E-cigarettes are generally significantly less addictive and poisonous in comparison with regular cigarettes

A question that comes in to the thoughts of people who are thinking about quit smoking - Are e-cigarettes successful as a smoking cessation aid? The actual question is actually questionable. Quite a few research assert the devices enable smokers quit, while other people suggest e-cigarettes could encourage smoking cigarettes and might be considered a gateway to illegal drug abuse. A new paper enhances the discussion, recommending that e-cigarettes are much less addicting than traditional smoking.

The research team - including Jonathan Foulds, professor of public health sciences and psychiatry at the College of Medicine at Pennsylvania State University - release their findings in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

The usage of e-cigarettes (electronic cigarettes) has risen substantially in recent times, and their popularity continues to grow. A 2013 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discovered that among American middle and high school students alone, e-cigarette use doubled between 2011 and 2012.

There are now more than 400 brand names of e-cigarettes on the market. The majority of these consist of nicotine, propylene, glycol, glycerine and flavorings, that are delivered to the user through inhaled vapor. But Prof. Foulds and co-workers note that it stays uncertain as to how e-cigarette use affects nicotine dependency.

E-cigarettes appear to have advantages for wellbeing

To find out, the team made a 158-item online survey that was targeted towards 3,609 ex - smokers who are now using e-cigarettes.

As part of the survey, participants accomplished the 10-item Penn state Cigarette Dependence Index along with the 10-item Penn State Electronic Cigarette Dependence Index, including questions built to assess participants' earlier reliance upon traditional cigarettes and also latest reliance on e-cigarettes.

Overall, members reported possessing dramatically reduced dependence on e-cigarettes than on standard smoking, although the researchers observe that people who utilized an e-cigarette liquid having a increased nicotine concentration and those who had used e-cigarettes for longer periods had increased dependence on the gadgets.

However Prof. Foulds adds, people with all the characteristics of a more reliant e-cigarette user still had a lower e-cigarette dependence score when compared with their cigarette dependence score. We believe it is because they are getting much less nicotine from the e-cigarettes than they were getting from tobacco.

A requirement for a better understanding of e-cigarettes

The team notes, nevertheless, that although a lot of users of e-cigarettes are using the devices in an attempt to give up smoking, they have not been controlled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this purpose.

This is a new class of products that is not yet controlled says Prof. Foulds. This has got the chance to do good and help a lot of individuals quit, additionally it features the actual potential to do hurt. Continuing to smoke and use e-cigarettes may not reduce health risks. Little ones who have never smoked may commence nicotine habit with e-cigarettes. There exists a need for an improved understanding of the products.

Progressively, scientists are generally investigating the safety of e-cigarettes. In September, Medical News Today reported on a study claiming that second hand smoke from e-cigarettes contains higher numbers of toxic metals when compared with second hand smoke from conventional cigarettes.

Another study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, implies that the nicotine in e-cigarettes activates a gene in the brain associated with reward response, that means the devices might be a gateway to addiction, illicit substance abuse and standard smoking.

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