In the United States, cigarette smoking is still the leading cause of preventable disease and mortality (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2016). It is known that the traditional cigarette’s nicotine content causes addiction, and its combustion causes health danger. The electronic cigarette is promoted to be the new alternative that is safer than smoking a traditional cigarette. However, is the electronic cigarette safer than tobacco cigarette? The electronic cigarette entered the marketplace in the mid-2000s; its use has grown rapidly since then. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the use of an electronic cigarette had a 900 percent increase from year 2011 to 2015. The use of traditional cigarettes among youth has been reduced …show more content…
The studies that are currently available are informative but they are insufficient to prove the efficacy and safety of electronic cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes may have the potential to help a smoker in quitting or decrease tobacco consumption, but I think the smokers’ intent to modify their smoking habit is also a determining factor in smoking cessation. As I formally researched the pros and cons of electronic cigarettes, I’ve learned that the effects of electronic cigarettes may also be dependent on the user’s intent. If the user is a nonsmoker, the electronic cigarette may cause them to start a bad habit and may lead to nicotine or other substance addiction due to the nicotine addictive effects. On the other hand, if the electronic cigarette is being used by a smoker as an alternative way of smoking, it may help him/her in reducing or satisfying tobacco cigarette craving. Results of the various studies regarding electronic cigarettes are still debatable and inconclusive since the ultimate effects of its consumption are still being researched by the experts. I therefore conclude that currently the effects, risks and benefits of the electronic cigarette use are still undetermined because of lack of strong proof