E-Cigarettes and Vapor Products are an increasingly used alternate to tobacco products. This trend is already very wide spread throughout the population today, even though the health consequences are not well researched. Both E-cigarettes and vapor products have greatly increased in numbers since 2010. Some devices used for both of these look similar to regular cigarettes from a distance, even lighting up at the end when inhaling. What is unknown is how similar their effects are to those of products containing tobacco.
Even though there are no ill effects from tobacco or heat, there are still some very dangerous chemicals used in these tobacco alternatives. A form of highly concentrated liquid nicotine is used in these products. This form if nicotine can be highly toxic, even deadly, if ingested improperly or in high quantities. The effects of nicotine can distress the nervous system and heart and can be absorbed through many different avenues including inhalation, ingestion and even skin contact.
The amount of nicotine varies in each of these products on the market, of which the strongest formulation being 180mg of nicotine in one teaspoon. The shocking statistic here is that this is the equivalent of smoking 90 cigarettes!
The e-cigarette and vaping devices have not been adequately tested or approved as tobacco cessation devices. E-cigarettes and vapor products should not be used indoors where they can be inhaled secondhand, having similar addictive effects to secondhand tobacco smoke. The vapors emitted by the products also contain propylene glycol and tobacco-related contaminants such as formaldehyde and tobacco specific nitrosamines, chemicals which pose health risks to bystanders inhaling these toxins secondhand at some level as well.