Why Use Electronic Cigarettes?

i. Scientists Claim Health Benefits

If all the smokers in Britain stopped smoking cigarettes and started smoking e-cigarettes we would save 5 million deaths in people who are alive today. It’s a massive potential public health prize.

Professor John Britton, chair of the Tobacco Advisory Group of the Royal College of Physicians Source: BBC

Many scientists believe that electronic cigarettes are vastly safer than tobacco cigarettes – in fact Professor Carl Phillips has argued that the benefits of switching are almost identical to those of quitting.

You see, 99% of the problem with smoking is not nicotine, it’s the combustion. When you burn tobacco, you create thousands of chemicals, dozens of carcinogens and tar.

In contrast, electronic cigarettes do not burn tobacco. It vaporises a liquid (called e-juice or e-liquid) which contains nicotine. And scientist Professor Michael Siegel argues that while we have yet to identify all the chemicals in cigarette smoke, we know exactly what is in e-liquid. (For more information see our section on e-liquid below.)

An expert independent evidence review published in August 2015 by Public Health England (PHE) concluded that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful to health than tobacco and have the potential to help smokers quit smoking.

Key findings of the review include:

· the current best estimate is that e-cigarettes are around 95% less harmful than smoking

· nearly half the population (44.8%) don’t realise e-cigarettes are much less harmful than smoking

· there is no evidence so far that e-cigarettes are acting as a route into smoking for children or non-smokers

The findings were backed up by a Royal College of Physicians report released this year.

Side Effects

While usually perfectly safe, the propylene glycol (PG) in electronic cigarettes can cause dryness of throat and sore throats. In addition, a small percentage of people are allergic to PG.

At times, allergic symptoms may be confused with the effects of quitting smoking. Quitting smoking symptoms can include:

· mouth ulcers

· coughing

· chest pains

· respiratory problems

· mood swings

If you have any concerns at all, consult your doctor!