By Staff Writer: Tricia Tucker

“E-cigs are the hot, new way to smoke healthily,” is what the majority of people tend to believe.  People believe that e-cigs are not bad for you, simply because the product is not advertised that they contain toxic chemicals.  On top of that, e-cigs are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and they heighten worries for parents for their children because they can be purchased at any age.

Published in the dictionary, an e-cig is another term for an electronic cigarette, which is a cigarette-shaped device containing a nicotine-based liquid that is vaporized and inhaled, used to stimulate the experience of smoking tobacco,  hence the phrase, “containing a nicotine-based liquid.”  Although e-cigs may appear different than cigarettes and taste better, they still contain nicotine and are therefore still harmful to the human system.

E-cigarettes are commonly promoted as a tool to help people quit smoking.  But, they have not been submitted to the FDA for evaluation or approval, and there is no evidence to prove that they are effective in stopping a smoking addiction. The Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights say that there is great risk of the public being deceived by false and potentially dangerous advertising claims for e-cigs.

According to the MayoClinic, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has questioned the safety of e-cigs. When the FDA analyzed samples of two popular brands, they found large amounts of nicotine along with traces of toxic chemicals; some of which included known cancer-causing substances.  According to USA Today, the liquid nicotine used in e-cigs is being blamed for various poisonings across the nation.

The Kentucky Regional Poison Control Center of Kosair Children’s Hospital reported more than 40 calls involving e-cigarette poisonings in 2013, when previously there were nine in 2012 and only one in 2010; the numbers are escalating quickly.  Additionally, the use of e-cigs has almost doubled among U.S. high school students from 2011 to 2013.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the FDA conducted a laboratory experiment with samples of e-cigs.  They discovered that the nicotine released was not constant; with each puff, a different amount of nicotine was inhaled.  They also concluded that the quality of e-cigs are not efficient and are sometimes not even existent.  They believe that e-cigs are poorly manufactured.

“Accidental exposure by children to e-cigarettes is a public health concern that we need to take seriously,” said LaQuandra Nesbitt, the director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness.

According to the University of Michigan Health System, more than 44 percent of adults worry that e-cigs will encourage their children to start smoking tobacco. This is mainly the result of e-cigs being available for purchase at any age, simply because they are not FDA approved.  According to the FDA,  e-cigarettes can increase nicotine addiction among young people and may lead kids to try other tobacco products.

E-cigs come in various flavors, such as cotton candy, blueberry, and chocolate, which tend to attract young children, as if it were candy.

Ashley Webb, the director of the Kentucky Region Control Poison Center of Kosair Children’s Hospital stated that children will either ingest the liquid nicotine or get it on their skin, but even on the skin, the nicotine is absorbed.

Overall, e-cigs are a health threat to users and children who could become potential tobacco users.  They contain nicotine and other toxic chemicals, are not FDA approved and overall encourage children to inhale nicotine.  No matter what is advertised, e-cigs are not healthy for your system and they should not be purchased until they are FDA approved.