Are Electronic Cigarettes Safe: The Shocking Truth

If you’re like me, when you first heard of the electronic cigarette you immediately wondered what was wrong with it. In fact, it was a fortunate comment left by a researcher, now a good friend, in the very very early days of this blog which reassured me (and lead to our Interviews with Scientists series).

I think I have learnt a lot about the safety of electronic cigarette since then. Most of this information is on our website or blog somewhere, but I’ve tried to bring it together in one post. If you are new to e-cigarettes, hopefully this will answer your questions and fears – and if you’re not new, let me know if I am missing anything!

Oh – you also want to what the shocking truth is? You’ll have to read on to find out…

What’s Wrong With Smoking?

Despite some of the dramatic use of the ingredients of tobacco cigarettes (one, hydrogen cyanide, was used in Nazi death camps – another, formaldehyde, has been used to preserve corpses), it is the way you use tobacco cigarettes which is the problem.

When you burn tobacco, you produce smoke. As the smoke cools down, it produces both tar and hundreds of chemicals. Indeed, according to tobacco harm reduction experts, we have yet to identify many of the chemicals in cigarette smoke.

We do know that dozens of them are carcinogenic.

Electronic Cigarette Safety

Fortunately, and in contrast to tobacco cigs, there's no risk of fire with e-cigs.

In contrast, and after a number of analyses, we know exactly what is in electronic cigarettes. The principal ingredient is propylene glycol, which is used in dozens of applications, including medicine, asthma inhalers, cosmetics, foods, to sterilise drinking water, in air-conditioners – and to produce stage smoke!

Most e-cigarettes also contain nicotine. While not entirely healthy (its effects are similar to caffeine), nicotine is not carcinogenic, and carries a fraction of the risk of burning tobacco.

In a study summarising the analyses of the electronic cigarette, Professor Siegel concluded:

none of the more than 10,000 chemicals present in tobacco smoke, including over 40 known carcinogens, has been shown to be present in the cartridge or vapor of electronic cigarettes in anything greater than trace quality … they [electronic cigarettes] are undoubtedly safer than tobacco cigarettes

Source: Electronic Cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy for tobacco control: A step forward or a repeat of past mistakes?

Expert Opinions on the Electric Cigarette

Scientists we have spoken to have generally said that while not safe in absolute terms, electronic cigarettes are a lot safer for you than cigarettes.

Perhaps the most dramatically expressed opinion of an expert is that of David Sweanor, who told me:

Rather than the unattainable standard of ‘safe’ we should be thinking in terms of ‘safer’…. Despite the risks associated with soccer, I would, for instance, prefer my children play soccer rather than play with live hand grenades.

The UK government’s Nudge Unit agreed, stating:

There’s no doubt it can save many lives and hundreds of millions of pounds.

And here is what Professor Carl Phillips told us:

(If you found this movie useful, please consider sharing it or embedding it in your site.)

Short Term Health Benefits of Electronic Cigarettes

What we know about electronic cigarettes is based on science, and analyses of the ingredients. As the devices have been used for less than 10 years, we don’t have empirical evidence of the longer term effect of cigarettes.

It’s a different matter for short term effects, though.

In 2009, we carried out a survey with the University of Alberta asking how smokers felt after switching to the electronic cigarette. The results seemed clear:

You can see more graphs here, or read an academic summary of the survey here: E Cigarettes as Potential Tobacco Harm Reduction Projects.

So Are E-Cigarettes Safe or Dangerous?

No, e-cigarettes are not safe or healthy. At least, not in absolute terms. Scientists estimate that they carry around 1-2% of the risk of smoking, which is about the same health risk you get from drinking a cup of coffee.

They are, however, an awful lot safer for you than regular cigarettes.

So what’s the shocking truth?

The shocking truth is that despite the fact that e-cigarettes have the ability to save your life – as well as millions of others – they do not have the support they deserve.

In New Zealand e-cigarettes containing nicotine are banned. Although the government admits they are safer than cigarettes, they worry it could affect their official policy of ‘denormalising’ smokers.

In the Middle East the device is banned, with press stories claiming the device contains 100 or more times as much nicotine as a regular cigarette.

And while the device is legal in the US, anti-smoking organisations are financed by pharmaceutical companies selling competing nicotine products to campaign against the device.

Shocking, isn’t it?

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Related posts:

1. The Truth About Electronic Cigarettes
2. Substitute Cigarettes – safe?
3. Scientists: Why electronic cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes
4. New study proves Electronic Cigarette Safe
5. The most shocking Anti-Electronic Cigarette Movie yet!

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