Are E-cigarette’s an end to the hunt of smoker’s safe alternate?

Electronic Cigarettes are currently rising and marketing themselves as a safer alternate to regular smoke emitting Cigarettes. Some supports it and adapts it while some oppose to consider E-cigarettes as a complete harmless alternate, to date this remains a debatable subject. Various researches have been made and many are in process to judge whether E-cigarettes are harmful in any way or is it actually an end to smoker’s safe alternate hunt. E-cigarette by many is seen as an invulnerable alternative to tobacco smoking whereas there are many who refutes to this same notion. The following is a summary of preliminary findings of few researches, which are undertaken to discover and bring in light, the effects of E-cigarettes. The related published researches reveal differing conclusions.

Top studies surrounding E- cigarettes:

·         A study conducted by L.Dawkins (Psychology, Univ of East London), Book  - ‘THE ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE: ACUTE EFFECTS ON MOOD AND CRAVING’ tentatively concludes that the E-cigarette can be efficient in reducing urge of smoking for a short term and help to withdraw tobacco or nicotine. Since the e-cigarette is capable to emit vapour resembling smoke and let you have a taste like tobacco, these may be sufficient in reducing short-term uneasiness that occurs due to tobacco abstinence. However, the effect and impact of E-cigarettes on severely deprived smokers or longer-term users stay the same.

·         The officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had their own research. In 2009, study conducted by the Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research detected the presence of Diethylene glycol considered as a highly toxic liquid, in one of the cartridges it investigated. It publically states that testing shows e-smoking devices contain toxins and known carcinogens. This is why Electronic cigarettes are not FDA approved as smoking cessation products.Their Carried Research found that the amount of nicotine provided with each puff often varies from the amount stated on the label, prompting the agency to express concern about E-cigarettes. It also shows concerns that non-smokers could get addicted to nicotine and thus it could encourage them even more to turn into smokers.

·         A Greek organisation called ‘Demokritos’ has maintained a neutral stance on the subject after conducting its own independent research. Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos from Greece presented his findings stating that laboratory tests have shown E-cigarettes contain less toxic elements than traditional cigarettes. In addition, No significant defects in cardiac function after its acute use have been noticed.

·         Researchers from the University of Athens - Vardavas and colleagues have found that E-cigarettes have Short-term Pulmonary Effects. That affects Respiratory Flow Resistance. The study demonstrated an abrupt increase in airway resistance leading to a lower level of oxygen in the bloodstream in e-smokers. According to them if people used E-cigarettes as a temporary "bridge" to quitting smoking, any short-term effects of the products would be outweighed by the long-term health benefits.

·         Research conducted independently at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research WKI in Braunschweig (Germany) found that Electronic Cigarettes do not emit Formaldehyde. It also states that e-cigarette contributes less to indoor air pollution than tobacco cigarettes though it is not entirely emission-free.

·         Research’s Lead author Dr.Michael Siegel, professor of community health sciences, Boston University School of Public Health did Online Survey based study, which brought the findings that E-cigarettes may hold promise to act as a smoking-cessation method and that they are valuable of further study using more- accurate research designs.

 In another similar research, Dr.Michael Siegel also finds that the E-cigarettes have no severe effect on pulmonary function, which was measured through Spirometry testing.

·         A private enterprise called Health New Zealand (HNZ) 2008, released the results of a comprehensive battery of laboratory tests. It found that the labelling on E-cigarettes reflected their actual nicotine content. HNZ and F.D.A both found cancer-causing chemicals called tobacco specific N-nitrosamines at trace levels.

To bring more light to know the real negative outcomes or effectiveness of E-cigarettes, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is yet to publish a research on this subject.

While, many researchers including Cancer Research UK believes that very little study and exploration till now has been made to know the actual consequence of E-cigarettes, and there is an immediate need to know substantial evidences and study if E-cigarettes are actually worthy and completely safe.