Are
you tired of smelling of
cigarette smoke but still too dependent on nicotine to stop smoking?
Here's something that might become of interest: e-cigarettes, or
e-cigs for short. These battery-operated nicotine inhalers are
powered up by a lithium battery which comes with a cartridge, also
called cartomizer. The latter is filled with flavoured liquid
nicotine which is heated and turned into vapour, thus the term
« vaping » to replace « smoking».
Their
price range goes from around 30 euros for starter kits to 80 euros
for premium
ones.
To that you must add the cost of liquid nicotine itself, which is
about 4 euros per bottle. 10 milliliters represent up to 10
packs
of
conventional cigarettes. You can also buy disposable e-cigarettes. In
2012, sales of e-cigarettes reached
40 million euros in France and are estimated to hit 100 million euros
by the end of the year. The
changing smokers' habits
are
behind such fast-growing sales, the product becoming a substitute for
people who want to quit smoking.
Vaping
to quit smoking
So
far, around 500 000 French smokers have switched to
e-cigs to get their daily dose of nicotine.
The
electronic device has not only been marketed as a better alternative
to traditional cigarettes but also as a cheaper one.
Many
reasons explain this change in smoking habits, among which we
can note the chemical composition of e-cigs, free of most
of the toxic substances usually found in conventional cigarettes,
like carcinogens and irritants. Therefore, the vapor is less
polluting than smoke.
Besides,
the different flavours (tobacco, strawberry, vanilla and many others)
add
to
the smoking experience while the design of the products, quite
similar to that of traditional cigarettes, gives it a realistic
feeling.
Still,
nicotine remains a poisonous substance, and in addition to being
dangerous, it
is addictive. Even though it is now admitted that e-cigs are far less
dangerous than conventional cigarettes, it may be going too far to
say they are harmless.
Another
point is that the few studies already conducted have not yet enabled
us to define thoroughly the effects of the vapes in the
long term. In other words, no one can say for sure whether e-cigs are
safe or not, even
in the case of passive smoking.
Not
to mention the thrill of novelty they brought about could wear off,
but that will not stand in the way of the tobacco industry.
A
boon for the tobacco industry ?
At
first, tobacco firms were taken by surprise when e-cigarettes began
to be sold massively. But no one would miss such a money-making
opportunity. Given the considerable growth of the market, traditional
tobacco companies had no choice but to tackle it as well.
Consequently,
more and more investors have been jumping into the market to get
their share of the pie. Even so, as
with
any new-found niche, it is still unregulated, which raises many
burning questions about the controversial cigarettes, yet to be
answered.
Soulef B.
Sources: le monde.fr; theguardian.com; stoplaclope.fr
Replacing bad habits with other ones is not a way to heal. The vaping trend will probably disappear, as the tobacco-free cigarettes trend (the herbal ones) did. Cigarette smokers will still be smokers unless they quit cigarette for good.
ReplyDeleteTo me the problem is that people start to believe that vaporing is a medicinal remedy to their addiction more than an alternative.
What upsets me is to see e-cigarettes in every public places... Wasn't the smoking ban also supposed to protect non-smokers and children in particular from the temptation of smoking one day?
We need to stop being hypocritical and recognize the dangerousness of that product that contains nicotine before the market and financial interests gets the upper hand and takes the advantage on our health.
I quite agree with what you said Marion, e-cigarettes contain nicotine and thus, can be as addictive as conventional cigarettes. People got everything confused and forgot that important point. That's why I believe that advertisement for e-cigarettes should mention that fact so as to remind people of the dangerousness of smoking them.
ReplyDeleteStill, if the only choice left was to choose between the two of them, we can't deny that e-cigarettes are a far better option than traditional ones. And I mean it for both smokers and people affected by second-hand smoking. The less toxic substances the cigarettes contain, the better.
You also mentioned smoking in public space. I think that for now it is the most urgent issue that must be dealt with. I think a ban should be voted as a precautionary measure, until we have real scientific proof about their effects on smokers and on people inhaling vapes.
Soulef B.
I have two opinions on these new e-cigarettes.
ReplyDeleteSince I'm a non-smoker I don't really like cigarette smoke that is why this new cigarette concept don't bother me. Vapours are completely different from smokes and it is nice to speak outside with people who are smoking without being disturbed by some stinking smell. That was my “for” point of view.
As an “against” point of view I agree with what you wrote, we don't know yet for sure which side effects trigger these e-cigarettes for smokers and passive smokers as well. In general we discover many years later and often too late that the new medicine or amazing product were actually bad for our health..
