Healthy Living

The Surprising Relationship Between Smoking and Ulcerative Colitis

Are e-cigarettes any better?

E-cigarettes have become more and more popular as people look for a “healthier” way to smoke. They run on batteries and some look just like a plastic cigarette. Others are fancy and resemble a fine pen. A liquid inside is heated and creates a vapor instead of the traditional smoke. They contain nicotine, but are said to not to produce the harmful carcinogens that are created in a rolled cigarette. Are these devices any safer? They may not release the typical smoke, but they still contain nicotine and other chemicals. The American Lung Association is still skeptical about their safety. They pushed the FDA to regulate them after a stunning increase in use among young people. A 900% increase!

Another concern is that these devices still pose a secondhand risk of vapor that is potentially harmful. The FDA will monitor and research e cigarettes in an effort to protect the public from any health risks. It is a fairly new product so there are still a lot of questions in regards to their true safety.