Smokeless Cigarettes vs. Traditional Cigarettes: A Comprehensive Comparison

Cigarette smoking has long been a prevalent habit among people worldwide. However, the negative health effects associated with traditional cigarettes have led many smokers to seek alternatives. Smokeless cigarettes, also known as electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, have emerged as a popular choice. In this comprehensive comparison, we will explore the differences between smokeless cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, including their composition, health effects, usage, and availability.

1. Composition:

Traditional cigarettes are made from dried tobacco leaves wrapped in paper, containing various harmful substances such as nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, and other chemicals. When lit, they produce smoke that is inhaled into the lungs.

On the other hand, smokeless cigarettes are battery-operated devices that vaporize a liquid solution known as e-liquid or vape juice. The e-liquid typically contains nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavorings, and other additives. When the device is activated, the e-liquid is heated and transformed into an aerosol, which is then inhaled by the user.

2. Health Effects:

a. Traditional Cigarettes: Traditional cigarettes are known to pose severe health risks. The inhalation of tobacco smoke exposes the body to numerous harmful chemicals, leading to various diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, respiratory issues, and other smoking-related illnesses. Secondhand smoke from traditional cigarettes also poses a risk to non-smokers.

b. Smokeless Cigarettes: The health effects of smokeless cigarettes are still being studied, and the long-term effects are not yet fully understood. While they do not produce tobacco smoke, they still contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. Some studies suggest that using smokeless cigarettes may be less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes, as they eliminate exposure to tobacco smoke and its associated toxins. However, the potential risks of inhaling e-cigarette aerosols and the effects of long-term exposure are still being investigated.

3. Usage:

a. Traditional Cigarettes: Traditional cigarettes require the user to light and smoke them, inhaling the resulting smoke into their lungs. They often produce a distinct odor and leave behind ash and cigarette butts.

b. Smokeless Cigarettes: Smokeless cigarettes are activated by inhaling or pressing a button on the device. They produce vapor instead of smoke, which is inhaled by the user. Smokeless cigarettes do not produce the same odor as traditional cigarettes but can still emit a noticeable scent depending on the flavor of the e-liquid being used. They do not generate ash or cigarette butts, making them generally more convenient and cleaner to use.

4. Availability and Regulations:

a. Traditional Cigarettes: Traditional cigarettes are widely available in most countries, often sold in convenience stores, gas stations, and tobacco shops. However, there are strict regulations and age restrictions on purchasing and using traditional cigarettes in many places.

b. Smokeless Cigarettes: Smokeless cigarettes have gained popularity in recent years and are also widely available. They can be purchased in specialty vape shops, online stores, and some convenience stores. Regulations regarding smokeless cigarettes vary by country and region, with some places imposing restrictions on their sale, usage, advertising, and flavor options.

Conclusion:

When comparing smokeless cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, it is evident that both have significant differences in their composition, health effects, usage, and availability. Traditional cigarettes pose well-documented health risks due to the inhalation of tobacco smoke and the numerous chemicals it contains. Smokeless cigarettes, while still being studied for their long-term effects, offer a potentially less harmful alternative by eliminating tobacco smoke. However, it is crucial to note that they still contain nicotine, which is an addictive substance.

Choosing between smokeless cigarettes and traditional cigarettes ultimately depends on individual preferences, health concerns, and local regulations. It is important to stay informed about the latest research and regulations surrounding these products to make an educated decision. Quitting smoking altogether remains the best choice for one's overall health, but for those who are unable to quit, smokeless cigarettes may provide a potentially less harmful alternative.

Smokeless cigarettes not as harmless as claimed, study says

The new “heat not burn” smokeless cigarette devices are not as harmless as their manufacturer claims, according to a new study.

iQOS – which stands for “I quit original smoking” – is made by Philip Morris International, best known as the manufacturer of Marlboro cigarettes. PMI, the biggest tobacco company in the world, says its future is “smoke-free”, and it is investing in heated tobacco products, such as iQOS, and e-cigarettes, both of which it says are safer options.

iQOS devices are available in UK shops, and they have taken off dramatically in Japan, where they are said to have secured over 10% of the tobacco market. They are battery-operated devices into which is inserted a “heat stick” containing a tobacco plug. The heat produces a vapour rather than harmful smoke.

Philip Morris has published results of its own trials into the effects of the device but, say the authors of the study, from the University of California, “these studies appeared in a journal that may have a deficient review process, emphasising the need for independent evaluation of the iQOS”.

The new research, published in the journal Tobacco Control, found that users speed up their “puff rate” in order to inhale more nicotine because the heat stick lasts for just six minutes, after which the device shuts off and needs to be recharged. That means they may potentially breathe in large amounts of vapour.

Although the heat stick did not produce a flame, they also found that the tobacco plug charred as a result of pyrolysis: thermal decomposition in the absence of oxygen. Charring was more extensive when thorough cleaning was not carried out after the use of each heat stick, suggesting that build-up of debris and fluid increases pyrolytic temperatures, say the researchers.

“iQOS is not strictly a ‘heat not burn’ tobacco product,” they write. “This study has shown that the iQOS system may not be as harm free as claimed, and also emphasises the urgent need for further safety testing as the popularity and user base of this product is growing rapidly.”

The device contains a plastic polymer film filter designed to cool the vapour. The study found that the heat was intense enough to melt the film even though it was not in direct contact with the heating element.

PMI said it welcomed independent testing of the product but disagreed with the findings. As the study had only just been published, the firm was still reviewing the results.

“Contrary to the authors’ conclusion the polymer-film of the filter does not melt in normal use nor does it release the named toxicant into the vapour,” it said in a statement. “The polymer filter in the HeatSticks is made from corn starch. The toxicant the authors measured is not used in any step of the manufacturing process, nor was it detected in emission tests conducted by PMI scientists, under realistic conditions, using methods similar to what the authors themselves used. Rather than melting, filter hardening and discolouration can result from the process of cooling the vapour, but this is not indicative of emission of toxicants.

“Studies using a variety of different puffing regimes showed no increase in the formation of toxicants, and clinical studies in which participants could use the product freely demonstrated reductions in exposure to toxicants approaching 95% of the reductions seen in smokers who quit for the duration of the study. Within the context of the totality of evidence on iQOS, we remain confident in our results to date, which demonstrate that iQOS is likely to be less harmful than cigarettes.”

• This article was amended on 14 March 2018. An earlier version said that iQOS devices weren’t available in UK shops, and that iQOS stood for “I quit ordinary smoking”. This has been corrected.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/13/iqos-smokeless-cigarettes-not-as-harmless-as-claimed-study-says