Electronic cigarettes are a double edged sword. While a new study has found that these products open the door for teens to switch to traditional cigarettes later in life, another new study has found that they can help adult smokers give up the unhealthy habit.
In fact, electronic cigarettes are so effective in getting adults to quite smoking that British official are calling them a “game changer” and considering licensing them for medical purposes. British official said that if this law ever passes, electronic cigarettes will be used in the sane way that nicotine gum and nicotine patches are.
Previous research conducted by Public Health England has proved that smoking these products (or vaping) is 95 percent (95%) better for one’s health than smoking traditional cigarettes. This is the government agency that’s responsible for overseeing England’s National Health Service.
However, other reviews have said that the licensing process is very obstructive, only serves as a barrier for getting these products on the market, and will not bring down bring down tobacco use.
The official explanation is that most of England’s strategy “of tobacco harm reduction is predicated on the availability of medicinally licensed products that smokers want to use”. Licensed electronic cigarettes have yet to become one of these products. “A review of the MHRA EC licensing process therefore seems appropriate, including manufacturers’ costs, and potential impact”.
The number of people who currently smoke traditional cigarettes in the UK is 9 million, whereas the number of people who currently smoke electronic cigarettes in the UK is only 2.6 million.
Overall, British health official have informed that one in 20 adults in the general population smoke electronic cigarettes. All of them are either current smoker, or ex-smokers.
But all of this having been said, fact is that vaping is becoming more and more popular among teens, and not just in the UK. An increasing number of US teens have also started using these products.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a study and informed that electronic cigarette use tippled in just one year (between 2013 and 2014) among high school students as well as middle school students.
What’s more, statistics have shown that 30 percent (30%) of the teens who smoke electronic cigarettes in the US switch to traditional cigarettes or other combustible tobacco products in no more than six (6) months after starting to vape.
But Peter Hajek, co-author on the British review and psychologist from Queen Mary University (London), gave a statement to The Guardian saying that the products themselves are not to be blamed. The problem is with their users.
He firmly believes that the people attracted to electronic cigarettes are the same ones who are drawn to traditional cigarettes.
He also made a parallel to alcohol, sharing that those who drink white wine will probably also try red wine sooner or later, whereas those who don’t consume alcohol aren’t likely to try red wine.
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