E-cigarettes should be treated as regular cigarettes

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E-cigarettes should be treated as regular cigarettes
The debate surrounding use of e-cigarettes still divides opinion as more cities adopt legislations curbing the use of these cigarettes in public spaces. Even though, supporters of e- cigarettes state that these cigarettes help to stop smoking, there are growing concerns that as more people begin by vaping and then there will be a rise in cigarette smoking. E- Cigarettes are touted as a safer alternative to regular cigarettes if used alone, but there is insufficient evidence to show the long-term effects of vaping are less harmful than smoking. However, what is clear is that use of e-cigarettes is a public health concern because of nicotine, and other compounds in the products. With increased scrutiny of the effect of e- cigarettes on human health, it is vital to point out that like regular cigarettes they can also cause addiction. Even though -cigarettes do not contain tar, as one of the main causes of cancer, nicotine contained in vapor still has harmful effect, and there are few requirements to disclose the contents of e- cigarettes and hence it is possible that there are various agents that may cause illnesses. The FDA now calls for manufacturers to prove that e-cigarettes are less harmful than conventional cigarettes, reigniting the debate on the need to have restrictions on vaping in public places. Furthermore, it could be harder to quit smoking if people believe that using e-cigarettes is not harmful to their health (Mascarelli). This paper focuses on reasons as to why e-cigarettes should be treated the same way as cigarettes made from tobacco.
Both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes contain nicotine, but the electronic versions use liquid nicotine. There are risks that use of e-cigarettes could lead to an increase in tobacco use among youths as the nicotine laced vapor could be a gateway to using conventional cigarettes that use tobacco (Zahniser & Marisa). Exposure to liquid nicotine has the same effects as conventional cigarettes and hence the two products should be treated as the same, as liquid nicotine exposure has a negative impact on the health of users. One of the harmful effects of e- cigarettes that have received less attention is that there is increased risk of poisoning and this poses a health risk to users. Even though, the cigarettes do not have tar and carbon monoxide, the vapor released in smoking still contains dangerous nicotine compounds. Lack of scientific evidence on the impact of vaping puts into question the safety of the electronic products. Since there are fewer regulations than conventional cigarettes, there is a possibility that these cigarettes contain toxic compounds that have not been detected. Even though, supporters of e- cigarettes claim that they contain less contaminant than regular cigarettes, there is still toxicity and hence the cigarettes should be treated as regular cigarettes (Zahniser & Mari...