E-Cigarettes are Not Necessarily a Good Smoking Cessation Tool

Despite British regulators allowing e-cigarettes to be sold as a smoking cessation option, Americans shouldn’t start using these devices to stop smoking.

“Tobacco companies have notoriously deceived the public for decades about their products,” said Patricia Folan, DNP, director of the Northwell Health’s Center for Tobacco Control. “Although the National Health Service seems to support the use of these products, the World Health Organization remains concerned about their safety.”

The World Health Organization’s 2014 report on e-cigarette regulation found that there isn’t enough evidence to prove these devices can help people stop smoking. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services says that because no clinical studies about e-cigarettes’ s safety have been sent to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, it is unclear how much nicotine a person is inhaling by using these devices as well as exactly what is in them.

Dr. Folan said there are a variety of evidence-based therapies that have been proven to help people stop smoking, including counseling and medications.

“The safety and efficacy of electronic cigarettes have yet to be demonstrated,” said Patricia Folan, DNP, director of the Northwell Health Center for Tobacco Control. “The inhaled flavorings pose a toxic threat to the respiratory system. Although the safety of flavorings for ingestion in food has been established, the same cannot be said for inhaling these flavorings. We need more studies and research regarding e-cigarettes before they can be considered safe and/or effective.”

One of the potential threats the inhaled flavorings pose is causing popcorn lung. This ailment is an irreversible respiratory disease that causes scarring in the lungs which can lead to shortness of breath and lots of coughing, Dr. Folan said. Its results are similar to those of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, she explained.

For more information about e-cigarette safety, hear more from Dr. Folan.