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If you have ever been a cigarette smoker, you will know how addictive it is and how difficult it is to quit. There are many products available to assist with smoking cessation, including nicotine patches, gum, lozenges and medications. In recent times however, a new product called an e-cigarette has emerged, and this has been causing a bit of fuss amongst health organizations.
E-Cigarettes
An e-cigarette closely resembles a regular cigarette, with even an end that glows when you inhale. The main difference is that the e-cigarette does not produce smoke, as the cartridge contents are not combustible. For this reason, people were encouraged to use them instead, believing them to be much safer, as it was considered to be the smoke that causes the most damage to the lungs.

Instead of smoke, e-cigarettes produce a vapor which is inhaled. There are around 7,000 flavors available, and almost 500 different brands of e-cigarettes, but they all work basically the same. They contain a battery which is either disposable or rechargeable, an element and a cartridge containing nicotine as well as other flavorings and liquids. Some of these cartridges are refillable, or you simply buy replacement ones.
When quitting smoking, it is the withdrawal effects that usually hinder any progress. Physical effects such as anxiety, restlessness, depression and irritability are often what prevent a smoker from stopping, and a lot of them end up smoking again. Because the e-cigarette also contains nicotine, the addictive agent, when a person try’s to quit vaping they can experience those same withdrawal effects.
For decades, authorities have been trying to get people to stop smoking due to the harmful effects and serious health risks. In many places smoking is banned, and this has helped to make it less appealing, as it becomes harder for a smoker to find somewhere socially where it is acceptable. Programs have been initiated in schools to prevent children from starting in the first place, and many health organizations have dedicated smoking cessation programs.
READ Exposing Ten Little-Known Facts About E-Cigarettes
The health effects of smoking have a massive impact on the health systems of all countries around the world. With diseases such as cancer and heart disease being those that cause the highest mortality rate, and there being a definitive link between them and smoking, getting people to quit is imperative.
- www.bbc.com/news/health-31146418
- www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/12073221/E-cigarettes-are-no-safer-than-smoking-tobacco-scientists-warn.html
- Photo courtesy of ecigclick: www.flickr.com/photos/ecigclick/15125924422/
- Photo courtesy of SteadyHealth