E-Cigarettes: Healthy Alternative or Toxic Fire Hazard?

Tips on Healthy Living

ByEmily Shetler

Are e-cigarettes the answer to every smoker's quitting dreams? Or are they just as bad as their non-electronic counterparts? No one seems to know for sure at this point, as the unregulated product has federal agencies, lawmakers and corporations debating its pros and cons. With a ban in New York City already in effect and alarming reports of house fires and nicotine poisoning on the rise, the $1.8 billion annual industry and health advocacy groups are all trying to make their case to consumers. But what is the reality behind the the debate?

For the uninitiated, here's how e-cigarettes work: A small battery-operated device (usually shaped to look like a cigarette) contains a heating element and liquid nicotine. When the user pushes a button, the heating element turns on and warms the liquid nicotine into vapor. The user inhales the nicotine, where it is absorbed into the body by the lungs. No awful smell, no toxic smoke. Only water vapor is exhaled.

Also missing from the concoction is tar or other any of the many proven cancer-causing agents in regular cigarettes. Like the patch or nicotine gum, e-cigarettes are purely a delivery system for nicotine. Sounds great for someone trying to quit smoking, right?

Maybe. But one important fact: The industry is currently entirely unregulated. The FDA has approved seven other products and medications for aiding smoking cessation, but not e-cigarettes. For now, the FDA will only state that they "have not been fully studied." E-cigarettes do not fall into a category that the FDA Center for Tobacco Products currently regulates. Once that changes, we can expect the agency to weigh in on the health benefits and risks associated with the product.

The American Cancer Society has come out against e-cigarettes. "There is no scientific evidence that e-cigarettes are a safe substitute for traditional cigarettes or an effective smoking cessation tool," said Russ Sciandra, American Cancer Society New York State Director of Advocacy. No long-term studies have been done to prove that "vaping" nicotine is actually healthier than smoking cigarettes.

Beyond the health debate is the unregulated way e-cigarettes are manufactured. There have been several incidents of fires caused by overheated heating elements that exploded while charging the batteries.

In addition, new information from the New York Times examines the rising rate of children being poisoned by liquid nicotine. Whether the toxic chemical is ingested or absorbed through the skin, even a very small amount can be lethal. A minscule amount can equal many cigarettes, and a teaspoon can kill a child.

So, what is to be done? Clearly more regulation and long-term studies. The FDA is on track to do it, but it needs to all happen sooner rather than later, for everyone's sake. Do smokers use e-cigarettes in the meantime? At this point, all anyone can say is use at your own risk.


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