E-cigarettes: The benefits and risks

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According to ecigsopedia, an e-cigarette is made up of three components - cartridge, atomizer and battery. The cartridge contains the liquid, the atomizer vaporizes this liquid and the battery supplies the power. The liquid is normally a combination of glycerin, glycol, nicotine and propylene. However, there are others that don't have nicotine. The costs and features of e-cigarettes vary. Some come with refillable cartridges and rechargeable batteries, while others are disposable.

Since e-cigarettes don't contain any tobacco, they are generally less harmful compared to conventional cigarettes. The tobacco in traditional cigarettes has over 70 carcinogenic chemicals which have detrimental effects on the human body. Smoking of tobacco has been associated with health issues such as emphysema, cancer of the larynx and mouth, chronic bronchitis, hypertension, lung cancer, strokes, pancreatic cancer and heart attacks. According to medical authorities, switching to e-cigarettes can significantly lower the chances of disease.

The nicotine contained in e-cigarettes does not cause any fatal disease. The only common complaints from e-cigarette users include coughing, nausea, vomiting, and mouth and throat inflammation. However, the effects could be worse for people with heart problems. In addition, the nicotine is also likely to cause addiction. If they stop using it, users can get withdrawal symptoms such as feeling anxious, restless, depressed and irritable. It would therefore be advisable to opt for e-cigarettes that don't contain nicotine. The other benefit of e-cigarettes is that they are less harmful to bystanders.

Generally, health experts recommend methods such as the nicotine gum or patch for people who want to quit smoking. Those not planning to quit would be safer switching to e-cigarettes. However, non-smokers should not start vaping since they might just end up getting addicted.