There has been much negative publicity in the last few months regarding the Electronic Cigarette; a new invention for smokers that is set to revolutionise the world of smoking.
For those who haven’t hear of it, the electronic cigarette (or e cig as it is sometimes called), is a device that looks, feels and tastes like a real cigarette but doesn’t have the carcinogenic ingredients that real cigarettes have. You can also smoke this fantastic new gadget anywhere as the vapour that it produces dissipates very quickly, doesn’t smell or cause an issue with passive smoking. The refill cartridges that accompany the e cig contain nicotine amongst other things so the smoker can still get the nicotine hit they crave.
The negative publicity has come regarding the safety of this new device. They are mass produced in China and there are fears regarding the ingredients in the refill cartridges; what are they and are they safe?
The main ingredient in any electronic cigarette refill cartridge is propylene glycol. Also known as “dry ice”, this ingredient produces the vapour and is the main carrier for the other ingredients (nicotine, colourings and flavourings). Propylene glycol has been used for many years as a food additive, a solvent for food colours and flavourings and in many other applications. Propylene glycol is safe in reasonable doses and has a very low oral toxicity. As a substance it has been recognised as safe (GRAS) for human consumption and it shows no evidence of being a carcinogen or of being neotoxic.
Nicotine is, of course, addictive and is a toxin and a poison in its purest form. The body’s response to nicotine is immediate – causing short-term increases in blood pressure, heart rate and blood flow from the heart. However, nicotine is not a proven carcinogen.
The best advice that can be given to those wanting to try out this new invention is to buy from a reputable company. Any supplier of this product in the UK should have had the refill cartridges laboratory tested in the UK to determine the ingredients and confirm that they are safe. This testing is also vital to determine how the product should be labelled and packaged. Refill cartridges must be sold in childproof packaging as there is enough nicotine in a refill cartridge to cause serious harm to a small child if ingested. Any company which does not supply their refills in childproof packaging and who cannot produce a laboratory test certificate for their products should be avoided.
Electronic cigarettes are a fairly new invention. Because of this there are currently no results available from clinical tests that have been carried out on the long-term effects of smoking electronic cigarettes. Clinical trials have been carried out in New Zealand, with very good initial findings, but full details of these results have yet to be published.
There is no question that the electronic cigarette is a healthier option to smoking conventional cigarettes. The absence of tar and over 4000 chemical substances present in conventional cigarettes (many of them harmful and carcinogenic to the human body) means that it IS a healthier option. Just make sure you check out your supplier before buying.
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