Is e-cigarettes are the most successful method of quitting smoking?

E-cigarettes also known as e- vaporizers or electronic nicotine delivery systems are modern day devices that run on electricity that are used by people as aerosol. These may contain nicotine, flavors and many other chemicals. These modern day products sometime resemble the conventional tobacco cigarettes and sometime may resemble everyday products like pens,USB Memory Sticks etc.

These devices are marketed by more than 460 companies. However, more or less these are the same,made of same components and operate in the same manner. These generally have four main components:

# A Reservoir

# An Atomizer ( heating element)

# A Battery or a power source

# A mouthpiece for inhaling

These products have gained popularity because of theirflashy advertisements and a hoax that these are safer than cigarettes. The use of e-cigarettes in teens leads to a later addiction to cigarettes. A study actually proved that people who use e-cigarettes are less likely to quit smoking as compared to others. The same study also found that these e-cigarette users are more likely to start smoking (if not) and even smoke more compared to others. Another study concluded that only nine per cent of people in a study were able to quit smoking with the help of e-cigarettes.In fact in USA, minors are no longer allowed to purchase e cigarettes because of the more harmful than beneficial effect these hold on those kids.

The benefits and harms of this product is still under study. Therefore no consolidated answer can be given regarding its effects.