Are E-Cigarettes Actually Useful for Quitting Smoking Cigarettes? Jen A. Miller - The New York Times
go to original October 26, 2022

Get the Facts About Quitting Smoking and E-Cigarettes (American Lung Association)

For adults who are looking to quit smoking cigarettes, e-cigarettes (also known as vapes, e-cigs and vape pens) have become a common option. They work by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine into an aerosol that is then inhaled. They can still feed a nicotine addiction, but they do so without burning tobacco, which produces smoke that can damage the lungs and potentially lead to lung cancer, emphysema and other lung issues, according to the National Cancer Institute.

“Nicotine is harmful in that it perpetuates addiction to smoking,” said Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, an associate professor of evidence-based policy and practice at the University of Oxford and a member of the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group. But, she added, nicotine itself is not what causes the kind of lung damage that can lead to cancer and other issues.

How safe are e-cigarettes?

That doesn’t mean e-cigarettes are entirely safe. Nicotine is highly addictive, and it can harm brain development in adolescents and young adults. It’s also toxic to developing fetuses, and isn’t safe for those who are pregnant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

E-cigarette vapor can contain other potentially harmful substances, including flavorings, cancer-causing chemicals like acetaldehyde or formaldehyde, ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs, and heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead.

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