-cigarettes and vaporizers safe to use?
* Are there side effects to E-cigarettes and vaping?
* Does nicotine cause cancer?
Should Consumers use E-juice with nicotine?, and
What is the right nicotine strength for Consumers?
** Commissioner of Food and Drugs-Margaret A.Hamburg contends”the FDA is concerned about the safety of E-cigarettes, and how they are marketed to the public…The Agency is concerned that E-cigarettes can increase nicotine addiction”.

CONTENTIONS
As I proceed with the penning of this article, I need to remind that while the battles and advocacies against the production
and marketing of E-cigarettes has been launched, little progress has been made with stemming production-flows.
But readers stay tuned for and to the Parliamentary and Legislative battles that will soon come on stream, because the opponents and researchers are now
armed with reams of pages of evidence.

IN OTHER WORDS
The nicotine researchers are checking vaporizers
for their health dangers to consumers
and curious teen-agers.
They are bent on putting pressure on the E-cigarette producers.

 

Read more from Carlyle Harry here

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