Above: two styles of e-cigarettes and a small selection of e-liquid
Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes have increased in popularity over the last few years as an alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes, and have been spotted in use on the streets of Coronado.
Since the inception of Coronado’s smoking ordinance, on the 1st January, 2014, the streets of Coronado, for the most part, have been smoke free. According to Coronado Police Department, to date, 11 citations have been issued for non-compliance to the smoking ordinance since the legislation was enacted at the start of the year.
Not one of the aforementioned citations involved e-cigarette use, and this is because e-cigarettes are not included in the city’s smoking ordinance, making it legal to drag on an e-cigarette in Coronado’s public areas.
E-cigarettes are electronics devices- shaped similarly to a traditional cigarette- that enable people to inhale nicotine via aerosol or “vapor”, hence the popular term for e-cigarette use, “vaping”. A heating element in the device vaporizes a liquid solution, known as e-juice or e-liquid, which users inhale. The solutions are known to contain a mixture of propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine and flavorings, among other ingredients. E-liquid is available in a plethora of flavors, and is also available without nicotine.
First marketed and sold in China in 2004, e-cigarettes are now available worldwide, largely as a result of booming internet sales and advertising claims that they are a healthy alternative to smoking, and can even assist with smoking cessation.
Due to the relatively short history of e-cigarettes, there is a lack of scientific data available to help form a definitive answer regarding their safety.
The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report in July 2014, which found most Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), also known as “e-cigarettes”, have not been tested by independent scientists, and the limited data that is currently available “reveals wide variations in the toxicity and contents of emissions.” The report also found that bystanders are exposed to aerosol (“vapor”) exhaled by users, which is not merely “water vapor” as many e-cigarette supporters purport. WHO noted that the toxicants emitted by e-cigarettes is lower than traditional cigarettes, while supporters of e-cigarettes claim toxicants emitted by e-cigarettes is significantly lower. However WHO pointed out it is not yet known if increased exposure to exhaled aerosol will lead to increased risk of disease and death, regardless of the difference in toxicant levels between traditional tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The report also found that the efficacy of e-cigarettes to aid smoking cessation has not yet been proven. Overall, the WHO report called for regulation of the product.
In August, 2014, The American Lung Association released the following statement, “The American Lung Association is very concerned about the potential health consequences of electronic cigarettes, as well as the unproven claims that they can be used to help smokers quit. There is presently no government oversight of these products and absent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation, there is no way for the public health, medical community or consumers to know what chemicals are contained in e-cigarettes or what the short and long term health implications might be. In extensive comments filed with the FDA in early August, the American Lung Association called on the Obama Administration to finalize its regulation to regulate e-cigarettes by the end of 2014.”
Some US cities have already included e-cigarettes in their smoke free laws. National lobbying organization, Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights says, “As of October 1, 225 U.S. municipalities and three states include electronic smoking devices (ESDs) as products that are prohibited from use in smoke free environments.” To read the list of U.S. cities and states with e-cigarette regulations already in place, click here.
As e-cigarettes are unregulated devices in Coronado, they can technically be used indoors. The WHO report called for a ban on public indoor use until scientific data can attest to the harmless nature of the exhaled aerosol.
Concerns have also been raised about the attractiveness of e-cigarette use to children and adolescents as e-liquid is available in over 7,000 flavors, many candy and fruit flavored. The Who report claimed e-cigarettes may serve as a gateway to nicotine addiction, and called for a complete ban on candy, fruit and alcohol flavored e-cigarettes until it can be proven that they are not attractive to children and adolescents.
The American Lung Association recommends when smokers are ready to quit, they should call 1-800-QUIT NOW or talk with their doctor about using one of the seven FDA-approved medications to help smokers quit.
To read the WHO report on Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) from July 2014 in full, click here.
Do you have an opinion about e-cigarette use in public areas of Coronado? Let us know in the comments section.
Siobhan Bailie
Staff Writer
