The Truth About Nitrosamines in Electronic Cigarettes

Based on industry estimates, there are about a million users of electronic cigarettes in the United States. This number has jumped considerably higher in recent years because of the benefits of using this device, as attested by the smokers themselves. They have varying reasons for using e-cigarettes but the result is usually the same: that the number of cigarettes they consume every day was reduced significantly. A number of them have stopped smoking regular cigarettes altogether, in lieu of using this device.

Based on this upward trend, it is safe to assume that, in due time, this number of users will be more than a million, considering the many benefits of using e-cigarettes. However, because of the Food and Drug Administration’s warning that electronic cigarettes contain small traces of carcinogenic toxins, specifically nitrosamines, it is also safe to say that a number of misinformed users and potential users of this device will no longer use e-cigarettes. Worse than that, to be able to get their nicotine fix, they will resort to going back to smoking regular tobacco cigarettes.

What the public should know is that other nicotine replacement products that have already achieved approval from the FDA also contain traces of nitrosamines. What are these products? Examples of these are nicotine gums, inhalers, and the once-popular nicotine patches. Since e-cigarettes contain nicotine, it is just normal for it to contain nitrosamine because nicotine is derived from tobacco. What should also be noted is that the FDA found only small traces of this said to be carcinogenic substance.

For the most part, the FDA and these groups are well-meaning organizations that have the interest of the public in mind. However, the manufactures of electronic cigarettes will also say that they want smokers to quit smoking gradually by using their products. They should be able to iron out their differences for the sake of the general public’s health.