The electronic cigarette - Health effects

Is the electronic cigarette more harmful than tobacco?

Now at the heart of the consumption of a large proportion of French, the electronic cigarette continues its path thanks to technological innovations ever more advanced. But questions about its impact on health are constantly raised. This first question is on everyone's lips: is the e-cigarette more harmful than tobacco? While it is legitimate to raise this doubt, market players tend to answer it with increasing precision.

It is true that the ideal for the body would be to stop all smoke inhalation, whether it comes from a conventional cigarette or a vaporous one. But rest assured, the effects of the electronic cigarette will always be preferable for the human body. Indeed, the harmfulness of the conventional cigarette comes from the combustion process allowing the production of steam for inhalation. This combustion delivers a large number of carcinogenic substances, unlike the e-cigarette. The latter works through a heating process to vaporize the liquid contained in the material tank. No toxic substances are thus delivered. But we will not lie, the presence of nicotine in most e-liquids is still to be considered.

At the last congress of the European Respiratory Society in 2017, the effects of nicotine were at the heart of the topics discussed. In very high quantities, nicotine could eventually lead to cardiac and arterial risks for its users. Indeed, by consuming nicotine on a regular basis, blood pressure and its rigidity would tend to increase, as would the heart rate. But this concern is to be taken with a lot of tweezers! By way of comparison, a heavy coffee drinker will have the same types of risks, but in a much denser way. Also, in case of stress, the body will react in exactly the same way. These health effects are therefore far from being linked to nicotine alone.

We must keep in mind that the electronic cigarette is intended as a means of withdrawal and not as an accessory to put in all hands. The goal is to move from regular tobacco consumption to an increasing withdrawal. We must not pull the alarm bell too quickly. The risks associated with the electronic cigarette will in any case always be lower than those of the conventional cigarette. The nicotine level must be measured carefully and adapt to the evolution of the smoker's addiction. The ideal is to use nicotine gradually, removing it gradually from its consumption.

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