Having appeared on the market not so long ago, an electronic cigarette quickly became a competitor to an ordinary one. Some fans of the invention consider it a panacea for tobacco dependence, others - a fashion accessory, and the debate about whether harmful electronic cigarettes or not, does not stop. Where is the truth?
Material Content:
What is the composition of the liquid in electronic cigarettes?
Although the patent for electronic cigarettes was proposed back in the 60s of the last century, in their usual form they were invented only in 2004 by the Hong Kong company Ruyan Group Ltd. The device of the cigarette is quite simple: in fact, it is an electronic unit and an vaporizer. The shape of a cigarette can be any - from the usual thin "cigarette" to a pipe.
The power supply contains batteries for the operation of the device. The evaporator or atomizer consists of a heating element and a wick, and serves to uniformly supply liquid to the heating element, where it evaporates. Outwardly, this vapor resembles tobacco smoke.
An empty electronic cigarette is just a safe device, but an electronic cigarette with liquid is the subject of fierce debate about its danger and safety.
So what is mixed in this liquid?
Liquid for e-cigarettes consists of the following components:
- Glycerin necessary for vaporization is an essential liquid component;
- propylene glycol (not an obligatory component), acting as a solvent for other components, allowing the fluid to be fluid and enhancing its palatability;
- water, which may or may not be present, acts on the principle of a solvent and gives the liquid additional fluidity;
- nicotine, unlike traditional cigarettes, is not a mandatory electronic component, it is included in the composition of liquids in different dosages and acts as a psychoactive substance;
- flavors that give the composition a taste and smell, but are not required;
- dyes that determine color, also not related to mandatory components.
A liquid has an important characteristic - its density (or viscosity). Density depends on the concentration of glycerol - the more it is, the thicker the liquid. And the cheaper the cigarettes, the less thick the liquid is, and the less glycerol is contained, because with a weak supply the wick of the cigarette does not have time to get wet, and the coil overheats, which leads to the failure of the appliance.
According to the type of concentration of the components, liquids with the following amount of steam are distinguished:
- large, with an average level of respiratory receptor irritation (30% propylene glycol, glycerol - 70%)
- medium, with a high level of irritation (50% glycerol and propylene glycol.)
Flavors in the composition may contain 5-30% - the concentration depends on the formulation. But the nicotine content should not exceed 3.6%, but it may be completely absent.
The strength of the liquid according to the nicotine content is usually designated on a scale of 0-12 mg. The more powerful the vaporizer in a cigarette, the greater the concentration of nicotine in each puff.
You can make liquid for an e-cigarette yourself, but this has its pros and cons. The first is that the manufacturer has the ability to control the quality of the purity of the mixture and the concentration of nicotine. The second is the possibility of adding harmful components (including narcotic), which reduces the already minimal benefit of these cigarettes to zero.
Work mechanism
How does an electronic cigarette work? By the mechanism of action on the body - similarly to the traditional one. But in order to smoke an ordinary cigarette, it is necessary to set it on fire, and as a result of burning tobacco, nicotine is released, which brings satisfaction to the smoker. When the electronic cigarette is turned on, the liquid heats up, the device begins to emit vapor simulating smoke. Steam enters the smoker's lungs. The mechanism of operation resembles an inhaler, and regardless of the design of the cigarette, it is absolutely identical in all models.
How dangerous are electronic cigarettes?
The danger of electronic cigarettes is said by many scientists and doctors. If the liquid contains even a little nicotine, then, in fact, smoking an electronic cigarette is no different in terms of its effect on the body. And many countries prohibit the sale of this analogue. For example, Brazil, Turkey, Italy, Canada - even advertising of such products is not allowed there. In Thailand, they may be fined or even arrested for using and storing electronic cigarettes. In Russia, the sale of electronic cigarettes that imitate traditional ones in color and shape is prohibited. Other in appearance devices are not prohibited by law.
Why are electronic cigarettes considered dangerous?
WHO claims that electronic cigarettes cannot be classified as proven nicotine replacement therapy. Moreover, experts note the popularity of these devices for smoking among young people who have not previously smoked.
According to experts, the vapor emitted by electronic cigarettes and containing both nicotine (valid for nicotine-containing liquids) and a whole list of toxic substances, has a negative effect not only on the smoker himself, but also on others.
Unscrupulous manufacturers of smoking liquids, due to the lack of state standard specifications for production and supervision, can add harmful impurities to the product, and this is not regulated by law. And even nicotine-free fluids carry a certain threat.Trusting advertisers and manufacturers who assure that electronic cigarettes are safe, the smoker gradually becomes addicted to them. Addiction occurs both on the physical level and on the psychological. And the lack of expected sensations makes us use the electronic version of cigarettes more and more often.
Is it harmful to others?
WHO strongly recommends not using electronic cigarettes when non-smokers are nearby. The fact is that the nicotine concentration in the pair can be toxic, and even deadly.
Scientists from the National Laboratory in Berkeley have found that when the current is thermally exposed, glycerin and propylene glycol decompose, and toxic substances such as acrolein and formaldehyde are released. Fragrances in the composition of the liquid can cause serious allergic reactions and exacerbation of existing ENT diseases. Thus, steam is also potentially dangerous for passive smokers.
Effect on pregnant women and children
Any nicotine-containing substances are considered highly toxic to children. Especially dangerous is the accidental use of liquid for electronic cigarettes inside. According to various sources, the lethal nicotine dose is 1–13 milligrams per kilogram of a person’s weight, and due to age, the child needs very little to get poisoned. That is why it is not recommended for manufacturers to pack the liquid in a bright and colorful package, attractive to little curiosities.
During pregnancy, women are not recommended not only to smoke, but even to be close to the consumer of electronic cigarettes, because the effect of steam on the body and mother, and the fetus has not been studied.
Electronic cigarette or regular: which is more harmful?
Perhaps the question of which is more harmful - an electronic cigarette or an ordinary one, will remain controversial until research yields final results. The opinions of experts are mixed. WHO assures that the harm from electronic cigarettes is no less than from ordinary. And British scientists believe, based on the results of their own research, that electronic cigarettes are safer than traditional ones. In their opinion, refusal of smoking in favor of glycerol even with nicotine admixture in the long run significantly reduces the craving for smoking.
One cannot but agree with the fact that the liquid for electronic cigarettes has much less toxic substances than tobacco. But at the same time, when heated, the components of the smoking mixture emit a lot of carcinogens. Although, perhaps, there is an aesthetic plus from electronic cigarettes - they do not cause icteric plaque characteristic of ordinary smokers on their teeth.
Does quit smoking help?
Using a fashionable electronic cigarette it turns out to achieve a double effect:
- The smoker feels an almost full-fledged smoking process with all the “ritual” attributes - a cigarette in his fingers, tightening, nicotine, smoke and so on.
- Much less carcinogens enter the lungs, compared with tobacco smoke.
However, addiction to nicotine-containing liquids causes no less persistent dependence than classic cigarettes. In fact, smoking electronic cigarettes with nicotine does not help to break the habit of this poison. Unless the smoker has the illusion of the safety of such a hobby.
When deciding whether it is time to leave traditional cigarettes in favor of electronic cigarettes, you should think carefully: is such a replacement equivalent?
