E-Cigarettes: An alternative to smoking or a modern hazard …?
Sciences de la Santé
E-Cigarettes: An alternative to smoking or a modern hazard …?
Asma AIT SAID
It is a fact universally acknowledged that smoking is a damaging act to most of the organs of the human body and is a crucial risk factor for a countless number of fatal diseases. In the process of overcoming the addiction to smoking, many solutions were presumed to be relatively effective. Among them, electronic cigarettes take an important place as they are included in the family of Nicotine Replacement Therapy( NRT). Along with the improvement of these questionable devices, their use had exploded in the previous decade; especially in countries of higher incomes, namely the U. K., the U. S. A., Australia and many Asian countries. The category that seems to be the most concerned is the youth. But even adults seem to develop an addiction to electronic cigarette use. Several surveys have reported a number of people who have never been tobacco-smokers and yet became users of e-cigs after a first try; others had even relapsed after complete withdrawal. They however included previous smokers of conventional cigarettes mostly. Therefore, public health experts doubt the efficacy of these devices and their contribution to smoking cessation, thus creating a vibrant controversy in public health. In this short review, we will try to discuss the actual components of electronic cigarettes, the extent of their efficacy and their authenticity of being a safe substitute to conventional cigarettes. Further information concerning the most recent studies and experiments will be analyzed along the article.
Definition and mechanisms of action
Originally created to resemble conventional cigarettes, E-cigarettes, also known as E-cigs, are electromechanical devices provided with a system that emits vaporized nicotine among other substances inhaled by the user. The consumer is thus exposed to all of the components present in the e-smoke.
The process by which the e-smoke is made is pretty simple. Centered by an electronic circuit, the tool consists of a cartridge filled with a flavored liquid combined with a heating element or an atomizer, a sensor and a rechargeable battery. Either by pushing a button or inhaling, the sensor receives a signal and activates the atomizer that heats and aerosolizes the e-liquid in the reservoir converting it to a vapor that simulates tobacco smoke without any combustion occurring as it is tobacco free. The vapor is then inhaled or‘’ vaped’’ by the user through the drip tip or the mouthpiece.
E-liquid components The components of the e-liquid are the principle root of the ambiguity concerning the side effects of using e-cigs, most of them are found in food, pharmaceutical
and cosmetic products. Although electronic cigarettes are quickly evolving and further generations are still appearing, the different brands all share the same main components which are: Nicotine( although some e-cigs are called, or so-called, nicotine free), Propylene Glycol or Glycerol, and different types of Flavorings. Many other constituent elements have also been determined. Their biological potentials are further discussed.
- Nicotine: a highly addictive substance. The concentration of the nicotine delivered to the vascular system is related to the intensity of the puffs taken by the users. The stronger the puff is, the higher nicotinemia gets and could even reach similar levels of conventional cigarettes! Some of the e-cigs labeled nicotine free have been proven to actually contain nicotine and the concentrations referred to in the labels were found to be incompatible with the actual doses in the e-liquid.
- Propylene Glycol and / or Vegetable Glycerin or Glycerol: diluted in water, they represent the main component of the liquid and play a role in preserving the moisture in the cartridge and producing a visible aerosol.
- Flavorings: electronic cigarettes include an astonishing number of characterized flavors that
18 Été 2018