Do Electronic Cigarettes Impart a Lower Potential Disease Burden Than Conventional Tobacco Cigarettes? Review on E-Cigarette Vapor Versus Tobacco Smoke

Introduced to U.S. markets in 2007, electronic cigarettes (ECs) are a fairly new concept lacking set regulations for manufacturing and use. Although this new nicotine-delivery device offers solutions to some of the health problems associated with the conventional tobacco cigarette (TC), there remains great caution and hesitation concerning its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the common public. EC use is novel and unfamiliar, making it difficult at this point and time to assess the long-term health effects on users (active vapers) and nonusers who are exposed to EC vapor (passive vapers). More uncertainty arises from the highly variable quality control and the lack of uniform manufacturing standards.2,3 Finally, there is ongoing debate over the regulation of availability, purchase, and use in the United States, leaving the population conflicted about introducing a new drug delivery product that has the potential to attract young nonsmokers rather than to encourage current smokers to quit. This review covers current research that focuses on the components and potential health risks associated with EC vapor and presents a thorough comparison of the components and known health problems of TC smoking. Acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) and active or passive vaping on complete blood count, lung function, and myocardial function is investigated and reported to present potential disease burden.