Electronic cigarettes are a widely debated issue today, following the government’s announcement prohibiting the import and possession of electronic cigarettes. Many have expressed opinions both for and against, with both sides presenting certain information to support their own views. This has led to confusion among the public about how to believe or behave. This summary will compile various questions and synthesize related and reliable research information to answer these questions, hoping to provide greater clarity to society.
What are electronic cigarettes?
Electronic cigarettes are a type of smoking device that uses electrical mechanisms to generate heat and vapor containing various chemicals, without the smoke produced by the combustion process typical of regular cigarettes. It consists of 3 main components: a battery, a vaporizer (Atomizer), and e-liquid. Specifically, the components of the e-liquid that gets turned into vapor and enters the body of the smoker include:
- Nicotine, which is an addictive substance found in both electronic and conventional cigarettes, causing addiction to smoking.
- Propylene Glycol, a component in substances used to generate vapor.
- Glycerin, a moisturizing agent that is combined with propylene glycol. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed its safety for use in food and drugs, but its safety when turned into vapor and inhaled has not been confirmed, as with propylene glycol.
- Flavorings and aromas, chemical substances commonly used in food, which are safe when ingested but whose safety upon inhalation as vapor has not been confirmed.
Are electronic cigarettes dangerous?
The various chemicals found in e-liquid can pose dangers to the body, such as
- Nicotine
When it enters the body, it stimulates the central nervous system, increases blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate, and increases the risk of lung cancer, respiratory tract diseases, oral cancer, esophageal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Additionally, nicotine stimulates the release of cortisol, which increases blood sugar and can lead to diabetes. Nicotine also causes an increase in blood vessel wall cells, leading to narrowed arteries and an increased risk of heart and cerebral vascular diseases. For pregnant women, nicotine affects fetal brain development and high levels of nicotine (60 mg in adults and 6 mg in children) can be fatal. - Propylene Glycol and Glycerol/Glycerin
Direct contact or inhalation can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, and lungs, especially in people with chronic lung diseases, asthma, and emphysema.
Furthermore, many other harmful compounds have been found in the vapor of electronic cigarettes, such as heavy metals, arsenic, formaldehyde, and benzene groups. Research has found that smoking electronic cigarettes can increase the risk of diseases such as heart disease, changes in DNA in lung, heart, and bladder cells, which increases the risk of cancer.
Compared to regular cigarettes, are electronic cigarettes more or less dangerous?
It is true that electronic cigarettes, which work without the combustion process unlike regular cigarettes, allow smokers to avoid some of the harmful elements of combustion, such as tar and carbon monoxide, which are causes of cancer and respiratory diseases.
However, as mentioned above, other compounds found in electronic cigarettes are also harmful. Some research suggests that the vapor particles of electronic cigarettes are smaller than those of regular cigarettes, potentially allowing them to be inhaled deeper into the lungs. These small particles can adhere to lung tissue and be absorbed into the bloodstream rapidly, making it difficult for the body’s natural mechanisms to expel them.
There is an old saying, “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.” We have been familiar with regular cigarettes for a long time and have researched their dangers from almost every angle, which allows us to be aware and cautious of them. However, as electronic cigarettes are relatively new, we do not have enough research to specify the dangers of each chemical contained in electronic cigarettes, especially in the long term. The absence of data on dangers does not mean they are safe, but it is the responsibility of relevant parties to continue studying them.
Are electronic cigarettes addictive?
Definitely, electronic cigarettes contain nicotine, which is an addictive substance, making smoking electronic cigarettes potentially as addictive as regular cigarettes. Furthermore, the act and process of smoking electronic cigarettes are very similar to that of smoking regular cigarettes, keeping smokers addicted to the behavior of smoking.
In other countries, it has been observed that advertisements for electronic cigarettes use enticing language or selling points similar to those of regular cigarettes, such as enhancing sex appeal, improving mood, which affects the psychological belief and maintains the smoking behavior. Moreover, advertisements highlight some supposed advantages of electronic cigarettes over traditional ones, such as a variety of flavors, being healthier, modern looks, no bad smell, etc., which can make smokers more likely to become addicted.
If you want to quit smoking regular cigarettes, can turning to electronic cigarettes help?
One selling point of electronic cigarette companies is that they claim switching to electronic cigarettes helps reduce conventional cigarette smoking, which is seen as more harmful. This is backed by various researches stating that electronic cigarettes are less harmful and can reduce conventional smoking, which later has been critically reviewed by the academic community and found to be incorrect, biased, and conflicted with the researchers’ interests, therefore not accepted academically.
On the other hand, many correctly conducted studies conclude the opposite, that smoking electronic cigarettes does not help reduce smoking conventional cigarettes at all. Worse, it increases the overall smoking rate, particularly among youths. Starting from any type of cigarette leads to trying and becoming accustomed to all forms, as they are interchangeable. Currently, the USA has officially banned companies from advertising that electronic cigarettes can help quit smoking regular cigarettes, as it contradicts clear research evidence.
Are electronic cigarettes illegal?
Currently, electronic cigarettes are considered prohibited goods. Individuals who possess electronic cigarettes are committing a crime, including importers, sellers, and users. Law enforcement officers can arrest violators on sight. For importers, the punishment is imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine of 5 times the value of the imported goods or both. In the case of selling, imprisonment for up to 5 years or a fine of up to 500,000 baht or both. For users or possessors, it is a crime of possession of illegally imported goods, beware of imprisonment for up to 5 years or a fine of 4 times the goods value, including customs duties, or both.
