Do you think e-cigarettes do more harm than good?

How do I find the thread, so I can reply?

You just found it, Spuddie!

I am currently using an e-cig to help give up smoking. Initially I wondered about the negatives of e-cigs but now I figure short term use must be less harmful than smoking 'regular' cigarettes. I wouldn't consider them as a full time substitute until proper trials have been conducted and validated, but if it gets me off the habit then it's worth the risk in my opinion.

Cannot imagine what we are supposed to write if it is all going to be speculation. Nobody really knows do they? Until they have been used long term.

I am diagnosed with COPD and have stopped smoking (real cigarettes) about a year ago. Since then I have used Nicotine Replacement Therapy (Lozenges). Recently I have ordered some electronic cigarettes to try as an alternative. I did like the taste and the ease of usage, however after 3 days my breathing, which was manageable up to then, got worse and I had to stop using these E-cigs.

How on Earth would I know? I'm not a doctor and neither will most respondents be, which simply make their comments uneducated opinions, unless they are personally affected.

However, I would say that the two people in the row in front of me at Preston Guild Hall enjoying Micky Flanagan could enjoy the show while smoking electronic cigarettes without upsetting me with tobacco smoke! My girlfriend smoked and I have to put up with it, I would be far happier if she used these. So there is my uneducated opinion; yes they have there use and are generally better.

I have mild COPD and had smoked for years, nothing helped me to stop, then I found a forum on the internet who discussed Vaping, I joined in desperation of finding something that would get me off the killer cigarettes.

Three months of reading everything available on this subject and getting 100% support from the forum, I realised that this was what would work for me, still getting the 'hand to mouth' habit, with a choice of vaping (steaming) flavoured liquid with or without nicotine, so my journey began.

I have been vaping for 18months now, enjoying it enormously, saving money, improvements in my health, I like myself now, this has now become my hobby, chatting with like minded friends. My family are delighted I have succeeded in giving up stinky smelling cigarettes.

If the powers that be ever stopped people from vaping we all know we would revert back to smoking cigarettes because that is a habit that is ingrained in us now being mature adults. I have not felt so fit and well for years. I am harming no-one, no passive smoke to pass on as it is only steam not harmful smoke.

I would try my hardest to persuade the younger generation to vape not smoke, there are no papers published by the WHO that says it is harmful and should be banned.

I am 73yrs old and looking forward to many years of vaping and a happy life.

I switched from smoking 25 super kings a day, to a decent vaping machine, and I don't regret it one bit, like the other posters have said, it's just speculation, but if the source of the e-liquid is reputable, and the propylene-glycol used in the eliquid is of pharmaceutical grade, then the risk to health should be greatly reduced, it has extremely low toxicity.

I went on to ask multiple doctors, and they all said they class me as a non smoker on my records, and that it shouldn't do me any harm.

I don't want to come accross as the out-there conspiracy theorist Weirdo, but the tobacco industry has a LOT lose as the ecigerettes become more popular, as does the government with taxation, although that being said, smoking also costs the gov a lot for the strain on the NHS.

In my opinion, I think they are perfectly safe, and in fact I'm going to go out there and say in some cases beneficial, if one were to lookup the term 'smokers paradox', they think it's plausible nicotine itself can have an anti-inflammatory role and can interfere with disease processes.

One near undisputed example, is the instance of ulcerative colitis being much lower in smokers.

I'm going for it, day one on my vapour device sourced from a good UK company and after weeks of reviewing medical and non medical forums. Of course, nobody knows the long term effects on vapour and this is expected to be regulated in 2016. That said, it cant be any worse than the 4000 or so chemicals I've been subjecting my body to in the form of 20 cigarettes each day for the last 30 years. I'm 44 now and if I can kick tobacco I may even be alive to enjoy my retired years. The way i fee right now I will work my backside off to retire at about 60 then probably croke it from cigarettes. Here's hoping they are regulated and not taxed to the high heavens and more to the point, I get through day 2 tomorrow and this becomes BAU for a while. I clearly plan to reduce the nicotine as I go on but first things first lets just get off them bloomin cigs. Mind, I could do with one as any smoker knows, your brain goes crazy at the thought of not having one to hand....

Reading your blog I think E cigarettes sound more safe than actual cigarettes.

I have always just assumed that they were safer than nice regular smokes. I would not say that they are safe in any means but have to be better than regular ones.

Nice regular smokes? There is nothing 'nice' about smoking carcinogenic cigarettes.!

The whole thing about E cigs is that they are SAFE with no carcinogenic additives.

It is the big tobacco companies that are worried because they are losing so much money by educated people who are switching to e cigs, and the Government as they are losing the tax generated by people smoking cigs.

Like cigs, e cigs cannot be sold to under 18's, but that will not guarantee that they are not going to get their hands on them, but they are safer for them to use than cigs, so we are not generating a nation of under 18's vaping e cigs.

If anything the Government ought to ban real cigarettes outright.

I think that if the quality of the e-liquids is good like for example , then it is by far a safer option then regular e-cigarets. Especially if you are trying to quit smoking regular cigs

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I think they do a lot of good. They make people happy in this miserable world.