Are E-Cigarettes Harmful? Let’s Hear What People Say

Heated Tobacco Information Network Q&A

Q: What are the harms of e-cigarettes?

A: Domestic smokers say this 

Mr. Huang from an advertising company in Kunming used to smoke e-cigarettes and believes that "they are not as good as regular cigarettes." At first, he felt a bit uncomfortable, but after a while, he noticed a significant reduction in his consumption of regular cigarettes, yet he still felt that "he couldn't satisfy his craving."
    
Foreign smokers say this

Several former smokers reported that after using e-cigarettes for a few days, they quit regular cigarettes. "My breathing improved, and my sleep got better," said Greg Hester, 42, who has worked in information systems in Atlanta for over 20 years. The aforementioned e-cigarette seller, Ms. Vasco Celos, started smoking at 14 and once smoked two packs a day. She tried nicotine patches and other aids to quit smoking but was unsuccessful until she began using e-cigarettes in early 2009 and has continued ever since.

Manufacturers say this

Ms. Vasco Celos, a former computer consultant, stated: "E-cigarettes changed my life, and I really want to introduce them to more people." She started her company, "Non-Smoke," last year and has sold 1.5 million e-cigarettes. The company's website does not promote health slogans but simply describes e-cigarettes as "wonderful tobacco alternatives."

E-cigarettes can help smokers quit easily. Nicotine is the main component that causes addiction, providing a sense of euphoria and thus creating dependency; by gradually reducing the nicotine concentration in the pods, smokers can unknowingly break free from their addiction while maintaining a smoking-like experience, achieving the goal of quitting easily.

American research institutions say this

Dr. Joel Nitzch of the American Public Health Association's Tobacco Control Group stated that e-cigarettes may be the most promising smoking cessation product on the market today. He indicated that this product should be regulated to ensure production standards. Some scientists also believe that e-cigarettes avoid the combustion process of tobacco, so the harm may be much less than that of regular cigarettes, as cancer and smoking-related diseases are primarily caused by toxins produced during the combustion of tobacco.