E-CigarettesThings you need to know

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Odum LE, O’Dell KA, Schepers JS. Electronic Cigarettes: Do They Have a Role in Smoking Cessation? J Pharm Pract. 2012 Jul 13.

Campagna, D, Caponnetto P, Papale G, Polosa R, Russo C. The emerging phenomenon of electronic cigarettes. Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine. 2012 Feb 1, Vol.6, Issue 1

• An electronic substitute for cigarettes that is run by a lithium-ion rechargeable battery

• Users add nicotine drops to the e-cigarette

• The nicotine drops come in a variety of flavors

• When the nicotine drops are heated, they vaporize and the user inhales this mist

Are E-cigarettes safe?

Many people mistakenly believe that e-cigarettes are a safe option for helping someone quit smoking. There are several reasons why this belief is incorrect:

• E-cigarettes are not regulated and manufacturers do not have to tell the public what other chemicals, besides nicotine, are in the drops sold with e-cigarettes.

• E-cigarettes have not been carefully tested for safety, toxicity and efficacy in the way that nicotine replacement therapy (e.g. nicotine patch or gum) have.

• When the two most popular brands of e-cigarettes were tested, some chemicals were found in the nicotine drops that have shown to be harmful, especially when heated.

• Factories where e-cigarettes are manufactured are not regulated to ensure that the materials and chemicals used in manufacturing them are free of harmful contamination.

• Long-term effects of e-cigarettes are not known and more studies need to be done before they can be claimed as safe.

• The bottom line is that the safety of e-cigarettes is not known at this time.

What areElectronic Cigarettes?

(E-cigarettes)

• There is research underway to find out if e-cigarettes are helpful in quitting smoking, but these studies are not yet completed.

• E-cigarettes have also not been compared with other NRTs such as gum and patch that have already been shown to be safe and effective.

• The bottom line is that the efficacy of e-cigarettes is not known at this time.

Do E-cigaretteshelp in Quitting?