Given the rising evidence that using e-cigarettes has major negative health effects, even when used as a smoking cessation aid, doctors are increasingly discouraging individuals from using them. There are also very effective, secure, and FDA-approved therapies for smokers who are currently using tobacco, according to Dr. Petros Levounis, president of the American Psychiatric Association and chair of the psychiatry department at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
The American College of Cardiology released new medical recommendations in July that strongly prohibited using e-cigarettes, especially in people with chronic heart disease. E-cigarettes have been demonstrated to “increase heart rate, blood pressure, and affect the ability of the blood vessels to relax,” even in young people, according to Boston University Cardiologist and Professor of Medicine Dr. Naomi Hamburg. It is best to use a different option that has been shown to be secure.
The use of e-cigarettes has grown significantly since they were first introduced to American markets in 2007. Sales in the U.S. have surged by almost 50% just in the last two years.
E-cigarettes have frequently been depicted as the lesser of two evils when contrasted to conventional cigarettes. According to Levounis, this may be due to flavouring possibilities, perceived damage reduction compared to traditional cigarettes, more manageable odour, and focused marketing campaigns towards susceptible populations, particularly youth.
However, research indicates that e-cigarettes injure the body as a whole. A medical disorder known as EVALI, or E-cigarette or Vaping-use Associated Lung Injury, can affect other organ systems in addition to the lungs. According to specialists, they haven’t been on the market long enough to gather enough data to determine their long-term consequences.
The University of Maryland’s Associate Dean for Innovation & Physician Science and Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician Dr. Jason Rose remarked, “We just cannot draw the conclusion that it is safer than cigarettes.”
For the majority of people, quitting tobacco and traditional cigarettes can be very difficult.
Doctors are already cautioning patients, however, that those who are trying to stop may begin using e-cigarettes in addition to traditional cigarettes, a behaviour known as a “dual use pattern.” This combination is highly discouraged since it can injure blood vessels particularly badly, raising the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.
Vaping: What are the medical impacts of e-cigarettes?
Parent and Parent Against Vaping volunteer Frances Daniels describes the terrifying experience of seeing her then-17-year-old son, who used e-cigarettes recreationally, suffer in the intensive care unit for 5 weeks after being diagnosed with EVALI.
They once had six separate chest tubes and were put on a transplant waiting list, according to Daniels. Fortunately, months after leaving the hospital Daniels’ child was able to fully recover without requiring a lung transplant, but the incident is still difficult to recall and discuss. It’s difficult to witness your child struggle with something as simple as breathing, she said.
According to doctors, anyone seeking to stop smoking should only use products that have been endorsed by the Food and Drug Administration. Options include drugs like Varenicline or Bupropion as well as Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) via a patch, gum, or inhaler. Frequently, mixtures of these NRTs are advised, such as the patch and the gum. According to Levounis, there are times when psychosocial interventions like cognitive behavioural therapy are required.
Regardless of the instrument used, it’s crucial to follow directions and operate it properly. It is significant to highlight that the gum is “not exactly double spear mint gum,” according to Levounis. You must chew it, then place it between your cheek and gum until the sensation stops.
Although the FDA has not approved e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid, businesses still pursue FDA approval for this use. The FDA is adamant that more research is required to discover whether these products can be used safely by those who want to stop smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes.
E-cigarettes “are not ideal as smoking cessation tools and there are other options that are proven by science that are safe and effective,” according to Hamburg.
