- Does electronic cigarette hurt?
- "Mysterious" disease
- Because it was banned by Anvisa
- Does electronic cigarette help you quit smoking?
The electronic cigarette, also known as e- cigarette, ecigar or just heated cigarette, is a device in the shape of a conventional cigarette that does not need to burn to release nicotine. This is because there is a deposit where a concentrated liquid of nicotine is placed, which is heated and inhaled by the person. This liquid, in addition to nicotine, also has a solvent product (usually glycerin or propylene glycol) and a flavor chemical.
This type of cigarette was introduced on the market as being a good option to replace the conventional cigarette, since it does not need to burn tobacco to release nicotine. Thus, this type of cigarette also does not release many of the toxic substances in conventional cigarettes, which result from burning tobacco.
However, although these were the promises of the electronic cigarette, its sale was banned by ANVISA in 2009, with RDC 46/2009, and its use has been discouraged by several specialists in the area, including the Brazilian Medical Association.
Does electronic cigarette hurt?
Although many people think that the electronic cigarette has less risk than the conventional cigarette, the electronic cigarette is bad mainly due to the release of nicotine. Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known, so people who use any type of device that releases nicotine, whether electronic or conventional, will have a harder time quitting, due to the addiction that this substance causes at the brain level.
In addition, nicotine is released into the smoke that is released into the air, both by the device and by the user's exhalation. This causes people around you to also inhale the substance. This is even more serious in the case of pregnant women, for example, who, when exposed to nicotine, increase the risk of neurological malformations in the fetus.
As for the substances released by the electronic cigarette, and although it does not have many of the toxic substances released by burning tobacco, the electronic cigarette releases other substances that are carcinogenic. In an official document released by the CDC, it is possible to read that the heating of the solvent that carries the nicotine in the electronic cigarette, when burned to more than 150ºC, releases ten times more formaldehyde than the conventional cigarette, a substance with a proven carcinogenic action. Other heavy metals have also been found in the vapor released by these cigarettes and can be linked to the material used for their construction.
Finally, the chemicals used to create the taste of electronic cigarettes also have no proof that they are safe in the long run.
"Mysterious" disease
Since the use of electronic cigarettes started to become more popular, the number of people admitted to hospitals in the United States has grown, the only common relationship they had was the use of this type of cigarette with essences. As it is not yet known what this disease actually is and if it is actually related to the use of electronic cigarettes, this disease has come to be called a mysterious disease, the main symptoms being associated:
- Shortness of breath; Cough; Vomiting; Fever; Excessive tiredness.
These symptoms last for several days and can leave the person very weak, requiring the person to remain in the intensive care unit to receive the necessary care.
The cause of the mysterious disease is not yet certain, however it is believed that the symptoms of respiratory failure are related to the substances placed in the cigarette, which may be a consequence of exposure to chemical substances.
Because it was banned by Anvisa
Anvisa's ban was issued in 2009 due to the lack of scientific data to prove the efficiency, effectiveness and safety of electronic cigarettes, but this ban is only about the sale, import or advertising of the device.
Thus, and although there is a ban, the electronic cigarette can continue to be used legally, as long as it was purchased before 2009 or outside Brazil. However, several health regulators are trying to ban this type of device for good because of possible health risks.
Does electronic cigarette help you quit smoking?
According to the American Thoracic Society, the various studies done on the action of electronic cigarettes to help quit smoking have not shown any effect or relationship and, therefore, electronic cigarettes should not be used in the same way as other proven products for cessation. smoking, such as nicotine patches or gum.
This is because the patch gradually reduces the amount of nicotine that is released, helping the body to abandon addiction, while the cigarette always releases the same amount, in addition to the lack of regulation for the dose of nicotine that each brand puts in used liquids. on the cigarette. WHO also supports this decision and advises the use of other proven and safe strategies to successfully quit smoking.
In addition to all this, the electronic cigarette can even contribute to the increase in nicotine and tobacco addiction, since the flavors of the device appeal to a younger group, which may end up developing the addiction and starting the use of tobacco.
