Electric Cigarette vs. Tobacco Cigarettes: Which is Safer?

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An electric cigarette, often called vape or e-cigarette, was originally created in China in 2003 by a pharmacist to reduce tobacco smoke, and is one way to help people stop smoking. Vape consists of a battery, a fluid-filled cartridge, and a heating element that can warm and vaporize the liquid into the air.

What is the danger of electric cigarettes compared to tobacco cigarettes?

1. Tobacco cigarettes emit tobacco-burning fumes; Electric cigarettes produce steam from fruit juice, and nicotine is heated.
2. Tobacco smoking can cause heart disease, lung, impotence, pregnancy and fetal disorders; vape causes nasal and respiratory nose disorders.
3. Tobacco cigarettes contain nicotine, tar, arsenic, carbon monoxide, ammonia and various other chemicals; electric cigarettes contain nicotine, vegetable glycerol, propylene glycol, artificial sweeteners, and all kinds of fruit flavors.
4. In addition to smoke, tobacco cigarettes leave garbage like cigarette ash and cigarettes; while vape does not leave garbage.
5. Cigarette smoke tobacco leaves a stink and does not dissolve in liquids; electric cigarettes leave the vapor dissolved in the liquid and smell of the fruit flavor.
6. A pack of tobacco cigarettes is sold for ± Rp16.000,00; vape sold for ± Rp150.000,00 to Rp500.000,00.
7. Tobacco cigarettes have special regulations in Government Regulation no. 109; there is no specific regulation regarding vape circulation in Indonesia.

Which is safer?

According to dr. Nauki Kunugita, a researcher from the National Institute of Public Health in Japan, in one electric cigarette found 10 times the level of carcinogen (a group of substances that can directly damage DNA, promote or help cancer) than a regular cigarette.

Tjandra Yoga Aditama, Head of Health Research and Development (Balitbangkes) of the Ministry of Health explained in a press release that the nicotine solution contained in electric cigarettes has different compositions and there are generally 4 types of mixtures. However all types of mixtures contain nicotine, propylene glycol.

CNN Indonesia also said that the dangers of vape include causing acute nicotine intoxication and the presence of child mortality cases. Not only is the cigarette dangerous, the steam is inhaled can cause asthma attacks, shortness of breath, and cough. This cigarette is also dangerous for people with pneumonia, heart failure, disorientation, seizures, hypotension, to burns due to explosion of electric cigarettes in the mouth.

So, until now there is no fact that proves that electric cigarette is safer than tobacco cigarette. As reported by cnnindonesia.com, various studies have conducted research on electric cigarettes and the results of the study are:

1. This electric cigarette is claimed to contain harmful substances such as Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines (TSNA), Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and carbon monoxide.
2. Long-term use of electric cigarettes can significantly increase plasma nicotine levels after five minutes of use.
3. Not only that, these cigarettes also increase plasma carbon monoxide levels and the frequency of the pulse significantly that can interfere with health.
4. It has acute effects on the lung as in tobacco cigarettes, ie the rate of nitric oxide of the exhaled air decreases significantly and airway resistance increases significantly.

In fact, the dangers of vape also include encouraging the smoking culture in children, as explained by Jessica, a study leader from the University of Southern California, USA. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned all countries around the world to ban children, pregnant women and women of childbearing age to smoke electric cigarettes.

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