Are E-Cigarettes Safe?

Are e-cigarettes really safer than regular cigarettes? Proponents argue electronic cigarette usage gives them greater stamina, whiter teeth, healthier gums and the ability to sleep better. Critics claim the benefits are outweighed by negative factors like exposure to Tetramethylpyrazine, a carcinogen that can lead to abnormal brain development. So who is right? Are the risks overstated or does the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) need to take action?

As with any new technology, the jury is still out on this one. Nevertheless, there are some conclusions we can make. Even trace amounts of nicotine can be harmful to your heart. In this case, there is an actual solution. "No nicotine cartridges" are available for e-cigarettes but other carcinogens in the formula may be hard to avoid.

Critics also argue that long term exposure to e-cigarettes may lead to cancer. While a direct cancer link is still yet to be proven, these studies take many years to perform. In the meantime, do you want to be their guinea pig? As The New York Times notes, "some popular e-cigarettes get so hot that they, too, can produce a handful of the carcinogens found in cigarettes and at similar levels." Moreover, heat is radiation. Prolonged exposure to radiation in any form is always a concern. Yes even mobile devices are questionable in this regard but that is the subject of another debate.

Another major concern is that the liquid in e-cigarettes is extremely concentrated and a powerful neurotoxin. If the casing breaks, even a tiny amount on the skin is poisonous and potentially even lethal. With accidents likely to happen, this danger is a threat to even non-users.

Perhaps the most controversial issue is not so much the product but its marketing. Flavors such as bubble gum, cotton candy, caramel and gummy bears entice adolescences who are already impressionable enough. As the Star Tribune reports, poison control centers have witnessed a major spike in nicotine poisoning in kids resulting from electronic cigarettes.

As far as quitting smoking is concerned, e-cigarettes may be a safer bet than smoking tobacco but a dependence is still a dependence. There are better ways to quit smoking and regardless of how its supporters spin it, consuming toxins is never a smart idea.