E-Cigarettes vs Traditional Cigarettes: Which is Worse?

E-Cigarettes vs Traditional Cigarettes: With impressive growth in popularity over the last decade, e-cigarettes (or vapes) have found themselves a fairly significant following amongst the younger adults. E-cigarettes are portrayed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes and are hailed as modern, trendy, and—so we are told—less harmful in actual fact. But how do they actually stack up against the tobacco cigarette?

Traditional Cigarettes

Traditional cigarettes contain tobacco, from which thousands of toxic substances are released upon its burning. Including tar, carbon monoxide, and carcinogens. These carcinogens are associated with diseases adults die of. Long-term cigarette smoking is linked to lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory ailments. The smoke is a real danger hazard to anyone who might happen to be around the smoker, exposing family, friends, and even innocent unborn children exposed during the pregnancy.

E-Cigarettes

In layman’s terms, e-cigarettes function as a battery-powered tool that heats liquid (mostly consisting of nicotine, flavorings, and chemicals) into vapor for inhalation. Hence, e-cigarettes do not burn the liquid. And therefore do not produce tar and carbon monoxide which are the two main killers in tobacco smoke. But they do provide an avenue for inhaling nicotine, an addictive substance, and many vape liquids contain nasty substances like formaldehyde and diacetyl.

The Two Worsts

The one traditional cigarette is well noted for having the most severe long-term health complications of all time. A list of damages that include several varieties of cancers and chronic ailments. E-cigarettes don’t have long-term data either, but lung damage, heart disease. And nicotine addiction are already recorded risk factors for them. These are possibly ‘less harmful’ but they are not harmless.

On The Youth Level

E-cigarettes attract youth interests due to their fancy flavors and heavy marketing. It became especially popular with teenagers and young adults. This is alarming, as they can serve as a gateway to nicotine dependence and, in some instances, transition to actual cigarette use.

Also Read: Like Cigarettes Government Mandates Health Warnings On Samosa And Jalebi

Which Is Worse?

Traditional cigarettes are still the deadliest one known to have a range of verified health hazards against its name. To e-cigarettes are given some slack due to the very fact that they decrease exposure to other toxic agents; their far-term effects are still up in the air. According to health experts, here is their agreement: the best alternative would be none at all. Permanently quitting nicotine would guarantee health protection.