An e-cigarette is an electronic device that generates an aerosol for inhalation in imitation of tobacco smoke. You probably have seen it, saw its popularity among teenagers and ex-tobacco smokers. In fact, as no law restricts the use of electronic cigarettes, teenagers enjoy a direct access to this derivative of tobacco cigarettes. The e-cigarettes, which achieved global sales estimated at two billion dollars in 2011, are made of the following four elements: a battery, an atomizer, a tank and the e-liquid. The e-liquid is made of a propylene glycol based mixture and/or vegetable glycerin, sometimes supplemented with alcohol or water, aromas, usually from the food industry and nicotine at varying rates. We call “hit” the tingling sensation in the throat and mouth that is caused by the nicotine (an abreviatio of “throat hit”). It is proved, the e-cigarette is healthier than the tobacco cigarette, because it works by vaporising a liquid based with nicotine and aromas, so inhaled vapor does not contain tar, carbon monoxide or other toxins that usually are in the smoke of tobacco cigarettes. Furthermore, they are cheaper than the regular cigarettes, and the consumers have the choice to put nicotine in it or not. So where is the problem? Several explosions come as health problems and the users are poorly informed on what they consume. Are the users of e-cigarettes victims or perpetrators of the troubles caused by their e-cigarettes? We think they’re mostly responsible because it is their choice to consume bad ingredients that could affect their health, or to modify their electronic cigarettes, and it is of their charge to learn about what they inhale or how to use their vapor cigarettes.

First, the cunsumers do not get informed on what they inhale. They never know what they could smoke! Did you know that the smoke of vapor cigarettes damage DNA in way it could lead to cancer? In fact, an extract from the smoke of the vapor cigarettes was created by researchers at the University of California and used to treat human cells in a lab. The untreated cells died far later then the exposed cells that developped DNA damages. The e-cigarettes with necotine rose three fold over eight weeks, but those nicotine free got up to fifty percent of DNA damages. Would you smoke from e-cigarettes knowing those facts? Personnaly, i wouldn’t…

Secondly, some cunsumers modify their devices or e-liquid by themself, which makes the level of danger of their gear greatly increase. That’s what we call “DIY” or “do it yourself”. Some e-cigarettes may even explode! There have been many cases of injuries caused by e-cigarettes explosions, exactly because the users modified it, or just didn’t bother to learn about how to use it in safer ways. In fact, some devices exploded in the pockets of their owners (causing several injuries). E-cigarettes functions by a lithium ion battery, which contains electrolytes that can combust when overheated. These batteries are also present in cellphones and laptops, and there have been rare incidents when these devices have overheated and caught fire. However, because of the cylindrical shape of e-cigarettes, the device itself is propelled when the battery overheats, causing explosions and increasing the probability for the fire to spread, according to a 2014 report by the U.S. Fire Adminitstration.

However, we can’t deny the good sides of the vapor cigarette. It is true, the electronic cigarettes do less damages than the traditionnal cigarette, and the cunsumers can choose if they want nicotine in it or not, so there’s less cases of addiction.

In conclusion, the e-cigarette may have some advantages, but its disadvantages greatly outweigh it. Beware, users of electronic cigarettes, of the DNA damages that can be developped, the explosions that may happen, and the many health problems that could be generated. So the users of electronic cigarettes, are they victims, or perpetrators of the explosions and high risks that are generated with the cunsumption of e-liquids? According to me, they are definitely perpetrators, because it is their choice to cunsume it, even without knowing the side effects of their cunsumption, and they have chosen to modify their devices or just didn’t bother to learn how to use it. Hope that the use of electronic cigarette become safer or that the cunsumers will be more carefull with their devices.