Ya'an, Sichuan: vaping grows popular as experts urge caution when buying

Heated Tobacco News reported: On November 15, 2013, at a small street stall on Zhongda Street in Ya’an, Sichuan Province, the claim that “e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking and even help cleanse the lungs” caught the attention of smokers. People were drawn to the device in the vendor’s hand as he held up an e-cigarette and introduced its supposed benefits to onlookers. The e-cigarette looked very much like a traditional cigarette. When puffed, its tip lit up automatically like a burning cigarette, and it also produced vapor. After hearing the vendor’s pitch, many local residents were eager to give it a try, and some simply paid for one on the spot.

What exactly is an e-cigarette? How is it different from a traditional cigarette? According to the owner of a cigarette specialty shop in the city, e-cigarettes do not contain tar and similar substances. They are a non-combustible cigarette alternative that allows smokers to enjoy the sensation of smoking without changing their smoking habits or cigarette flavor preferences. When asked whether they really help cleanse the lungs or assist with quitting smoking, the shop owner admitted that this is how the products are marketed, but he could not guarantee whether those claims were true.   On November 16, investigators found that many cigarette specialty shops in the city had prominently displayed advertisements saying “E-cigarettes for sale.” They also claimed that e-cigarettes could not only help smokers remove years of accumulated toxins from their bodies, but also gradually reduce nicotine dependence.   At a cigarette specialty shop on Linjiang Road in the city, a separate counter had been set up specifically to display e-cigarettes. The store carried many varieties, priced from 90 yuan to over 100 yuan, and matching mouthpieces were also available for different models. The owner told reporters, “I’ve heard e-cigarettes are selling very well in other places, and we started stocking them just a week ago.”   “E-cigarettes sell very well. This is already my second restock,” said the owner of another cigarette specialty shop on Linjiang Road in Ya’an. He said one attractively packaged e-cigarette model in his shop was especially popular, with customers buying them both for personal use and as gifts.   “I’ll buy one pack and take it home to see if it can help me quit smoking.” “I heard e-cigarettes were being sold, so I wanted to try one and see what’s different.” Investigators randomly interviewed several residents who had purchased e-cigarettes. Although many people were buying them, most were simply trying them out. They still had doubts about the actual effects of e-cigarettes and whether they might harm health.

“Whether e-cigarettes really deliver the effects claimed in advertisements, and whether they pose health risks, still remains to be proven,” said Dr. Zhou from a local hospital. He noted that although some e-cigarettes claim to contain no tar or similar substances, they still deliver nicotine to users, which may lead to dependence. Excessive intake may still be harmful to health. Dr. Zhou advised that smokers are better off approaching smoking cessation through diet, psychological awareness, and personal goals in order to address the problem at its root.