Why Are E-Cigarettes Banned, and What Are Their Risks?

Many countries and regions around the world have also launched campaigns to “ban e-cigarettes.” In addition, the harms and existing problems associated with e-cigarettes have been continuously disclosed to the public. Today, we will give you a comprehensive introduction to why e-cigarettes are banned and what risks they pose.
 
I. Countries that have already started banning e-cigarettes

Why are e-cigarettes banned and what are their risks

1. Singapore

In December 2016, Singapore issued a law banning the sale of e-cigarettes, mainly on the grounds that e-cigarettes contain nicotine.

2. Brazil

The Brazilian government believes there is no conclusive evidence showing that e-cigarettes benefit public health. Officials are concerned that e-cigarettes, like traditional cigarettes, could seriously harm people’s health. They are also concerned that e-cigarettes may be difficult to regulate, just like traditional cigarettes, so Brazil has banned e-cigarette sales nationwide.

3. Philippines

The Philippines bans e-cigarettes, and using e-cigarettes in public places there may result in up to four months in prison.

4. India

In some parts of India, violating regulations by using e-cigarettes may lead to up to three years in prison. In addition to the examples above, more than 10 countries and regions, including Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Thailand, Lebanon, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Egypt, have banned e-cigarettes.

Not long ago, the BBC produced a documentary titled Are E-Cigarettes a Miracle or a Menace?, which opened the door to questions about the safety of e-cigarettes, which had already become extremely popular at the time.

II. An introduction to the risks of e-cigarettes

Why are e-cigarettes banned and what are their risks

E-cigarettes may cause immune suppression, fatal lung disease, and cancer. Another set of research findings previously published in the United States further strongly revealed the risks of e-cigarettes:

1. Damage to the immune system

By comparing immune cells in the noses of e-cigarette users, traditional smokers, and non-smokers, researchers found that using e-cigarettes suppresses 358 immune genes in the nose, while conventional smokers showed suppression in 53 immune genes. In other words, according to this claim, the harm from e-cigarettes is equivalent to seven times that of cigarettes!

2. Triggering cardiovascular disease

Researchers also studied e-cigarette e-liquid, and the results were again shocking. E-cigarette aerosol can increase platelet aggregation, potentially causing microthrombi in blood vessels. This suggests that e-cigarettes are by no means less harmful than traditional cigarettes when it comes to increasing cardiovascular risk and triggering heart attacks.

3. Causing multiple cancers

Researchers later also found that aerosol produced by battery-heated e-liquid contains aldehydes harmful to the cardiovascular system, including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein. This may lead to multiple cancers, including lung cancer.

4. Causing fatal lung disease

Just as the so-called “health halo” of e-cigarettes was being steadily shown to be nonexistent, another study found that using e-cigarettes may bring a fatal risk—bronchiolitis obliterans. This is a fatal and irreversible obstructive lung disease that can gradually lead the lungs to failure.

The above is an introduction from Heated Tobacco News on why e-cigarettes are banned and what risks they pose. After reading this, do you now have a better understanding of e-cigarettes?