Some craze over the electronic cigarette, or “E-Cigarette”— the personal vaporizer purportedly better for one’s health than the traditional model — has resurfaced. It’s been widely recognized that the PV could potentially serve as a healthy method for a smoking individual to quit smoking.
ADP HealthInsights, in a recent viral promotion of the e-cigarette brand “E-Cig,” reports that e-cigs boast a number of benefits. First, they use no tar, tobacco, carbon monoxide or ash. As a result, they do not smell. They provide the same amount of nicotine as a regular cigarette — additionally, they are cheaper. As an added perk, they come in different flavors. Finally, they present virtually no risk of getting cancer, because while they do provide a nicotine dose, studies have shown that nicotine is as (un)harmful to one’s health as caffeine.
They look like a real cigarette, too.
But would smokers make the switch? It depends. Smokers not looking to quit smoking will most likely ignore the trend. Some students say that the e-cig provides a different smoking experience entirely, beginning with the fact that its smoke is cold and not hot. That being said, the electronic cigarette does not provide a viable alternative for the smoker wishing to achieve the regular cigarette experience. Besides, its vapor is unnatural.
However, for smokers wishing to lead a healthier lifestyle, the e-cig could serve as a good start towards quitting. It provides the nicotine rush — leaving smokers with no need to go buy a pack of Camel Wides — but supposedly eliminates any risk of cancer. The e-cig could also perhaps serve as an alternative for those wishing to try nicotine as a drug without putting their health in serious danger.
But is inhaling nicotine without attached dangers really “quitting”? Nicotine, an addictive drug, is what makes quitting smoking hard in the first place. If the addiction remains, why market the e-cig as a means for quitting smoking?