ElectronicCigarettes.pdf (487.31 kB)
Electronic Cigarettes A Position Statement of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies
journal contribution
posted on 2017-01-14, 00:00 authored by D.E. Schraufnagel, F. Blasi, M.B. Drummond, D.C.L. Lam, E. Latif, M.J. Rosen, R. Sansores, R. Van Zyl-SmitBackground: Awareness and usage of electronic cigarettes has
exponentially increased during the last few years, especially among
young people and women in some countries. The rapid acceptance
of electronic cigarettes may be attributed in part to the perception
created by marketing and the popular press that they are safer
than combustible cigarettes.
Goals: To alert and advise policy makers about electronic cigarettes
and their potential hazards.
Methods: Using The Union’s position paper on electronic cigarettes
as the starting template, the document was written using an iterative
process. Portions of the manuscript have been taken directly from the
position papers of participating societies.
Results: Because electronic cigarettes generate less tar and carcinogens
than combustible cigarettes, use of electronic cigarettes may reduce
disease caused by those components. However, the health risks of
electronic cigarettes have not been adequately studied. Studies looking at
whether electronic cigarettes can aid smoking cessation have had
inconsistent results. Moreover, the availability of electronic cigarettes
may have an overall adverse health impact by increasing initiation and
reducing cessation of combustible nicotine delivery products.
Conclusions: The health and safety claims regarding electronic
nicotine delivery devices should be subject to evidentiary review.
The potential benefits of electronic cigarettes to an individual smoker
should be weighed against potential harm to the population of
increased social acceptability of smoking and use of nicotine, the
latter of which has addictive power and untoward effects. As
a precaution, electronic nicotine delivery devices should be restricted
or banned until more information about their safety is available.
If they are allowed, they should be closely regulated as medicines
or tobacco products.
Funding
None Given
History
Publisher Statement
This is a copy of an article published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine © 2014 American Thoracic Society Publications.Publisher
American Thoracic Societyissn
1073-449XIssue date
2014-09-15Usage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedLicence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC