Are E-Cigarettes Safe?

Marketers claim they are safe, but now research is telling them to pump the brakes with that claim. According to a press release by the
European Lung Foundation, “The results showed that for all people included in the study, the e-cigarette caused an immediate increase in
airway resistance lasting 10 minutes. In healthy subjects (never smokers), there was a statistically significant increase in airway
resistance from a mean average of 182% to 206%. In smokers with normal [breathing], there was a statistically significant increase from a
mean average of 176% to 220%. In COPD and asthma patients, the use of one e-cigarette seemed to have no immediate effect to airway resistance.
airway resistance in our group of participants, which suggests e-cigarettes can cause immediate harm after smoking the device. More research is needed to understand whether this harm also has lasting effects in the long-term.”

One major drawback of this study is that it only included 8 people who had never smoked before and 24 smokers. The limited sample size does not prove if e-cigarettes are harmful, but it does raise important questions and a potential red flag, and shows the need for more research. In the end, the question is not if they are 100% safe with NO side effects, but are they safer (with fewer side effects) than regular cigarettes?

Our tip: It is probably best to do neither.