E cigarettes what is

E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that are used to heat a liquid to produce a vapour, which is then inhaled — mimicking the act of smoking. E-cigarettes are most commonly used to vape nicotine e-liquid solutions.

Electronic cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery systems ENDS , e-cigs, ecigarro, electro-smoke, green cig, smartsmoker, vaping, vape, pens, pods, Juul, e-hookah. E-cigarettes use heat to transform a nicotine or non-nicotine e-liquid solution into vapour, which is then inhaled. There is not enough evidence to promote the use of e-cigarettes for the purpose of smoking cessation. While switching to vaping may help some people quit smoking traditional cigarettes, there is concern that smokers may become dual users of both e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes and that former smokers using e-cigarettes are more likely to relapse to current smokers.

While it is widely believed that e-cigarettes pose less harm than conventional cigarettes because they do not contain tobacco tobacco contains a majority of the toxic, cancer causing chemicals — they are still not harmless.

There are known risks associated with any type of nicotine exposure on brain development, meaning that pregnant women and adolescents should avoid vaping.

The manufacturer quality of e-cigarettes is highly variable. Significant differences in product designs and individual smoking patterns make it difficult to determine the potential level of nicotine toxicity in each device or liquid. Vaping devices can be modified to deliver a higher, more harmful concentration of nicotine and producing more toxic chemical particles in the inhaled vape cloud.

With or without nicotine, all e-liquid solutions used in vaping contain a mixture of unregulated and harmful chemicals and additives. The two main ingredients used in all e-liquids are propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, which are considered safe in certain food products. However, the health consequences of repeatedly heating and inhaling these chemicals into the lungs is relatively unknown, with some evidence suggesting there is potential to cause harm. E-cigarettes may also contain toxins such as formaldehyde, and heavy metals such as chromium, aluminium, arsenic, copper, lead, nickel and tin — all of which cause adverse health effects, including cancer.

Nicotine labelling on e-cigarettes can also be inconsistent, with some labels incorrectly denying the presence of nicotine and other potentially toxic chemicals. Concerns have also been raised about the appeal of vaping products to young people. Companies glamourise their products to appear cool or fun, and create flavours that give off the perception of sweetness such as candy or fruit flavoured which appeal directly to young people.

This includes both in Australia and from overseas. This can be done by:. In March , the American Lung Association and our public health partners filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration challenging its decision that allows electronic cigarettes and cigars—including candy-flavored products that appeal to kids—to stay on the market for years without being reviewed by the agency. The lawsuit contends that the FDA's decision leaves on the market tobacco products that appeal to kids, deprives the FDA and the public of critical information about the health impact of products already on the market, and relieves manufacturers of the burden to produce scientific evidence that their products have a public health benefit.

On May 15, a federal judge sided with the American Lung Association and our partners in this lawsuit. The judge concluded that FDA acted unlawfully by delaying requiring e-cigarettes and other newly deemed tobacco products to go through a pre-market review process. The judge subsequently ruled that the filing deadline for all premarket review applications is May 12, Any product that does not submit an application by this deadline must be removed from the marketplace, which if properly enforced, could lead a significantly smaller marketplace.

In December , the legislation was included in the federal year-end legislative package and passed by both houses of Congress. President Trump signed the bill into law on December 20, and it immediately took effect.

This legislation, which applies to all states, raises the minimum age of sale for all tobacco products— including e-cigarette—to The Surgeon General reports e-cigarette use among youth is a significant public health concern and steps must be taken by parents, educators and especially policymakers to discourage use of e-cigarettes. Learn more about e-cigarettes lung health risks and get downloadable resources for parents, schools and teens.

The Impact of E-Cigarettes on the Lung There's evolving evidence about the health risks and impact of e-cigarettes on the lungs. Links to E-Cigarette Resources Links other websites, reports educational materials, toolkits and more information on e-cigarettes. This guidance is intended to support healthcare providers in their understanding and tracking of -cigarette and vaping product use.

PLoS Biol 16 3 : e Department of Health and Human Services. Atlanta, GA: U. This November your donation goes even further to improve lung health and defeat lung cancer.

Double Your Gift. Your tax-deductible donation funds lung disease and lung cancer research, new treatments, lung health education, and more. If you're pregnant, licensed NRT products such as patches and gum are the recommended option to help you stop smoking. But if you find using an e-cigarette helpful for quitting and staying smokefree, it's much safer for you and your baby than continuing to smoke. As with all rechargeable electrical devices, the correct charger should be used and the device should not be left charging unattended or overnight.

If you suspect you have experienced a side effect to your health from using your e-cigarette or would like to report a product defect, report these via the Yellow Card Scheme. This is in contrast to secondhand smoke from smoking, which is known to be very harmful to health. E-cigarettes are not currently available from the NHS on prescription, so you cannot get one from your GP. You can buy them from specialist vape shops, some pharmacies and other retailers, or on the internet.

For more information and advice on using e-cigarettes to help quit smoking, visit Better Health. Page last reviewed: 29 March Next review due: 29 March Using e-cigarettes to stop smoking - Quit smoking Secondary navigation Smoking facts Passive smoking 10 myths about stop smoking treatments Paan, bidi and shisha Using e-cigarettes to stop smoking Unders guide to quitting smoking Stopping smoking for your mental health.