According to a new study, e-cigarettes can save millions of lives
While the e-cigarette remains in the FDA’s crosshairs, a recent study has revealed that 6 million tobacco-related deaths in the USA could be avoided during the 21st century. The solution? Wide-spread use of e-cigarettes.
Although no scientific study has formerly confirmed the safety of e-cigarettes, experts agree that they are much less harmful than tobacco.
Published in the Tobacco Control medical journal, the study takes into account two hypotheses. The first suggests e-cigarette risks are equivalent to 5% of tobacco risks. Furthermore, the study suggests most traditional cigarette smokers will quit by 2026. The more pessimistic outlook suggests e-cigarette hazards equate to 40% of the risk of traditional cigarettes. In the first hypothesis, 6.6 million people would be saved in the United States. In the second hypothesis, this figure drops to 1.6 million.
The e-cigarette as a nicotine substitute
Due to pressure from the tobacco lobby, or perhaps because of the extreme caution taken by health agencies, as of today no medical consensus exists regarding the safety of e-cigarettes. Nonetheless, the e-cigarette is generally seen in a positive light. It is more modern than traditional cigarettes, and it contains infinitely fewer harmful ingredients than tobacco.
In Europe, the number of e-cigarette users is currently estimated at 7 million. This number may very well rise in the next few years. According to the WHO, a similar amount of people die every year from tobacco use.
England’s official e-cigarette advertising campaign
In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, the e-cigarette is increasingly seen as a viable nicotine substitute. It has become essential in the fight against tobacco, helping former smokers break their addiction and thus saving lives.