Laurie Jacquet
We see eye to eye on that topic Laurie. Actually I don't really like cigarette smoke as well, it makes me cough and irritates my throat, so something like the smell of fruit-flavoured vapor turns out to be quite pleasant in comparison. But I wouldn't want to get carried away, as I said in a earlier post, they could have undiscovered effects on the human body.
DeleteSoulef B.
And what about teenagers who start smoke e-cigarettes? With their nice and colored design, they’re new “fashion” objects. So teenagers, who usually follow any new trend, can’t resist and they try, becoming addicted. An addiction that they can easily hide from their family, as they won’t smell awful. So, what seemed to be an innovative solution to help people to stop smoking, it’s becoming a new spur to start!
ReplyDeleteCamilla F.
I have to admit I hadn't thought of it from this viewpoint. Cigarette smoking is a rather controversial issue. Mention children/teenagers and it raises an even more delicate debate.
DeleteIt is true that covering the strong smell of traditional cigarettes is not so easy and makes it therefore more likely for parents to find out that their children smoke. On the other side, I don't think that finding out plays a key role in preventing teenagers to smoke. Some parents, despite knowing that their children smoke, still can't do anything about it. It would be more effective to raise awareness among young children of the consequences smoking has on their health.
Soulef B.
I think that e-cigarette is just a new way to get to the easy money. Today they are promoted in the same proportion as the cigarette in the sixties. At that time, no one thought of the dangers to health, and now we cannot escape from a variety of images, that should put out our need for cigarettes. Countries are taxing us widely, using our health as an excuse, forgetting that twenty years ago they were some kind of wholesalers itself, that permitted ideal advertising on various brands of cigarettes. Today, on each package we can find a number that we can call, but on condition to spend some euro. No money, no advice... how generous and beneficial are nowadays states.
ReplyDeleteSeveral years ago we could not breathe from advertisements for patches that ultimately cost as cigarettes, and today there are e- cigarettes to "cure" us from addiction. What we can conclude is that it is a vicious circle: either smoke, “glue” itself with patches or smoke e-cigarettes... But the person, who really wants to quit smoking, will do it willingly.
Sanja V.
Yes, the root of the problem lies maybe in the utility of cigarettes. Why did people began to smoke in the past? Why do they still choose to do it now? It may be far-fetched to say that, but I believe they make a rational choice which match consumption patterns and social models for their own interest.
DeleteStill and all, given the amount of health care costs attributable to tobacco diseases and paid for by the government through social security, I find it fair that the latter should levy a tax on cigarette consumption.
Soulef B.
Both article and comments are very interesting! I bought an e-cigarette about a week ago and I haven't smoked since! I have to admit that I bought it because it was trendy (yes, it's a pink one, very cute!), but also because I don't really want to stop smoking! But for being concerned about the bad consequences of traditional cigarettes, I decided to try this new solution. Of course, we already hear that "We don't know anything about this new product, it might be as dangerous as traditional cigarettes", but if we listen to everybody, we cannot do anything anymore! I'm tired of it, we all have our bad habits, let's deal with it!
ReplyDeleteMarion B.
Thank you for your comment Marion, your point of view is interesting since you are directly concerned by the topic as a smoker of e-cigs.
DeleteWell, something everyone agree on is that everybody is free to do whatever they want, as long as it doesn't affect another person's well-being. When you think about it, smoking cigarettes does affect other people's lives: passive smoking have led other people than the active smoker to be sick too.
The effects of e-cigarettes regarding passive smoking are not thoroughly known yet. Should the vapors be rated as harmless for people inhalating them within the smoker's environment, then there would be no problem: choosing to smoke would have consequences on no other person than the smoker. But until this is not proved, I think we had better stay cautious and not let one person's choice have an unwanted impact on someone else' life.
Soulef B.
That can be a really good news for most smokers. I ve seen e-cig for once, but I had no idea what it was and I found e-cig it a little too big, compared to traditional cigaretts. I think e-cig could a good replacing product before getting rid of smoking. Besides,by levying high taxes on e-cig, the government can limit the sale, or on the contrary, to boost its sale easily.
ReplyDeleteEven though e-cig seems to be less harmful and could subsequentedly reduce the government depense on public health, it could also have a negativ impact on the tabacco industry which could cause the reduction of taxes incomes from those companies.
As you said, anyone can see that e-cigarettes are a direct competitor for conventional cigarettes. I guess that explains why the tobacco industry didn't wait too long to react to this emerging market. The largest tobacco companies such as Marlboro have already planned the launching of their own e-cig. They wouldn't want to risk losing consumers attracted by this product.
DeleteSoulef B.
Hi, what a great web blog. I usually spend hours on the net reading blogs on various subjects. E Cigs
ReplyDelete