The consumption of electronic cigarettes has been found to be less toxic and safer compared to using traditional tobacco cigarettes. This is the finding of a new published study on the levels of harmful substances that cause cancer in the body, including the effects of e-cigarettes.
According to the researchers, people who changed their smoking habits by switching from regular tobacco cigarettes to e-cigarettes or to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as patches or gums, for six months or more were found to have reduced levels of toxins and carcinogens in their saliva and urine. Such finding highlighted the positive effects of e-cigarettes compared to the smoking of traditional tobacco cigarettes.
"Our study adds to existing evidence showing that e-cigarettes and NRT are far safer than smoking, and suggests that there is a very low risk associated with their long-term use," said research leader Lion Shahab, who works as an epidemiology and public health specialist at the University College London. Their study, which underlines the effects of e-cigarettes and NRTs on toxin levels during continued use, has been published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Euromonitor International noted that e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, have already expanded into an enormous market that rakes in approximately $8 billion a year, an amount that is three times higher than that of NRT products. However, such number remains modest when compared with a $700 billion tobacco market.
Reuters noted that numerous health experts believe the less harmful effects of e-cigarettes are prompting many to seek out this alternative to smoking tobacco. On the other hand, some have questioned whether such tools could eventually act as “gateway” to consuming tobacco cigarettes.
While tobacco smoking kills approximately six million people in a year, it also remains as one of the most preventable causes of deaths, as stated by the World Health Organization. Kevin Fenton, national director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England, commented on the study’s findings relating to the effects of e-cigarettes.
"Switching to e-cigarettes can significantly reduce harm to smokers, with greatly reduced exposure to carcinogens and toxins," he stated. He also added that the ideal step that smokers can do for themselves and for the people around them is to completely kick the habit.
