Essay 3 Overview - Researched Argument (2)
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E-Cigarettes and Smoking Cessation
The negative consequences of tobacco use have made smoking cessation a long-standing
worldwide health issue. Tobacco usage is a major contributor to mortality rates worldwide. Due
to the risks involved, many smokers want to stop but struggle. Electronic cigarettes have lately
emerged as the leading method for assisting smokers in giving up nicotine (
Hartmann-Boyce 2)
.
Electronic cigarettes are battery-powered handheld devices that vaporize a liquid containing
propylene glycol and glycerin, flavoring ingredients, and nicotine. Can these e-cigarettes aid in
smoking cessation more effectively than others? Since e-cigarettes may provide effects
comparable to smoking, they may be more successful in helping people kick the habit than
traditional nicotine replacement therapies (
Skotsimara 1219-1228)
. Even though the FDA Center
for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) has not authorized any e-cigarette as a smoking
cessation therapy as of November 2020, e-cigarettes have been advertised for this purpose.
Opponents are worried about the potential for e-cigarettes to perpetuate nicotine addiction and
the unknown long-term health risks. At the same time, proponents believe they reduce harm and
enhance stopping success rates. The potential advantages and dangers of using electronic
cigarettes to quit smoking may be better understood by reviewing the existing data.
Smoking is an expensive habit. It raises the price of health and life insurance, causes
regular expenses, and exposes bystanders to carcinogenic substances in cigarette smoke. If
addicted smokers spend $8 a pack, they will spend over $ 500 monthly on cigarettes. Instead of
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spending money on this habit, you may put that money toward transportation costs, auto
insurance, or savings (
Goodchild and Edouard Tursan d'Espaignet 58-64)
. To add insult to injury,
health and life insurance premiums are astronomically higher for smokers because of the greater
chance of chronic health issues. CDC's airing of Terrie's story demonstrates how the grip of
addiction prevented her from avoiding a throat and mouth cancer diagnosis. As a result of such
diseases,
a smoker's health care bills will add up throughout their life, so it is in their best
financial interest to start the quit process now.
Cigarette usage endangers the health of everyone around them, not just smokers. The
false belief that exposure to secondhand smoke poses less risk than being a direct smoker is
widespread. The National Toxicology Program and the Environmental Protection Agency in the
United States recognize secondhand smoke as a human carcinogen. Studies have linked SHS
exposure to an increased risk of developing leukemia, lung cancer, and malignancies of the
breast, stomach, rectum, bladder, brain, pharynx, and larynx (
Torres 2693)
. In the United States
alone, SHS is responsible for around 46,000 annual fatalities from cardiovascular disease in
those who do not smoke. Medical expenses for secondhand smoke-related deaths and diseases
are over $10 billion annually.
When considering the difficulties people try to stop smoking confront, electronic
cigarettes stand out as the most promising option. The Queen Mary University of London found
that e-cigarette users were happier than nonusers with their goods (Lavito, 2019). According to
this landmark research, the success rate for those using conventional nicotine replacement
medications was 9.9 percent, whereas the success rate for those using electronic cigarettes was
18 percent. Eight hundred eighty-six smokers participated in the study that compared electronic
cigarettes' effectiveness to standard nicotine replacement therapy.
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During the experiment, those in the e-cigarette group were given a refillable device and a
bottle of liquid with a tobacco taste. When the bottle is empty, users may refill the gadget with a
new taste to simulate a real-life situation. Products, including nasal spray, lozenges, gum, and a
patch, were available to those undergoing nicotine replacement treatment. After a year,
researchers retested the air for carbon monoxide to verify the study's findings (Lavito, 2019). The
research concluded that electronic cigarettes are more successful than conventional nicotine
replacement therapies (Wang
230-246)
. Due to a lack of data on their long-term consequences,
physicians have long been hesitant to endorse e-cigarettes as a means of helping patients stop
smoking traditional cigarettes. This investigation, however, stopped such worries and paved the
way for more study.
Although these innovations may seem to be cutting-edge, they have drawbacks. There
has to be a long time of testing for new technology. This may be the most important argument
against using electronic cigarettes to help people stop smoking. Health experts are hesitant to
advocate using e-cigarettes because there is no strong data from randomized controlled studies,
particularly for new technological concerns (
Skotsimara 1219-1228)
. According to the research
above, e-cigarette users who successfully quit smoking conventional cigarettes were likelier to
continue vaping a year later than those who had used nicotine replacement therapies, among
whom just 9% were current users.
Inhaling the aerosol from an e-cigarette may have a wide variety of negative impacts on
a young person's health. People who use electronic cigarettes are putting themselves at risk by
inhaling an aerosol that contains nicotine, flavorings, chemicals, and other particles (
Tegin 35-
38)
. When administered suddenly, these substances may have serious health consequences.
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E-cigarette usage is particularly dangerous for youth since nicotine is very addicting.
Adolescent brains are still growing, making them more vulnerable to the negative effects of
nicotine (
Hartmann-Boyce 2)
. According to studies, Adolescent nicotine use may negatively
affect learning, memory, and emotional stability. Also, research has shown that vaping may
encourage or even initiate regular cigarette usage and that vaping and smoking can coexist. The
total influence on young people's health is cause for worry when it comes to the issue known as
dual usage. Research shows that young people who start using e-cigarettes are more likely to go
on to regular cigarettes, extending their nicotine addiction and its harmful effects (Wang
230-
246)
. In addition, young people who had never smoked tobacco before were more likely to start
using them after using e-cigarettes. There is a risk of a "gateway effect," in which vaping leads to
regular cigarette smoking because of the product's availability and marketing (typically via
tempting flavors and attractive aesthetics). E-cigarettes pose a particularly serious threat to
young people's health because they may serve as both an introduction to tobacco products and a
replacement for tobacco usage.
