Electronic cigarettes are devices that simulate smoking. These devices are manufactured primarily in China and are readily available for sale on the internet. The manufactures have aggressively marketed these products as a safe alternative to traditional tobacco smoking and as a nicotine replacement device that may lead to a smoker quit smoking. This has not been documented in any study. In fact the manufactures have successfully fought the FDA and other regulatory agencies in other countries to not supervise theses cigarettes as either medical devices or tobacco products.
The fact is many countries including Canada have issues warnings to consumers and healthcare personal about these products. The facts are these e-cigarettes not only are poorly regulated in manufactory (containing various amounts of nicotine or other chemicals than noted on the label), but they have according to one researcher many undisclosed chemicals that could be worse than those found in regular tobacco smoke. In addition the health affects us in insurance dislike about tobacco products are still present (i.e. nicotine or other tobacco specific nitrosamines). These later compounds are carcinogenic in their own right and nicotine has substantial influence to elevate blood pressure, increase heart rate and accelerate narrowing of arteries.
The rush to treat these products as a safe alternative to smoking, or even as a device to help smokers’ quit is premature. We should perhaps view them more as a smokeless tobacco product and treat the user as a tobacco user, but a non-smoker.
Dr. Nicola Charlton ~ Medical Director at Catholic Financial Life
Article Source: Facts You Thought You Knew: Electronic Cigarettes Are Safe
