E-cigarettes - A healthier alternative?

At the moment, yes... I am still smoking. But very2 little already. Sometimes I go days without even a single puff... But at certain times, I fall prey to my own desires when hanging out with friends... I'd normally end up smoking 2-3 sticks in one seating... Anywayz... I am not buying anymore, so whenever there's no hangout session, then ok la. I am tobacco free Alhamdulillah :D

Recently, I found out about the electronic cigarettes. It's been around for quite some time already... but I think only recently has it made its way into Malaysia (I myself have never seen the product before). The E-cig resembles a real cigarette... except that it's battery operated. When powered up, it delivers vapor instead of smoke... therefore making it a 'healthier' choice. The vapor of course, is filled with a certain amount of nicotine... since the mouthpiece connects to a nicotine 'reservoir' thingy. According to the Electronic Cigarette Association – ECA (yes, they do have one... Google it...), compared to normal cigarettes, the e-cigarette only has 20 ingredients... all of which, if consumed according to the product's labeling/instructions, is totally safe for human consumption (normal burn-up ciggies btw, has around 4000 toxic chemicals...).

Anywayz... even though a very intriguing concept… and even though seemingly less harmful than normal cigarettes, I still wonder whether the exorbitant claims of e-cigarette health benefits are for real. I mean, for starters, they never say that e-cigarettes are healthy. They always say… ‘healthier’. Ok... what does that mean? Healthier means that something else equivalent to it is less healthy. 'Healthier' would mean being a bit better in terms of 'unhealthy-ness'... I think... :) I’d appreciate it if the ECA can clearly say that… IT’S HEALTHY! Hehehe. But then again, how can smoking (or VAPING in the e-cig’s case) be healthy? Tapi takpe… that’s a small matter… The bigger matters are what other parties are saying about the e-cigarettes.

The American Food and Drug Administration (or is it Association?) said in an online article that e-cigarettes contain some harmful ingredients… carcinogens ke pa ntah…  I forget. But basically, according to their tests there are some harmful ingredients! Another worry for them is the fact that e-cigarettes might be made available to children! Therefore introducing them to the habit of smoking at an early age… WHO pulak said they wanted to do some testing. But after Googling (a bit only), I didn’t find the outcome of their tests. If anyone can Google for me, would really2 appreciate it :)

There’s also talk that… some countries (e.g. USA and Canada maybe?) are a bit scared of this e-cigarette. I mean, there goes the TAX money! Since e-cigs don’t provide tax income (I read somewhere lah…), governments and tobacco companies are getting worried that their incomes might drop. Ya la, I mean, if the e-cigs are indeed harmless, then they’d be out of business once the price of e-cigs goes down (now still a bit expensive these e-cigs)… So… sometimes I think… “Could the FDA be in it together with the US govt. to stop e-cigs because of the $$$?”… buleh jadik jugak! Konspirasi tahap gaban terbesar Asia dan donia! Or am I just paranoid? hehehehe....

Anywayz… just wanted to talk about the topic of e-cigarettes. TQ for reading iya :D Assalaam aleykom!!!