Are E-Cigarettes Really a Safer Alternative?

These days, many people are switching from traditional cigarettes to electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, thinking they're a healthy alternative.

“I smoked for over 14 years – a pack-plus a day. I’ve switched to this and have not picked up a cigarette since,” Chris, a Cincinnati resident, tells Local 12’s Liz Bonis. "I don't have a morning hack anymore or anything like that. I don't cough as much," he adds.

E-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, but instead, a mechanism that heats up liquid, which may or may not contain nicotine, turns into vapor, which smokers inhale and exhale.

While Chris’ e-cigarettes do contain nicotine, he still feels it’s helpful to his health. However, Apurva Mehta MD, a medical oncology doctor at the TriHealth Cancer Institute, who regularly sees patients with lung cancer, is not sold on these products yet. “What I see is, yes, you may make it as a safer alternative, but nothing will trump no cigarette,” Dr. Mehta explains.

In order to determine whether e-cigarettes are a healthy alternative or if they lower the rate of lung cancer, Dr. Mehta says we need to perform studies on those who have never smoked real cigarettes and have only smoked e-cigarettes.

Similarly, he also says we don’t know how e-cigarettes affect the heart or if they cause problems with blood pressure and, therefore, suggests speaking to a cardiologist about this, if you’re considering smoking e-cigarettes.