In the modern world, it is fairly well agreed upon that smoking cigarettes is bad for you. It’s absolutely certain that inhaling tobacco smoke can and often does cause cancer, as well as other ailments after prolonged use. But what about the new sweeping sensation of the electronic cigarette? More and more smokers are going electronic every week. In fact, there is a new store in the Waterford shopping center that exclusively sells e-cigarettes and accessories. It’s advertised as being more cost effective and cleaner, as well as being free of tar, ash, and smell. I’ve never seen them advertised as outright healthier but I believe that is for legal purposes. One of the biggest selling points is the fact that a smoker would be able to smoke their electronic cigarette virtually anywhere. After all, stores, restaurants, and movie theaters have no rules in place against vapor.
So are electronic cigarettes a better alternative? Well I believe that on the surface they definitely are. All of the cancer and emphysema and the diseases which result directly from inhaling smoke are not a factor with electronic cigarettes. However the blood pressure ailments and heart disease which results from nicotine are still a factor. And there is one way that electronic cigarettes could do some harm. The fact that it’s cheaper, cleaner, and able to be taken anywhere makes smoking more often easier. I’ve seen plenty of older e-cig users with their e-cigs just hanging around their necks, presumably smoked 24 hours a day. The fact that smoke smell is obtrusive gives the heaviest tobacco users forced breaks from their destructive habit. Without this deterrent, constant smoking is inevitable. So is it worth the switch? While quitting would be better, as long as the person has a degree of self-control, I would say yes.