Despite widespread publicity discouraging e-cigarette use due to vaping-related health
complications, the practice continues to surge among adolescents. Such nicotine dependence
levels present worrisome indications, and according to the director of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Robert Redfield, it can harm the brain. Since 2013, e-
cigarette usage among adolescents has increased, prompting a warning from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (Hoffman). The rise in youth smoking has even prompted the
Trump administration to say they would soon outlaw flavored tobacco products. Protecting
children from underage exposure to e-cigarette product promotion is critical. Marketers of
vaping products have tarnished the image of vaping to the extent that even advocates of vaping
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as a smoking cessation tool have second thoughts (Wang
230-246)
. Queen Mary University of
London's study's success rate may provide credibility to the e-cigarette industry. However,
manufacturers must still consider making their products available for therapeutic use and
restricting access to minors. There will always be a conflict between keeping youngsters safe
from e-cigarettes and encouraging people to quit smoking.
Good, although not as potent, alternatives to electronic cigarettes exist. For instance,
nicotine patches may aid in the progressive withdrawal from nicotine, albeit they may not be as
effective for heavy users. Most smokers resort to tobacco cigarettes after realizing they cannot
satisfy their nicotine cravings by taking hits from nicotine-free alternatives. If you provide them
access to regulated electronic cigarettes, on the other hand, they may satisfy their cravings
without giving up smoking altogether. Dr. Benowitz claims that e-cigarette users' higher levels of
pleasure with the device may enable them to utilize it for the whole duration of their treatment
and give up regular cigarettes for good (Grana). With a defined time frame, doctors may suggest
treatments like e-cigarettes and therapy to help patients kick the habit for good.
Medicine is helpful, but it is not risk-free. Therefore, one must weigh the potential
downsides against the upsides before using them. Although electronic cigarettes do not meet the
criteria for medicinal use, the same considerations apply when deciding whether or not to use
them. E-cigarettes' lower danger compared to traditional cigarettes gives credence to this idea.
Currently, it is not easy to regulate e-cigarettes, and as more and more businesses join the
market, quality control is dwindling (Wang
230-246)
. Monitoring the concentration of the active
ingredient, the additives, and the solvent is necessary to maintain the desired quality (
Durkin
112-122)
. Lack of quality control must be a topic of concern if electronic cigarettes are to play a
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significant role in health care. To reduce risks, providing direction and introducing guidelines to
regulate quality, and establishing minimum safety requirements for e-cigarettes are important.
To make sure the idea succeeds, it is important to think about how to regulate things like
product information and advertising. Smokers should be able to reap the advantages of e-
cigarettes while reducing dangers by encouraging the adoption of high standards and the rigorous
use of only compatible goods for quitting smoking. Tobacco's major carcinogens, tar and carbon
monoxide, are not present in e-cigarettes, making them safer. While nicotine addiction is still
possible, the positive effects of vaping make it much simpler for users to quit whenever they
want.
Conclusion
Whether or not electronic cigarettes can help people quit smoking safely and healthily is
still up for discussion. Proponents of e-cigarettes believe they can help people stop smoking and
minimize damage. At the same time, opponents raise worries about the potential for nicotine
addiction among non-smokers and the unknown long-term health risks. More in-depth studies
evaluating the long-term safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes are required to fully realize their
promise of helping people quit smoking. Still, it is important to carefully approach e-cigarette
usage while advocating for comprehensive tobacco control strategies like evidence-based
smoking cessation approaches. Finding a middle ground between safety and public health
concerns.
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Works Cited
CDC. "CDC: Tips From Former Smokers - Terrie H.'s Story." YouTube, CDC, 2012,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52rXcTVyPzI
Durkin, Kristine, et al. "Associations between peer use, costs and benefits, self-efficacy, and
adolescent E-cigarette use."
Journal of Pediatric Psychology
46.1 (2021): 112-122.
Goodchild, Mark, Nigar Nargis, and Edouard Tursan d'Espaignet. "Global economic cost of
smoking-attributable diseases." Tobacco control 27.1 (2018): 58-64.
Grana, Rachel, et al. "E-Cigarettes: a Scientific Review." Circulation, Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, 13 May 2014,
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4018182/
.
Hartmann-Boyce, Jamie, Rachna Begh, and Paul Aveyard. "Electronic cigarettes for smoking
cessation." Bmj 360 (2018).
Hoffman, Jan, and Sheila Kaplan. "Nearly a Third of Teens Use One or More Tobacco Products."
The New York Times, The New York Times, 5 Dec.
2019,https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/05/health/vaping-teenagers-tobacco.html
Lavito, Angelica. "E-Cigarettes More Effective than Nicotine Patches, Gums in Getting People
to Stop Smoking Cigarettes, Study Finds." CNBC, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2019,
www.cnbc.com/2019/01/30/e-cigarettes-more-effective-than-nicotine-gums-
patchesstudy-finds.html
.
Skotsimara, Georgia, et al. "Cardiovascular effects of electronic cigarettes: A systematic review
and meta-analysis."
European journal of preventive cardiology
26.11 (2019): 1219-1228.
Tegin, Gulay, et al. "E-cigarette toxicity."
South Med J
111.1 (2018): 35-38.
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Torres, Sònia, et al. "Biomarkers of exposure to secondhand and thirdhand tobacco smoke: recent
advances and future perspectives."
International journal of environmental research and
public health
15.12 (2018): 2693.
Wang, Richard J., Sudhamayi Bhadriraju, and Stanton A. Glantz. "E-cigarette use and adult
cigarette smoking cessation: a meta-analysis."
American journal of public health
111.2
(2021): 230-246.