Are electronic cigarettes safe? What are the health benefits of an electronic cigarette? There is so much focus on the unhealthy practice of smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes nowadays that many people are interested in quitting smoking, greatly reducing the amount they smoke each day, or switching to an alternative such as electronic cigarettes to take advantage of the health benefits e-cigs offer. There are many contributing factors that allow electronic cigarettes to be considered safer and more beneficial than their tobacco cigarette counterparts, including no toxins, chemicals or carcinogenic ingredients, reduced nicotine addiction, no second hand smoke, cheaper health insurance, and less out of pocket expenses because e-cigarettes are cheap.
Improved Lung Health
When comparing all of the health aspects that make electronic cigarettes safe, improved lung health is of the utmost priority. There is no doubt that smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes damages the lungs, as smokers are literally taking hot smoke inundated with harmful chemicals, tar, and carcinogens into their lungs each and every time they take a puff, increasing the chances of lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases.
On the other hand, electronic cigarettes provide a much safer smoking experience by only exposing smokers to a vaporized nicotine solution, eliminating the intake of carcinogens and other harsh chemicals. The nicotine, the primary component of tobacco and cigarettes, allows the smoker to feel satisfied after each puff, and the emitted water vapor is much cleaner and does leave a lingering odor, bad breath, or second hand smoke. This makes electronic cigarettes safe and a more favorable alternative to smoking conventional cigarettes – it’s just a matter of finding the best electronic cigarette, nicotine flavors and strengths for you.
Better Heart Health
Another important factor that makes electronic cigarettes safer is the decreased quantity of carbon monoxide that the smoker inhales, which positively impacts your heart and can improve your health with electronic cigarettes. Carbon monoxide is a molecule that binds to the hemoglobin in blood with a greater affinity than oxygen, reducing the oxygen-carrying capacity of your blood. Without proper oxygen levels carried in the bloodstream, your heart is forced to work much harder to pump the same amount of oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. This often results in several types of heart disease, but e-cigarettes can help mitigate these harmful consequences and offer health benefits. Since there is no actual combustion occurring with e-cigs, e-cigarettes do not contain any carbon monoxide, thus retaining the oxygen-carrying capacity of your blood. One of the features that make electronic cigarettes safe is the lack of actual smoke, fire, or need for ashtrays, and over time, e-cigarettes may even help smokers repair damage that has already been incurred.
No Secondhand Smoke
Not only do tobacco cigarette smokers harm their own health, but they also jeopardize the health of individuals who inhale the secondhand cigarette smoke in the surrounding environment. In an effort to make electronic cigarettes safer to bystanders, e-cig manufacturers and brands conduct studies and tests to ensure that none of the emitted water vapor will adversely affect any individuals in close proximity to the smoker. Studies have shown that the secondhand “smoke” that comes from e-cigarettes is similar to everyday water vapor, as it does not contain any harmful chemicals or byproducts. This benefit to electronic cigarettes is of great concern to manufacturers, and thus these tests are completed frequently to ensure purity and to maintain electronic cigarette safety.
Additionally, since electronic cigarettes emit water vapor, the odor of cigarette smoke will no longer be a concern. The water vapor, though it appears similar to a cloud of smoke, does not have a smell nor does it linger, meaning your clothes, body, or home won’t expose any traces of smoke, nor will secondhand smoke affect your children or loved ones.
Decreases in Lung Cancer Risks
Conventional tobacco cigarette smokers face an incredibly high occurrence of lung cancer, primarily as a result of the 4,000 plus chemicals, poisons and large number of carcinogens found in tobacco smoke. It is often reported that cigarette smoke is the number one cause of lung cancer anywhere in the world. However, the simple water vapor makes electronic cigarettes a safer alternative, as there are no known carcinogens in the vapor extracted from e-cigarettes. This water vapor byproduct is the reason the industry calls smoking an electronic cigarette “vaping”. Although nicotine is considered a “drug” because it is addictive and binds to receptors in the brain, it is not a carcinogen and cannot singly cause cancer, making electronic cigarettes safe and a great alternative to smoking regular tobacco cigarettes.
The Impacts of Nicotine
Nicotine is the addictive substance found in tobacco, and traditional cigarettes deliver nicotine into the body amidst a shroud of hot smoke and toxic chemicals. The ability to deliver pure nicotine into the body offers electronic cigarettes health benefits over tobacco cigarettes. Although e-cigarettes deliver nicotine into the bloodstream, the process is accomplished without the harmful side effects of tar, toxic chemical compounds, and carcinogens. In essence, e-cigarette users are able to satisfy their cravings for nicotine without further exposing their bodies to harsh chemicals that can lead to disease or illness. This makes electronic cigarettes a more promising and safe substitute for anyone with a nicotine addiction. Furthermore, consumers actually claim that their addiction to nicotine is reduced by e-cigarettes, noting that their urges to smoke are not as strong and don’t occur as often.
Reducing Addiction
Just like standard tobacco cigarettes, e-cigs are available in a variety of types based on consumer preference, from different appearance styles to assorted brands. Each individual has the option to purchase a cartridge with full flavor, medium, light, ultra-light, or no nicotine strengths, which can ultimately allow the smoker to gradually dose down the amount of nicotine. This makes electronic cigarettes safer in comparison to standard tobacco cigarettes, since smokers have the opportunity to progressively reduce their intake quantity of nicotine, eventually staying healthy and smoke-free if they choose to do so. Even though many may argue that similar nicotine delivery can be accomplished with gums or patches, no other option simulates the act of smoking like an e-cig, preventing nicotine withdrawal symptoms and making the transition and switch to e-cigarettes easier and smoother on the smoker. Just to be clear, electronic cigarettes are not marketed as a smoking cessation device, but the health benefits listed above make electronic cigarettes safe, effective, and a great alternative to the standard methods of satisfying and potentially reducing nicotine addiction.
Electronic Cigarette Safety
All of these benefits make electronic cigarettes safe and desirable, and are even sometimes recommended by physicians. E-cigarettes are ultimately better for the body and mind, and also provide smokers a great way to obtain their nicotine fix without all of the harmful side effects of tobacco, including no carcinogens or harmful chemicals, no tobacco and secondhand smoke, and less detrimental health issues. Even better, consumers can find the best, cheap electronic cigarettes that will end up costing them about $2 to $3 per cartridge, the equivalent of a pack of cigarettes, helping them save money while enjoying the health benefits of e-cigarettes. Overall, “are electronic cigarettes safe?” Given all the current medical and trial information available, so far, the answer is yes.