New Study Finds E-Cigarettes Are Much Safer And Less Toxic Than Tobacco

Consuming e-cigarettes is far safer and less toxic than smoking conventional tobacco cigarettes, according to the findings of a study analyzing levels of dangerous and cancer-causing substances in the body. Researchers found that people who switched from smoking regular cigarettes to e-cigarettes or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) such as gum or patches for at least six months had much lower levels of toxins in their saliva and urine than those who continued to smoke. “Our study adds to existing evidence showing that e-cigarettes and NRT are far safer than smoking, and suggests that there is a very low risk associated with their long-term use,” said Lion Shahab, a specialist in epidemiology and public health at University College London who led the work. E-cigarettes, which heat nicotine-laced liquid into vapor, have grown into an $8 billion-a-year market, according to Euromonitor International - more than three times that of NRT products. They are, however, still dwarfed by a tobacco market estimated by Euromonitor to be worth around $700 billion. Many health experts think e-cigarettes, or vapes, which do not contain tobacco, are a lower-risk alternative to smoking and potentially a major public health tool. But some question their long-term safety and worry that they may act as a “gateway” to taking up conventional cigarettes. The U.S. surgeon general in December urged lawmakers to impose price and tax policies that would discourage their use. Mon...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news