Author Archives: austin chang

Visual contrast between a traditional cigarette and an e-cigarette. Source: Flickr Commons. This image is part of the public domain. https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/402/18561386162_0235f4e545_b.jpg

Do you think you’ve seen an increase in the amount of e-cigarette smoke emanating from people as they walk along Main Mall? If you have, you’re definitely not alone. According to a study conducted by the University of Waterloo in 2015, researchers found that 3.9 million Canadians have reported trying an e-cigarette and around three hundred thousand Canadians reported daily use. But are these statistics actually worrying? In short, it depends who you ask. A recent poll revealed that the public was evenly split between those that thought traditional cigarettes were worse than e-cigarettes and that e-cigarettes were as bad or worse than conventional cigarettes. Due to the relative adolescence of e-cigarettes, there are no long-term safety studies or research about the effects of e-cigarettes. However, from the research that has been conducted, it seems to suggest that e-cigarettes aren’t all that great.

Schematic of an e-cigarette. Source: Wikimedia Commons. This image is part of the public domain. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/E-cig-schematic.png

Background

First off, let me take you through the science behind the e-cigarette or electronic cigarette. An e-cigarette is a battery-powered device that converts liquid nicotine into a mist, or vapor, that the user inhales without any of the harmful chemicals found in a traditional cigarette. Most e-cigarettes contain a mouthpiece or cartridge, a heating element, and battery. As a user sucks on the mouthpiece, a sensor activates a heating element that vaporizes a flavored, liquid solution, which is then “inhaled” or “vaped”.

Argument for E-cigarettes

The saving grace for e-cigarettes has always been their safety in comparison to conventional cigarettes. The traditional cigarette is the leading cause of premature death in Canada and is related to more than forty-five thousand deaths annually, which amounts to twenty percent of all deaths in the country. Smoking increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, COPD, asthma, diabetes, and a variety of cancers. Most of the carcinogenic effects arising from traditional cigarettes comes from the tar, which, incidentally, is not found in e-cigarettes.

Argument Against E-cigarettes

Instead, e-cigarettes contain a cartridge of liquid that includes flavourings dissolved in propylene glycol and glycerol. The propylene glycol and glycerol may not be dangerous on their own, however, they can decompose when heated and be transformed into toxic compounds like formaldehyde. In addition, some e-cigarettes also contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and also increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and increased heart rate. Furthermore, since nicotine is so addictive, it is also believed that it will lead smokers of e-cigarettes to try traditional cigarettes. As for e-cigarettes without nicotine, the liquid found in e-cigarettes, also known as e-liquid, poses a threat because it contains diacetyl, a chemical compound associated with a rare lung disease that results in damaged airways in the lungs.

Takeaways

In conclusion, whether you believe it or not, e-cigarettes provide a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, but are still dangerous on their own. If you don’t already smoke cigarettes, it is highly recommended that you avoid e-cigarettes.

~Austin Chang