By Staci Elder Hensley No one denies that smoking traditional cigarettes is deadly, and these days it’s increasingly difficult to find any public area where smoking is allowed at all.Add in the extremely high cost, and it’s easy to understand why in less than a decade a cheaper and safer alternative – the electronic cigarette – has hit the mainstream.E-cigarettes come in many different models, but all function basically the same way.The device is shaped like a cigarette, and the end glows when the user inhales.Inside there’s a battery, a heating element and a cartridge that holds nicotine and other liquids and flavorings.Features and costs vary from model to model; some are disposable, and some have a rechargeable battery and refillable cartridges.After inhaling, users then exhale a small puff of vapor that resembles smoke.In fact, using e-cigarettes is known as “vaping,” and stores that sell these products are known as vape stores.Vaping product sales last year hit an estimated $1.7 billion, according to a report by the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products.

E-cigarette sales are expected to outstrip those of regular cigarettes within 10 years.Given that Oklahoma has consistently ranked among the top states in the number of people who smoke, it’s not surprising that the state is at the epicenter of the e-cigarettes trend.As of summer 2014, it was estimated that 10 percent of all vape shops in the United States were located in Oklahoma, and there are presently 304 in the state, said Dr. Theodore Wagener, co-director of the Oklahoma Tobacco Research Center and assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, who is among the country’s most prominent researchers of e-cigarettes and related products.At least one in five smokers has tried e-cigarettes, including about 10 percent of U.S.high school students, according to the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The original, or “first-generation” models are known as “cig-a-likes,” while second- and third-generation “tank” e-cigarettes are more elaborate and designed to be refilled with nicotine-containing liquids.

Two recent studies, published in the journals Addiction and Nicotine & Tobacco, showed that the tank models are more effective at helping smokers quit.In addition to nicotine, e-cigarettes contain propylene glycol, a versatile additive used in such diverse products as food flavorings, toothpastes, cough syrup and theatric fog machines.They also contain vegetable glycerin and flavorings, which may range from menthol to strawberry to cotton candy.These chemicals are generally considered safe, but there is little research into the long-term health effects of inhaling these chemicals, and concerns have been raised by many public health officials.“I would not recommend that people use or try first-generation products,” Wagener said.“They’re often made by the tobacco industry, deliver nicotine poorly, are reportedly less satisfying, and as a result do not lead to complete switching.Go to a vape shop and purchase a good entry-level tank system.“The staff at most vape shops are very helpful in teaching new users how to correctly use the products,” he added.

“Do not use a plastic tank.igo4 e cigarette deluxe kitThey are cheaper, but they also leach plastic into the e-liquid.e cigarette fmttmLastly, stay away from any ‘tank-buster’ flavors like cinnamon and certain citrus flavors, and also buttery flavors and menthol.e cigarette eu regulationRecent studies are showing that these e-liquids are likely not appropriate for inhalation.” J.T.e cigarette online uaeThompson, 52, has been smoking since he was 13 years old.e cigarette milton keynes

He initially tried e-cigarettes several years ago, but found them unsatisfying and reverted to regular cigarettes.e cigarette mississaugaAbout two months ago, he decided to give them another try, this time using a second-generation cartridge.“I’ve been able to stick with it, even though I really miss the whole ritual of the cigarette – things like opening the new pack, pulling the cigarette out, tamping it down, lighting the flame, hearing the crackle of the paper as it burns, that first drag into the lungs,” he said.His comments are typical of many people trying to quit smoking, who struggle with losing the rituals surrounding it, as well as nicotine withdrawal.On the positive side, Thompson said he has definitely noticed physical benefits.“I am breathing better, I can take fuller breaths immediately, and I have greatly reduced phlegm production and wheezing,” he said.“Previously, when I would smoke while driving, my fingertips would tingle and partially lose feeling.

That’s not happening with the e-cigs.” One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that e-cigarettes are harmless.“Many people think that they’re even safer than nicotine replacement therapies,” Wagener said.“The truth is that they are much safer than cigarettes, but not harmless and not safer than NRTs.” (NRTs consist of nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, nasal sprays and inhalers, all of which have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to help people quit smoking.)There is much debate about the safety of e-cigarettes, particularly when it comes to the solvents that are used to dissolve the flavors.While much more research needs to be done (and is currently underway), a 2014 study published in Circulation found that e-cigarettes deliver high levels of nanoparticles into the lungs.These nanoparticles are lung irritants, and have been linked to asthma, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic health conditions.Another study found that when heated, typical e-liquids containing a solvent mix of glycerin and propylene glycol could produce formaldehyde levels equaling those found in regular tobacco smoke.

E-cigarette vapor also isn’t without impact, although it’s not nearly as potentially dangerous as secondhand smoke.A 2014 study concluded that e-cigarettes expose those nearby to ten times less nicotine compared to tobacco cigarettes.“There is indeed secondhand vapor (SHV),” Wagener said.“The SHV contains nicotine, and that nicotine will stick to surfaces, though it is significantly less than secondhand smoke.The same is true for the amount of nicotine that settles on surfaces in vaping households versus smoking households.” To help keep things in perspective, while these chemicals are of concern, the average traditional cigarette gives off approximately 4,000 chemicals when lit, including such deadly toxins as arsenic, formaldehyde, tar and lead.Combined with other tobacco products, cigarettes contribute to about 5 million deaths worldwide each year.Since they’re viewed as a safer, cheaper and odor-free alternative to cigarettes, e-cigarettes have become incredibly popular among teenagers and even pre-teens.

The wide variety of flavors also makes them much more appealing to younger users.According to the CDC, between 2011 and 2012 use skyrocketed among middle and high school students, and nine out of ten of those experimenting were already smokers.Oklahoma law does not permit anyone below the age of 18 to purchase nicotine products.“Thankfully, use of cigarettes and chewing tobacco continues to decline among youth,” Wagener said.“It is possible that this is a result of e-cigarettes; however, only time will tell.In the meantime, not only should strict youth access laws be put in place, but marketing of any non-pharmaceutical nicotine product should not be allowed.This is easier said than done, however, as many youth are exposed to advertising online.” The exploding popularity of e-cigarette use among teens is one of the top reasons why many public health officials and other groups have been calling for regulation of the products since about 2009.There is particular concern that kid-friendly flavorings will lead to a whole new generation of children becoming addicted to nicotine, reversing a more than decade-long decline in smoking among teens.

In April 2014, the FDA proposed a set of regulations for e-cigarettes – chiefly requiring warning labels and forbidding sales to minors – but the approval process is not yet complete, and lobbying by the tobacco industry has further delayed their implementation.Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently spoke out in favor of embracing e-cigarettes, with some reservations.“I’m concerned about e-cigarettes, and I think this is an area where we are in desperate need of clarity,” Murthy said.“I think it’s important for us to understand the impact, particularly on youth, before we allow the full-fledged spread of these e-cigarettes and then later have problems that we have to deal with.” Wagener, meanwhile, stressed that while e-cigarettes are a definite improvement over traditional, people should keep in mind that the desired end goal is to break the nicotine addiction entirely, which can be achieved more effectively and safely using nicotine replacement therapies.Smokers should especially avoid using both regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes, as they will still be at high risk for cancer and other tobacco-related health problems.