Electronic cigarettes are a great alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes, but just how do they work? Smokers of electronic cigarettes actually inhale a vaporised solution which comes from liquid nicotine. It is nicotine which is the addictive property in cigarettes and it is this that smokers crave and have trouble in giving up. Therefore, as electronic cigarettes contain nicotine, they satisfy a smoker's craving, while also providing a similar look, feel and taste to a traditional cigarette, but without providing the harmful chemicals which are contained in tobacco smoke.
What's Wrong with Tobacco Cigarettes?
We all know that smoking is bad for you and can cause cancer, lung and breathing problems (among others), but do you know how? Tobacco cigarettes are harmful because of the smoke that is produced when tobacco is burnt. The initial smoke isn't particularly dangerous, but as it cools it produces tar and hundreds of other chemicals, some of which are still yet to be identified but many of which are carcinogenic. This is why tobacco smoke doesn't just affect the smoker, but can be extremely harmful to those around the smoker through passive smoking too.
Of course, the situation is worse for the smoker, who retains around 70% of the tar produced in their lungs. This tar is extremely harmful and can cause lung cancer and emphysema, among other serious conditions.
Are Electronic Cigarettes Safe?
We've just clarified that the most harmful properties in a cigarette are the tar and other chemicals contained in tobacco smoke. Electronic cigarettes don't contain any of these chemicals and no tar. What's more, there is no smoke emitted. You will see something that resembles smoke when the electronic cigarette is smoked, but this is actually predominantly just water vapour. This is why
you can use electronic cigarettes in places where smoking is banned, such as indoors and in public places.
It must be pointed out that there is still nicotine in electronic cigarettes, which is not a healthy substance but is not carcinogenic, so while electronic cigarettes might not be completely safe, they are most certainly safer than tobacco cigarettes, as the health risks are significantly lower for you and those around you. In fact, scientists believe that the risk involved with smoking an electronic cigarette is around just 1-2% of that of smoking traditional cigarettes. This is about the same as having a cup of coffee!
Nicotine is addictive because it instantly releases dopamine in the brain, which is the body's 'feel good' chemical. It also releases glutamate, which helps to reinforce this good feeling and provides you with a stronger memory of it, making you want it more and more. As with other addictive substances, addicts quickly develop a tolerance to it and so the initial hit cannot be achieved as quickly as it first was, leading to smokers smoking more and more to get the desired effect. When a smoker does this with traditional cigarettes, it means they are consuming more and more tar and other harmful chemicals as well, which is why smoking is so dangerous to our health.
Electronic cigarettes are a great alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes, but just how do they work? Smokers of electronic cigarettes actually inhale a vaporised solution which comes from liquid nicotine. It is nicotine which is the addictive property in cigarettes and it is this that smokers crave and have trouble in giving up. Therefore, as electronic cigarettes contain nicotine, they satisfy a smoker's craving, while also providing a similar look, feel and taste to a traditional cigarette, but without providing the harmful chemicals which are contained in tobacco smoke.
What's Wrong with Tobacco Cigarettes?
We all know that smoking is bad for you and can cause cancer, lung and breathing problems (among others), but do you know how? Tobacco cigarettes are harmful because of the smoke that is produced when tobacco is burnt. The initial smoke isn't particularly dangerous, but as it cools it produces tar and hundreds of other chemicals, some of which are still yet to be identified but many of which are carcinogenic. This is why tobacco smoke doesn't just affect the smoker, but can be extremely harmful to those around the smoker through passive smoking too.
Of course, the situation is worse for the smoker, who retains around 70% of the tar produced in their lungs. This tar is extremely harmful and can cause lung cancer and emphysema, among other serious conditions.
Are Electronic Cigarettes Safe?
We've just clarified that the most harmful properties in a cigarette are the tar and other chemicals contained in tobacco smoke. Electronic cigarettes don't contain any of these chemicals and no tar. What's more, there is no smoke emitted. You will see something that resembles smoke when the electronic cigarette is smoked, but this is actually predominantly just water vapour. This is why you can use electronic cigarettes in places where smoking is banned, such as indoors and in public places.
It must be pointed out that there is still nicotine in electronic cigarettes, which is not a healthy substance but is not carcinogenic, so while electronic cigarettes might not be completely safe, they are most certainly safer than tobacco cigarettes, as the health risks are significantly lower for you and those around you. In fact, scientists believe that the risk involved with smoking an electronic cigarette is around just 1-2% of that of smoking traditional cigarettes. This is about the same as having a cup of coffee!
Nicotine is addictive because it instantly releases dopamine in the brain, which is the body's 'feel good' chemical. It also releases glutamate, which helps to reinforce this good feeling and provides you with a stronger memory of it, making you want it more and more. As with other addictive substances, addicts quickly develop a tolerance to it and so the initial hit cannot be achieved as quickly as it first was, leading to smokers smoking more and more to get the desired effect. When a smoker does this with traditional cigarettes, it means they are consuming more and more tar and other harmful chemicals as well, which is why smoking is so dangerous to our health.
