For the past few days we have been exploring the current craze of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs). E-CIGARETTES, which use a nicotine solution instead of tobacco and emit a smoke like water vapor, are already popular in Asia and Europe and are now catching on in the land of the Marlboro Man.
Users boldly partake in nicotine inhaling in all sorts of public places where tobacco cigarettes are verboten. As reported in www.nytimes.com.
Are they a “healthy” alternative? Absolutely not.
However, given that the traditional tobacco cigarette has more than 3,000 chemicals in it, I would find it difficult to believe that the liquid nicotine and its flavor ingredients could be as bad.
Just who regulates e-cigarettes? The Food and Drug Administration, said that although the agency does not regulate the devices, it wants to extend its authority to other categories of tobacco products, like e-cigarettes. There is no doubt that further research is needed to assess the potential public health benefits and risks of electronic cigarettes and other novel tobacco products.
E-cigarettes are also rekindling old turf battles and raising new etiquette questions. How do you give the stink eye to smokers and demand they stub out a cigarette when there’s no flame?
How do you feel about e-cigarettes? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.