It’s the e-cig apocalypse! And I’m gonna be real — I have a very bad feeling about it, right in here. Hello friends, Laci Green here for DNews. Is it me or was it practically overnight that it went from people smoking cigarettes to sucking on those little tubes that look like ink pens? In the past couple years, electronic cigarettes have shot up to a multi billion dollar industry. It happened so fast, government officials are like AHHHHHH WHAT IS THIS WIZARDRY AND HOW DO WE REGULATE IT? Meanwhile, minors can buy e-cigs legally in many states, they’re being given away as free samples online, and the companies are actively marketing themselves as a “tobacco free alternative to cigarettes” that will “help you quit”.
OKKKKK. This is my skeptical face, guys. While all the legal junk is worked out, it’s up to SCIENTISTS to take a good hard look at these newfangled devices. Last week, the largest major review of the research on e-cigs was published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journal. They found that the claims of the e-cig manufacturers are…not supported by the data. One of the big claims that came under fire was that e-cigs will help you quit…or at least smoke less. The scientists found, based on 5 population-based studies, that those who used e-cigs to quit were actually significantly LESS likely to be successful, by about 30%. And that’s probably related to….claim #2 that was kicked to the curb: that it’s a safe alternative that only releases pure nicotine and water vapor.
In their research, the scientists found formaldehyde, propylene glycol, and lead amongst other well-known toxins in the vapor. Sound familiar? It’s just…like…cigarettes! UC San Francisco’s tobacco research center stated that “E-cigs do not deliver pure nicotine and harmless water vapor”. It may not have tobacco in it, but the e-cigs are still delivering the same carcinogens that are known to cause chronic disease and cancer. And the second hand vapor is emitting it as well. Then there’s there’s the most disturbing part of the study to ME. A growing number of middle and high schoolers report having tried e-cigs instead of cigarettes, and the number of teen users more than doubled to almost 2 million from 2011 to 2012. It’s even more now in 2014, which is a concern given that 90% of lifetime nicotine addiction begins in the teen years. The e-cig industry seems to be intentionally targeting teens–they use cool marketing with colors and candy flavors, they sponsor youth-driven events like rock concerts all the while claiming that they’re harmless.
Some teens in the studies didn’t even know that it contains nicotine, even though they may be able to buy them. Let’s be real: this industry’s goal is to sell a product and develop lifelong buyers, and if they are allowed to sell addictive substances with misleading claims, then they will….and personally, I don’t think they should be able to. But I want to know what you guys think. Tell me your thoughts about e-cigs down below and I’ll catch you next time on DNews!.