Both e-cigarettes or tobacco cigarettes, both contain harmful chemicals and can interfere with health. However, not a few people still think that e-cigarettes are healthier than tobacco cigarettes. Is that true?
E-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes are known to have the same content, namely nicotine. Although it seems safer than tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes can actually cause health problems and damage the lungs.
The vapors produced by e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes can cause coughing, shortness of breath, and recurrence of asthma symptoms. If used for too long, e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes can also increase the risk of serious health problems, such as atherosclerosis, cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Content of E-Cigarettes and Tobacco Cigarettes
Tobacco cigarettes contain about 250 types of toxic substances and 70 of them are known to be carcinogenic. In fact, just from the smoke alone, tobacco cigarettes contain hundreds of different compounds and some are toxic to the body, such as carbon monoxide, tar, hydrogen cyanide, and benzene.
Not much different from tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes also contain several toxic substances, including:
1. Formaldehyde
2. Acetaldehyde
3. Propylene glycol
4. Glycerine
5. Flavoring agents ( Nitrosamines )
6. Cadmium
7. Heavy metals, such as nickel and lead
Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde are included in the carbonyl group which are carcinogenic (causing cancer). The levels of these two compounds will increase as the temperature of the vaping device used increases. The higher the temperature will also increase the amount of nicotine.
In addition, the flavorings in e-cigarettes can cause irritation to the mouth, throat, respiratory tract, and nerves. In fact, in severe cases, these flavorings can cause serious lung diseases, such as emphysema and bronchiolitis obliterans.
Comparison of E-Cigarettes and Tobacco Cigarettes
There are several differences between e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes and their effects on health, including:
1. The amount of nicotine contained
The amount of nicotine in e-cigarettes is less than regular tobacco cigarettes. Several studies have shown that using e-cigarettes has a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than tobacco cigarettes because of their lower nicotine content.
However, the impact of other substances contained in e-cigarettes on health still needs to be studied further, so it cannot be declared safer than tobacco cigarettes.
2. The addictive effect
One of the reasons why e-cigarettes have become a trend is because this new type of cigarette is considered to be able to stop the habit of smoking tobacco. In fact, it is not necessarily true.
Several studies so far suggest that some tobacco smokers start quitting after using e-cigarettes. However, there are still many people who find it difficult to stop smoking tobacco even though they have used e-cigarettes.
In addition, there is also other research that states that the addictive effect of e-cigarettes is the same or even stronger than tobacco cigarettes. This of course can have a harmful impact on health in the long run.
Related Article: 9 Content of Cigarettes That Have A Terrible Effect on the Body
3. Cigarette smoke produced
E-cigarettes are claimed to produce smoke that is safer for health than tobacco smoke. However, this claim is not necessarily true.
Several studies so far have stated that both e-cigarette smoke and tobacco cigarettes can have a negative impact on health, especially for pregnant women and fetuses.
Cigarette smoke is known to increase the risk of heart disease, impaired lung function, and cancer, especially if a person inhales it in the long term.
Meanwhile, in pregnant women and children, exposure to cigarette smoke can increase the risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, congenital diseases, and growth and development disorders.
4. Dangerous disease caused
It is undeniable, that e-cigarettes or tobacco cigarettes can both cause various types of diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.
However, in addition to these diseases, the use of e-cigarettes is also now known to cause lung problems called e-cigarettes or vaping products use associated lung injury (EVALI). This disorder can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, dizziness, and headache.
EVALI has even caused dozens of people to die in the United States. EVALI is more common in people who use e-cigarettes too often or a lot.
So, which one is healthier? E-cigarettes or tobacco cigarettes? Well, from the various explanations above, it can be seen that e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes are equally dangerous, both in terms of content and impact on health.
Therefore, if you have never tried e-cigarettes or tobacco cigarettes, it is highly recommended not to try them at all. In fact, there are studies that show that people who use vapes or e-cigarettes are more likely to become tobacco smokers.
In order to maintain the health of you and those around you, you should avoid cigarettes, both e-cigarettes or tobacco cigarettes. However, if you are already a smoker and it is difficult to stop the habit, you can consult a doctor for tips to stop smoking.
Given that e-cigarettes are a relatively new technology, further research is still needed to review the long-term impact of their use on general health.