A new kind of drug addiction, known as Electronic Cigarettes (e-cigs), is being advertised by different brands as ‘harmless’ and many unsuspecting consumers, especially youth, are being lured into smoking through this advertisement tactic, Pakistan Today has learnt.
It is pertinent to mention here that contrary to how these cigarettes are advertised, they do not provide an alternative to quit smoking and the World Health Organisation, after declaring them to be as lethal as normal cigarettes, has banned their advertisement.
WHO also said companies should stop marketing them that way, especially since the product may undermine smoking prevention efforts because they look like the real cigarettes and may lure non-smokers, including children.
The network of e-cigs is expanding rapidly in Pakistan as the manufacturers have spread their electronic devices of e-cigs in more than 200 big and small cities, including many villages, across the country. Talking to Pakistan Today, an official of the Health Department asking not be named said the department has receiving reports about the increase in ratio of e-cigs especially in youngsters hailing from elite educational institutes. He said the issue was that since the e-cigs was stylish, slim and looked like the real cigarette, youngsters across the country were getting attracted to it and the worst part was that non-smokers too were getting addicted to it, considering it to be harmless.
“These e-cigs can affect the government’s anti-smoking campaign since these cigarettes can be used in all areas where smoking is prohibited such as hotel lounges, airports, railways stations and even in bed rooms,” he said, adding that since no research had been carried out on the issue, the exact situation was unknown.
Talking to Pakistan Today, focal person of WHO in Pakistan on tobacco, Shahzad Alam Khan said WHO did not declare e-cig free of health hazards and had issued a clear guideline against the public use of e-cigs. He said the biggest concern for health experts was that the manufacturers of e-cigs were marketing their products to youngsters who were getting addicted to them, thinking that they were harmless.
He said the latest statistics showed adolescents were getting more addicted to smoking than adults because products such as e-cigs were being marketed with false claims. He said the e-cigs contained nicotine that was highly addictive and it could increase heart and blood pressure and restrict blood to the heart muscles.
Talking to Pakistan Today, e-cig importer Khalid Hayat claimed that the e-cigs were exact copy of original cigarettes and had no harmful components for human health, adding that they were economical and were an effective medium for those addicted smokers who wanted to quit smoking. When he was asked why the distributors were concealing the ingredients in their advertisements, he said there was no need to advertise the ingredients because they were harmless. He said e-cigs were safer than conventional cigarettes and sheesha. He said most of his consumers were trying to quit smoking and e-cigs were helping them.
When he was asked why they were selling their products via internet, he responded that it was more convenient to sell them over the internet. He said the cigarettes had four basic tastes such as the high, medium, low and zero nicotine thickness cartridges to meet the requirements of different smokers.
The units are shaped like a cigarette and contain a battery that heats a filament to vaporise liquid nicotine in a refillable cartridge.
Electronic Cigarette creates a healthy smoking cultural atmosphere, and has been eulogised by authoritative experts as the perfect combination of modern micro-electronic technology, biological technology and the conception of healthy life.
Dr Rafique Anjum, talking to Pakistan, said e-cigs were not common but it could be dangerous for health due to its inhalation of diethylene glycol, nicotine and other toxic components.
He said the refilling bottles could contain about one gram of nicotine and its use up to 30 to 60mg could be fatal for adults and 10mg for children. He said addiction becomes habit and when a non-smoker or once a smoker would see a person smoking e-cig in public place there would be chances that they would also restart or indulge in smoking again.
Kashif Aftab, a student of a private college, told Pakistan Today that he once used sheesha and after seeing e-cigs in fruit and chocolate flavours, he started using it too. He said it was economical and available from Rs700 to Rs4500 per box. He said e-cigs were not available in markets easily so he usually called the e-cig distributor on his mobile and had placed his order. He said he did not know if e-cigs were dangerous or not because their ingredients had not been advertised. He admitted that he felt a same urge in his heart for smoking e-cig as he had for normal cigarettes because he felt good after puffing it
how ridicolous. if you smoke then go with e-cigs. Period!
Oh please. Just take a look at the raw material ingredient's list in both tobacco products and in electronic cigarettes. In burning leaf tobacco cigarettes, there are over 4800 chemicals, 69 known carcinogens, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, Arsenic, DDT, heavy metals like nickel and lead, benzine, cadmium, and many other toxic ingredients. E-Cig's on the other hand contain pharmaceutical grade liquid nicotine, propylene glycol (approved as safe by FDA in foods), water and flavourings. Besides, these things are not being marketed for children… or for non smokers. They are not being marketed to children, they are being marketed to EXISTING ADULT SMOKERS who are ready to switch it up to something that is more balanced than the imbalanced (i.e. deadly) option that they are currently using. Could children use them? Yes. But kids are buying tobacco cigarettes, aren't they? Throwing up hypothetical scare scenarios against e-cigarettes? There are a thousand hypothetical's that could be thrown up with a thousand different products, but in the end, it is all conjecture. Lets not throw out the baby with the bath. E-Cigarettes are not claimed to be "healthy." But common sense tells those who actually have some that they are less harmful than the incumbent burning-leaf-tobacco.
Oh please. Just take a look at the raw material ingredient's list in both tobacco products and in electronic cigarettes. In burning leaf tobacco cigarettes, there are over 4800 chemicals, 69 known carcinogens, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, Arsenic, DDT, heavy metals like nickel and lead, benzine, cadmium, and many other toxic ingredients. E-Cig's on the other hand contain pharmaceutical grade liquid nicotine, propylene glycol (approved as safe by FDA in foods), water and flavourings. Besides, these things are not being marketed for children… or for non smokers. They are not being marketed to children, they are being marketed to EXISTING ADULT SMOKERS who are ready to switch it up to something that is more balanced than the imbalanced (i.e. deadly) option that they are currently using. Could children use them? Yes. But kids are buying tobacco cigarettes, aren't they? Throwing up hypothetical scare scenarios against e-cigarettes? There are a thousand hypothetical's that could be thrown up with a thousand different products, but in the end, it is all conjecture. Lets not throw out the baby with the bath. E-Cigarettes are not claimed to be "healthy." But common sense tells those who actually have some that they are less harmful than the incumbent burning-leaf-tobacco.
Einstein once said "common sense isn't very common." After reading this article I can see that his opinion has once again been confirmed.
You review about Electronic cigarette are excellent. We should to more talk about e-cig and aware smoker about the benefit of electronic cigarette.
eCig Cigarette eliminates the dangers of second-hand smoke, so you can smoke around others without causing ill effects.
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In the United States alone, there are nearly 50 million smokers over the age of eighteen. These smokers take in a large number of carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents, with each puff on the cigarette. Carcinogens account for a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, emphysema, and a large number of cancers. And these conditions do not affect smokers alone. Those living with smokers can also develop similar health issues by being exposed to second hand smoke, which in many cases is more toxic than first hand smoke. Luckily, there are many products and resources available for those that want to quite smoking.
Carcinogens account for a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, emphysema, and a large number of cancers. But electric cigarette is more than batter between the cigarette. I hope in future we are alert for such kind of problem.
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