Concerns about electronic cigarettes hooking a new generation on nicotine were recently brought up in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).
“From a health and wellness perspective any kind of decision to pursue that kind of thing (electronic cigarettes) is not a healthy choice,” said Joanne Crook, family school wellness supervisor with Chinook's Edge School Division.
“We've brought different programs like Butt Ugly to different schools in Mountain View County, which is a pure facilitated message around not using tobacco and tobacco products.”
An electronic cigarette is a cigarette-shaped inhaler meant to simulate tobacco smoking. A heating element inside the inhaler vaporizes a liquid solution, which is often flavoured.
Unlike nicotine patches or gum, the electronic cigarettes display a “cool” image that could appeal to youth and encourage them to pick up smoking.
In an editorial written by Dr. Matthew Stanbrook in the CMAJ on Oct. 7, the Toronto-based respirologist and editor at the magazine says it may be tempting for society to assume that electronic cigarettes help people quit smoking.
“By allowing the user to inhale vapour in a manner resembling smoking a cigarette, e-cigarettes provide a uniquely appealing means of obtaining nicotine without exposure to the other harmful constituents of tobacco smoke,” said Stanbrook.
“A new generation of youth who would not otherwise take up smoking could be enticed by e-cigarettes into nicotine addiction and subsequent tobacco use.”
Although it is illegal in Canada to sell electronic cigarettes with nicotine, Canadians are still able to get their hands on them. They can order them over the Internet and they are sold in the United States.
“Consequently, even though Canadian regulations prohibit the sale, import or advertising of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, they are surreptitiously crossing our border,” said Stanbrook.
He says some people use electronic cigarettes to get a hit of nicotine in places where smoking is not allowed, meanwhile continuing to smoke regular cigarettes.
“We must not be so easily lured by the illusion of a safe substitute for cigarettes that we yield precious ground in the war against tobacco,” he said.
“Our decision-making must be guided by adequate scientific knowledge about the quality, efficacy, safety and unintended consequences of these products, just as it is for all other drugs and devices.”
