Smoking And The E-Cigarette Revolution Essay

Smoking and the E-Cigarette Revolution Few habits are as demonstrably harmful to human health as habitual inhalation of tobacco, which most commonly takes the form of cigarettes, but also includes products such as cigars, pipes and various forms of chewing tobacco. The primary addiction-forming agent in the smoking of tobacco is nicotine, the inhalation of which produces a heady rush to which smokers become addicted. In addition to nicotine, however, the inhalation of tobacco smoke also brings into the smokers body, and in particular gums and lungs, a variety of other toxic materials. These include ash, tar, and carbon monoxide, among others. Together, this toxic cocktail contributes to the development of a number of diseases, including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiovascular disease (Misra, 2014, p. 2). The statistics regarding the harmful effects of smoking are nothing short of staggering. In the 20th

E-cigarettes contain no tobacco, and therefore no tar, no ash and no carbon monoxide. It is safe to say that if every smoker in the world switched to e-cigarettes tomorrow, the shocking projects of 21st century tobacco-related deaths could be almost entirely eliminated. The fact that unlike nicotine patches and nicotine gum, e-cigarettes are able to emulate and therefore satisfactorily replace the bulk of the smoking experience – physical, chemical and psychological – they can be considered an effective alternative to smoking. That said, while they are an effective substitute, substitution is not necessarily the goal of public policy makers seeking to eliminate addiction among their citizens. Some studies show that vaping is not particularly effective in making people transition away from a nicotine addiction altogether – rather it is a way to make them switch to a less harmful means of taking in