If you’ve considered trying vaping, you might wonder if they’re a safer or healthier option or if they can help you quit smoking. Here’s what you need to know about e-cigarettes.
How do they work?
Vaporizers are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid solution (usually but not always containing nicotine), turning it into a vapor that can be inhaled. They are often called e-cigarettes, e-vaporizers, or electronic nicotine delivery systems. Using e-cigarettes is often referred to as vaping.
Some e-cigarettes resemble traditional cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Others look like pens or flash drives or have entirely different designs. E-cigarettes can be disposable or refillable. Most use a cartridge — disposable cartridges are sometimes called pods — or have a refillable reservoir or “tank” to hold the liquid, also called e-liquid or e-juice. The liquid typically contains nicotine, flavorings, propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerin.
The strength of an e-cigarette is determined by the amount of nicotine in the e-liquid and is expressed in milligrams per milliliter or as a percentage. However, studies have raised concerns that product labels don’t always provide accurate information about the nicotine content. Some pods contain a concentrated form of nicotine called nicotine salt. A pod containing 5% nicotine salt may have as much as 30 to 50 milligrams of nicotine, the equivalent amount of nicotine delivered in one to three packs of cigarettes.
Are e-cigarettes safe?
In recent months the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported more than 2,500 cases of lung injury tied to vaping, mostly involving products that contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommend that people not use vaping products that contain THC, particularly from sources such as friends, family, or in-person or online dealers. The FDA is also warning people not to add THC, other oils, or any other substances to vaping products. If you vape, watch for symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Seek medical attention if you’re concerned about your health.
E-cigarettes containing nicotine aren’t considered safe for adolescents, young adults, or pregnant women. Nicotine can harm brain development in children and young adults into their early 20s and is toxic to developing fetuses. Children and adults have also been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid through their skin or eyes, according to the CDC.
In youth and adult nonsmokers, e-cigarette use also poses the risk of nicotine addiction. This could lead to long-term use of e-cigarettes, the effects of which aren’t known, or to the use of traditional cigarettes. Research has shown that teen use of e-cigarettes is on the rise and associated with increased future use of conventional cigarettes.
Rarely defective e-cigarette batteries have caused fires and explosions, mainly while the batteries are being charged.
Will e-cigarettes help me quit smoking?
E-cigarettes aren’t approved by the FDA as a quitting aid.
Studies to test whether e-cigarettes can help people stop using tobacco have had inconsistent results. Limited research suggests that using only e-cigarettes containing nicotine to quit smoking can be effective short-term compared with using medicinal nicotine replacements. But there isn’t enough evidence comparing the safety and effectiveness of using e-cigarettes to quit smoking and established evidence-based treatments. E-cigarettes might be appropriate only for those unwilling to try evidence-based smoking cessation therapies or who haven’t had success with such therapies.
If you use e-cigarettes to quit smoking, remember that your goal is to stop altogether using all tobacco products. Also, the dual use of e-cigarettes containing nicotine and traditional cigarettes is strongly discouraged.
If you’re looking for help to stop smoking, there are several FDA-approved medications that have been shown to be safe and effective for this purpose. A combination of medication and counseling has been shown to work best.
Because of the unresolved safety concerns and because the research on e-cigarettes as a stop-smoking aid is inconclusive, the HealthNip doesn’t recommend the use of e-cigarettes as a way to quit smoking.
If you want to stop smoking, call 800-QUIT-NOW (800) 784-8669) to connect to your state’s quitline.
References:
- Electronic nicotine delivery systems or e-cigarettes: American College of Preventive Medicine’s practice statement. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2019;56:167.
- American Cancer Society position statement on electronic cigarettes. American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/e-cigarette-position-statement.html. Accessed Jan. 9, 2019.
- Cullen KA, et al. Notes from the field: Use of electronic cigarettes and any tobacco product among middle and high school students — United States, 2011–2018. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2018;67:1276.
- Soneji S, et al. Association between initial use of e-cigarettes and subsequent cigarette smoking among adolescents and young adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics. 2017;171:788.
- Zare S, et al. A systematic review of consumer preference for e-cigarette attributes: Flavor, nicotine strength, and type. PLOS One. 2018;13:0194145.
- What do we know about e-cigarettes? American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/tobacco-and-cancer/e-cigarettes.html. Accessed Jan. 9, 2019.
- Vaporizers, e-cigarettes, and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/tobaccoproducts/labeling/productsingredientscomponents/ucm456610.htm. Accessed Jan. 9, 2019.
- Hajek P, et al. A randomized trial of e-cigarettes versus nicotine-replacement therapy. New England Journal of Medicine. 2019;380:629.
- Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/electronic-cigarettes-e-cigarettes. Accessed March 13, 2019.
- About electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/about-e-cigarettes.html. Accessed Jan. 9, 2019.
- What we know about electronic cigarettes. National Cancer Institute. https://smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/ecigs-menthol-dip/ecigs. Accessed Jan. 9, 2019.
- Hays JT (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Accessed March 14, 2019.
- CDC, FDA, states continue to investigate severe pulmonary disease among people who use e-cigarettes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/s0821-cdc-fda-states-e-cigarettes.html. Accessed Aug. 29, 2019.
- Initial state findings point to clinical similarities in illnesses among people who use e-cigarettes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/p0906-vaping-related-illness.html. Accessed Sept. 6, 2019.
- Lung injury update: FDA warns public to stop using tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-containing vaping products and any vaping products obtained off the street. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-safety-alerts-human-medical-products/lung-injury-update-fda-warns-public-stop-using-tetrahydrocannabinol-thc-containing-vaping-products. Accessed Oct. 7, 2019.
- Smoking and tobacco: For the public. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease/need-to-know/index.html#cdc-recommends. Accessed Jan. 21, 2020.