Question: Will the nicotine delivered via an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) promote cancer in already existing pre-cancerous cells?
Answer. No, not likely and, according to Californian studies, also not likely over the next ten years, provided the user does not revert back to smoking tobacco products.
1) Nicotine is not a known carcinogen
Nicotine, inhaled or by any other route, is not recognized by the state of California as a known cause of cancer in either humans or animals. Hundreds of other chemicals are so recognized, and scores of them are found in normal cigarette smoke. Second hand tobacco smoke is recognized in this way. Thus nicotine is recognised as being an extremely addictive, but otherwise harmless substance.
2) Careful follow up for 10 years after quitting smoking normal cigarettes.
The Lung Study in the USA has followed and recorded thousands of ex-smokers for five years and then kept track for a further 7.5 years after that. The risk of cancer of the lungs was increased in those who continued to smoke tobacco, but not in those using nicotine alone, compared with those who quit entirely. That means 10 years of follow-up. If their cells were pre-cancerous to start with, and nicotine was a cause of cancer, then new cancers would have been expected to appear within those 10 years.
3) Widespread use of nicotine for 25 years.
Since 1984, nicotine has been given to millions of smokers trying to quit smoking, to help them to quit smoking, with no reported increase in lung cancer. This can be in the form of a gum, a patch or an electronic cigarette vapouriser device. Over 40,000 smokers were followed for at least 6 months, and some have been followed for as long as 20 years. Some 8% of nicotine gum users become long term users, but no increase in cancers has been reported in long term users of either nicotine gum or patches.
4) Re-cancerous cervical cells are commoner in smokers.
Any smoker so affected, should obtain rigorous follow-up. There is no reason, however, to believe that electronic cigarettes will increase the risk of the cells becoming cancerous.
E-cigarette use reduces the risk of cancer by replacing the dangers of smoking of tobacco cigarettes. Using e-cigarettes INSTEAD of smoking tobacco cigarettes is bound to reduce the risks of lung cancer, because the cancer-causing gases, such as 1,3 butadiene, found in the smoke of all cigarette brands, are no longer inhaled.
Switching to e-cigarettes with nicotine continued, can be expected to reduce lung cancer risk the same as completely quitting cigarettes, even without any use of e-cigarettes.
5) Complete quitting and complete switching is required.
100% altogether-quitting, or 100% quitting by 100% switching to e-cigarette is required.
Anyone continuing to smoke even one cigarette per day, even if along with an e-cigarette (dual smoking) increases the risk of premature death by about half.
6) Summary:
Nicotine is harmless. Electronic cigarettes contain no other harmful substances. Electronic cigarettes can not cause cancer and by quitting smoking and using e-cigs instead, risk of cancer is substantially reduced. Users with pre-existing cancer will not worsen the effects by the use of an electronic cigarette.
There have been various tests and trials done by various authorities, but as yet, no internationally recognised medical body has produced any legal and convincing proof of electronic cigarettes being completely harmless and acceptable. That being said, none of these authorities have proven that electronic cigarettes are in any way harmful to the user and to the bystander. Anything is better than smoking.
Legislation has not been fully amended to deal with the advent of electronic cigarettes. Although by definition, the electronic cigarette is not ignited and does not produce smoke and therefore is permitted in public areas, this is still a largely “grey” area of the law. Some countries allow it, some have banned it and some restrict it the same as tobacco cigarettes.
This article was written by Derek Robson, who is a retired manufacturing engineer and a full time Internet marketer. He is an expert syndicated author and has had hundreds of his articles featured on websites around the globe. He is an ex-smoker, an ex bronchitis sufferer and now a staunch supporter of converting other smokers to electronic cigarettes. Derek founded Electronic Cigarette Suppliers, who distribute a leading brand of e-cigs in and around South Africa. See their website and purchase securely from their online store at: http://www.electronic-cigarette-suppliers.co.za
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Derek Robson