By now, you've probably seen them being smoked on the subway or in a bar -- those shiny, futuristic, battery-operated nicotine inhalers better know as electronic cigarettes that are apparently all the rage these days.Big Tobacco companies have taken notice, too, and are determined to cash in on the industry, which is expected to bring in $1.7 billion in U.S.sales this year alone, according to The New York Times.While much is still unknown about the health risks of e-cigarettes, here’s what we do know: E-cigarettes are addicting.And while they may not be as harmful as tobacco cigarettes, critics like the British Medical Association and the World Health Organisation are wary of the trend and warn of the dangers that may be associated with the smoking devices.Here's what we do know about e-cigarettes: 1.E-cigarettes contain toxic chemicals.A 2009 FDA analysis of e-cigarettes from two leading brands found that the samples contained carcinogens and other hazardous chemicals, including diethylene glycol, which is found in antifreeze.

Last year, a report from Greek researchers found that using e-cigarettes increased breathing difficulty in both smokers and non-smokers, according to Medical News Today.A more recent study funded by a smoking-cessation advocacy group concluded that: "There is no evidence that vaping produces inhalable exposures to contaminants of the aerosol that would warrant health concerns by the standards that are used to ensure safety of workplaces.However, the aerosol generated during vaping as a whole (contaminants plus declared ingredients), if it were an emission from industrial process, creates personal exposures that would justify surveillance of health among exposed persons."Kids and teens can buy them.Unlike other tobacco products, e-cigarettes can be sold to minors in many places throughout the country.The smoking devices can also be bought legally online, according to the Wall Street Journal.While cigarette companies say they don't market to kids, e-cigarettes come in flavors like cherry, strawberry, vanilla and cookies and cream milkshake.

Laws regulating cigarette ads don't yet apply to e-cigarettes.TV commercials for cigarettes may be banned, but ones for e-cigarettes sure aren't, Adage points out.(The above ad for Blu eCigs features Jenny McCarthy.)And e-cigarette companies are spending a TON on advertising.Industry advertising spending increased to $20.8 million in 2012 from just $2.7 million in 2010, according to The New York Times.E-cigarettes can be used in many places where smoking is banned.Even though some studies suggest that secondhand vapor poses health risks, many lawmakers have yet to determine whether smoking rules apply to e-cigarettes, according to USA Today.People think e-cigarettes can help them quit smoking.Research published in the American Journal of Public Health indicates that 53 percent of young adults in the U.S.who have heard of e-cigarettes believe they are healthier than traditional cigarettes and 45 percent believe they could help them quit smoking -- though there is little evidence to support either of these claims.

E-cigarettes aren't taxed like traditional tobacco products.Even though cigarette consumption fell significantly as taxes went up.Despite unknown health consequences, e-cigarettes are poised to make inroads with a new generation of young people.e cigarette kr808dHalf of young adults say they would try e-cigarettes if a friend offered them one, according a study cited by USA Today.e cigarette kit saleThis post has been updated with additional information from recent studies on the subject.e cigarette like real cigaretteBy Amanda Woerner for Life by DailyBurn These days it’s nearly unfathomable to imagine a marathoner crossing the finish line, only to light up cigarette.e cigarette megabus

And even ordinary exercisers may subject themselves to dirty looks if they puff near their gym.But what if they’re smoking an e-cigarette?Introduced to the public as a product with the potential to shield smokers from the dangerous effects of Marlboros, e-cigarettes are marketed as a way to get your nicotine fix without inhaling all that lung-blackening smoke that’s been directly linked to cancer and heart disease.magasin e cigarette meauxBut it turns out e-cigarette vapors may be full of suspected lung irritants, chemicals with addictive properties that could contribute to heart troubles down the road, says Dr. Norman Edelman, senior consultant for scientific affairs at the American Lung Association and a professor of preventive medicine and internal medicine at Stony Brook University on Long Island.Here’s the scoop on how this controversial device could impact your health—and your workouts.The “Health Halo” Surrounding E-CigarettesAccording to the U.S.e cigarette more vapor

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 250,000 youths who had never before smoked tried e-cigs in 2013 — a threefold increase since 2011.What’s more, about three out of every four teen smokers goes on to smoke as an adult, due to their addiction to nicotine (the primary ingredient in e-cigs), according to the CDC.Young and otherwise healthy people might be reaching for an electronic fix for numerous reasons, including the potential for nicotine to reduce appetite, boost mood or increase their heart rate and alertness.Nicotine is also a known stimulant, and has been shown in studies to have a positive effect on endurance, according to Dr. Robert E. Sallis, co-director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship at Kaiser Permanente.“At best it might be described as weakly ergogenic, or performance enhancing,” Sallis says.“There are some pretty good studies that show modest improvements in things like time-to-exhaustion, that people perceive that exercise is not as difficult and that it’s a little bit of a stimulating effect that wakes you up and prepares you for a competition.”Yet, evidence is emerging indicating that e-cigarette vapors might not be all that innocent.“We don’t know what’s in [the e-cigarette vapors], because they are not regulated and the manufacturers are not yet required to tell what’s in the solution,” Edelman says.Daily DigestStart and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast.Cheat SheetA speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't).By clicking “Subscribe,” you agree to have read the Terms of Use and Privacy PolicySubscribeBad News for Your LungsE-cigs may not contain real smoke, but they can still do a number on your lungs.

“They do cause an inflammation,” Edelman says.“It would be similar to smoking, only less…and you might get a chronic cough, or raise a little [mucus].”While casual exercisers might not notice any difference in lung capacity, intense gym-goers might feel the effects of an e-cig.“For people who exercise to the [full] capacity of their lungs, then of course any decrease in lung function will impair your ability to exercise,” Edelman says.Digital smokes have also been called out by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) as a potential cause of asthma attacks and allergies.“Lack of production oversight for any inhaled product raises a concern for impurities or contaminates,” says Dr. Andrew Nickels, Allergy and Immunology Fellow at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.Though he has not yet had a patient complain of e-cig allergies, “From an allergy standpoint, additives such as flavors, could be a source of allergic reactions.”Allergies release inflammatory chemicals called histamines, which can make it difficult to breathe during a tough workout, and could even induce the onset of asthma symptoms.In or out of the gym, there’s more cause for concern: Early research on human cells has indicated that e-cigarette vapor may act on lung cells in a way similar to cigarette smoke, pointing to a potential link between vaping and an increased risk for lung cancer.

Unsurprisingly, quitting smoking has been proven to improve health and, more specifically, increase an individual’s overall level of fitness, according to Edelman.“It’s not clear if it’s because the lungs are better [after quitting] or [blood] circulation is better, but the bottom line is: Smoking impairs fitness and we know because people stop smoking and fitness improves,” Edelman says.But whether this is true of e-cigs remains to be seen.If smoking’s impact on blood flow to the body’s muscles and heart is to blame for impeding fitness, nicotine may be at fault—and that’s an indicator that e-cigarettes could carry a similar physical burden.“E-cigarettes irritate the lungs less than regular cigarettes, but they deliver as much or more nicotine, and nicotine constricts blood vessels,” Edelman says.Because the U.S.Food and Drug Administration does not yet regulate e-cigarettes, some brands are suspected to contain levels of nicotine significantly higher than what is found in an old-school pack of smokes.“Nicotine is a poison and you don’t have to smoke or inhale that much to get nicotine poisoning,” Edelman says.

“The fact that people may be using very high doses is a concern.It’s likely to have an effect on the circulatory system.”On top of that, a study from Brown University recently discovered that prolonged exposure to nicotine may be linked to an increased risk for atherosclerosis, or a hardening of the arteries that can cause heart attacks.In other words, perhaps we should think of smoking e-cigarettes the same way we think about eating cheeseburgers.Yes, they can be enjoyable.And sure, they aren’t linked as strongly to an increased risk of death as other tobacco products.But they’re linked to some potentially dangerous health problems that could affect you down the road.A Call for More Research and RegulationA recent study published in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research revealed that while secondhand exposure to e-cigarettes is likely less harmful than tobacco smoke, it still exposes bystanders to some levels of nicotine.Until more research can be done, organizations like the ALA are strongly urging the FDA to “move and move quickly” to regulate e-cigarettes the same way they do tobacco products, according to Edelman.