Why are e-cigarettes becoming more and more popular?

Despite the tobacco industry being badly hit, e-cigarettes are popping up everywhere instead. The battery- powered devices deliver nicotine through a vaporized liquid, making e-cigarettes less harmful. Many predict we’ll be out of cigarettes within 10 years.

While the average person has mostly heard that e-cigarettes are completely harmless or the worst thing in life, which cannot resist the exponential growth of the tobacco industry. Manufacturers have claimed that e-cigarettes are a safer alternative to the habit of smoking regular cigarettes. However, from some food and drug administrations around the world, there are alarming doubts about the safety of e-cigarettes.

In the face of mixed opinions, NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) has encouraged the use of nicotine-containing products as an alternative to smoking.

And in the end, the best evidence has shown that using e-cigarettes is less dangerous than smoking.

Because they do not burn tobacco, e-cigarettes are believed to be safer. According to a 2012 study titled “Comparative Effects of E-Cigarette Vapor and Cigarette Smoke on Air Quality,” among the products tested, e-cigarettes produced very small amounts of harmful substances, unlike regular cigarettes.

The study found that based on the compounds analyzed, there is no evidence of any danger to human health produced by e-cigarettes.

So while they look like real smoke, instead of nicotine-containing smoke, they’re actually water vapor. The biggest danger from cigarettes is the smoke, whereas e-cigarettes don’t burn anything. One test found that the levels of harmful chemicals they produce are a fraction of what you’d get from a real cigarette.

What's more, vaping comes in a wide variety of flavors, making it appealing to many people and seemingly a more palatable alternative to cigarettes.

Of course, these essential oil products have sparked fierce debate among health experts and industry insiders. Some say the products are a “gateway to addiction,” and that the widespread advertising and celebrity endorsements will make smoking popular again.

Others see the benefits for smokers. “Obviously if they can quit completely, that’s great,” says Michael Siegel, MD, MPH, a Boston University public health expert. “But if they can’t, I think they’re better off using e-cigarettes. They’re a safer alternative.”