Ashley Singh
Title:
“Safety evaluation and risk assessment of electronic cigarettes as tobacco cigarette substitutes: a systematic review”
Summary:

In today’s society, the use of technology to mitigate the process of reducing tobacco intake and ultimately stop it altogether. While it may give the user pleasure and satisfy ones craves, it has been proven that cigarettes can damage the human body of a person drastically, whether it be lungs, throat, etc. Electronic cigarettes are a more recent technological advancement in tobacco harm cutback, and are marketed as such. But, how effective are they. This research aims to outline the effectiveness of EC’s as a replacement for cigarettes and set forth guidelines to reduce associated risks.

Data and Analysis:

The methodology of this research was very well thought out; researchers determined multiple studies that can be performed to determine safety and estimate risk for EC use: chemical studies, toxicological studies and clinical studies. Each method is thoroughly weighed for pros and cons, and preformed to compose a scientific conclusion.

Chemical studies were performed on the EC’s and the cigarettes. The evaluation of the chemical composition was imperative in risk assessment.  The result lead to comparing and contrasting different toxic compounds released from each cigarette. Subsequently, a toxic emissions score was determined for EC and popular cigarette brands. Through the chemical studies, the researchers analyzed the exposures to toxic chemicals in each cigarette and determined that ECs have far lower toxic chemicals compared to regular cigarettes.

Toxicology tests, which evaluate the effects on cells, were analyzed. Using previous cytotoxicity study of EC vapor on fibroblast cells. They tested the vapor of liquid samples containing the same amount of nicotine from EC and regular cigarettes and compared the cytotoxicity, finding that regular cigarettes were approximately 79% more toxic (Farsalinos, K. E., & Polosa, R. 2014)

Finally, clinical studies and research surveys were evaluated. In one study, the short term offsets on EC and cigarettes were compared. “They found that EC use resulted in a slight elevation in diastolic blood pressure while, after smoking, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were significantly elevated” (Farsalinos, K. E., & Polosa, R. 2014). They analyzed that even though there are harmful effects to both, EC’s effects are considerably milder.

In conclusion, this existing evidence points to EC being far less harmful alternative to smoking, and their toxic levels are lower and may lessen the problems related with smoking related diseases all over the world.

Citation

Farsalinos, K. E., & Polosa, R. (2014). Safety evaluation and risk assessment of electronic cigarettes as tobacco cigarette substitutes: a systematic review. Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, 5(2), 67–86. http://doi.org/10.1177/2042098614524430