What Are the Real Dangers of E-Cigarettes?

One day, I was on my way home from work.

The subway was crowded, and I was pushed into a corner by an invisible force, surrounded by pregnant women and children. I stood carefully, afraid of bumping into them. At that moment, a young man squeezed in front of me, and what caught my attention was the blue electronic cigarette he was holding. He took a puff now and then, exhaling a cloud of smoke right in my face.

I couldn't hold back my temper and said, "Hey, buddy, smoking is not allowed on the subway, and there are kids and pregnant women here!"

- "It's fine, it's an e-cigarette, it's harmless!"

- "It's not harmless, I know that."

- "Hey, are you crazy? Where does it say you can't smoke e-cigarettes on the subway?"

- "The regulations are lagging behind, but it's still not allowed."

- "You're the crazy one!"

After saying that, he continued to smoke and left in a cloud of vapor when we reached the station.

I was really furious.

I thought it was time to talk about e-cigarettes.
 
What Are the Real Dangers of E-Cigarettes?

1. Compared to traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes do reduce health risks (mainly by reducing tar). However, this does not mean e-cigarettes are harmless.

2. The nicotine in e-cigarettes is still addictive and poses health threats. Note that e-cigarettes on the market are not well-regulated, leading to uncontrolled nicotine levels.

3. The exhaled vapor from e-cigarette users still contains nicotine, which technically raises the issue of "secondhand smoke." Note that vaping in public still harms others.

4. E-cigarette liquids contain various additives and flavors, or simply "mystery formulas." Currently, the harm of inhaling these vapors to the lungs is not clear. Note that "not clear" does not mean harmless.

5. E-cigarettes are at most a substitute for traditional cigarettes; there is currently no evidence that e-cigarettes can help with quitting smoking. Note that due to inadequate market regulation, some e-liquids contain higher nicotine levels than traditional cigarettes, merely replacing one addiction with another.

6. E-cigarettes, due to their trendy appearance and manufacturers' "harmless" promotions, make it easier for many teenagers to access them. Note that transitioning from vaping to smoking traditional cigarettes can happen in an instant.

What are the real dangers of e-cigarettes? After reviewing so much information, I found that the real danger of e-cigarettes is not about what is being smoked, but rather the act of "smoking" itself, especially among teenagers.

In 2016, the growth rate of high school students in the U.S. using e-cigarettes reached 900%. Subsequently, a survey by The Wall Street Journal found that nearly 30% of teenagers aged 13 to 18 had used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, and they didn't think much of it.

The problem lies here: many teenagers think e-cigarettes are cool and trendy. Under the bombardment of various flashy videos and promotions from manufacturers, many kids start to try them. But don't forget—e-cigarettes also contain nicotine and can be addictive!

Moreover, a key point is that if e-cigarettes can replace traditional cigarettes, then traditional cigarettes can also replace e-cigarettes, right?

With more people using e-cigarettes, more will want to try traditional cigarettes, right?

This could even be a tactic by tobacco companies to get more people back to smoking traditional cigarettes, right?

Although our country introduced relevant regulations on August 26, 2018 (as shown in the image below):
 
▲ Image source: State Administration for Market Regulation

To be honest, I haven't seen much effect.

Just search casually on Taobao, and you can still find many e-cigarettes for sale, with no age restrictions during the entire purchasing process, meaning many kids can still buy them directly.