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Thinking Of Using E-Cigarettes As Alternatives To The Real Ones? Well, The Difference Might Not Be M

By Shubham Ghosh

If somebody is struggling to quit smoking, a common advice for him/her is to go for electronic or e-cigarettes. That way, it is said, you can avert a lot of harm which is caused by the real cigarettes even while indulging in the burning stick.

But are these e-cigarettes healthy alternatives to the real ones? Well, there are points that strongly equip both sides of the debate.

What are e-cigarettes?

Before discussing on anything, let us first understand what exactly are e-cigarettes. These are devices that provide vaporized nicotine liquid into your lungs. They contain a liquid nicotine solution which features propylene glycol, glycerol or both of them.

The solution may come in different flavours like coffee, candy, mint or fruit. Besides, the e-cigarettes have a heating device which vaporizes the solution and a battery which runs the show.

Good Sides Of E-Cigarettes

Apparently, e-cigarettes are better than their original counterparts. They are considered less harmful than the conventional matchsticks-lit cigarettes. As we all know, there is very little comparison to the ill impacts of cigarette smoke.

Smoking kills more people on earth than by HIV, alcohol, car accidents, blasts, etc. It also raises risk of heart diseases, asthma, diabetes, cancer, etc.

E-cigarettes are better in the sense that they do not produce killing gases like carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide or the cancer-causing gummy residue called tar.

They, on the other hand, contain a cartridge of fluid or e-fluid which is made up of nicotine and flavours dissolved in the above-mentioned properties like propylene glycol and glycerol.

The e-liquid gets converted into a mist when heated by the battery and it is inhaled.

But There Is A Confusion...

But, despite this, many people are confused on whether opting e-cigarettes over the real ones is the right thing to do or not. One reason for this confusion is the conflicting revelations that various studies have made.

While some say e-cigarettes are somewhat helpful in you giving up your smoking habit, others conclude that they don't and instead of helping us quit the unhealthy habit, make us follow the habit even more.

There are also difference of opinions over the usefulness of e-cigarettes and whether they are less or more harmful than the real ones. Reviews and researches have said that they are actually a mix of both.

Bad Sides Of E-Cigarettes

Now, for the bad effects. The nicotine in e-cigarettes can lead to several ailments like insulin resistance and eventually type 2 diabetes, though the positive in this is the appetite-suppressing effects of nicotine that may balance out the ill-effects.

But, inhaling of nicotine can increase heart rate and blood pressure, which is another reason not to use e-cigarettes. Nicotine can also adversely affect the brain, which can lead to poor attention and low impulse control.

Using e-cigarettes at home can also affect children through passive ingestion. Even the flavours in e-cigarettes are not harmless. They often contain diacetyl, which is a chemical compound that can cause bronchiolitis obliterans, leading to a permanent damage to the bronchioles (smallest airways in the lungs).

Propylene glycol and glycerol, which are present in the e-liquid of the e-cigarettes, may get transformed into formaldehyde when overheated by the vaporizer. Formaldehyde can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, throat besides giving rise to cough, chest congestion and bronchitis.

So, would you still think of opting for an e-cigarette or giving up on your smoking habit for good? The choice is yours!

Read more about: cigarette
Story first published: Wednesday, October 12, 2016, 15:38 [IST]