Home page

ARCHIVIO
Anno
Volume
Fascicolo

Volume 166 - Anno 2015 - Numero 1

Electronic cigarette: a threat or an opportunity for public health? State of the art and future perspectives

OPEN ACCESS


doi: 10.7417/CT.2015.1799

di C. Protano, L.M. Di Milia, G.B. Orsi, M. Vitali

scarica l'OPEN ACCESS

Abstract

The e-cigarette, also known as e-cig, represents an emerging issue of great concern for public health. The aim of the present report was to explore the scientific literature about the use of electronic cigarette (e-cig), with a particular reference to the features of “toxicological safety”, “effectiveness in overcoming the addiction to smoking the traditional cigarette” and “necessary research agenda”. The efficacy of e-cig for smoking cessation is uncertain: some authors found that it can be a valid support, but long-term cessation rate has not be assessed. Other studies evidenced that e-cig is often used not for quitting smoking but to avoid smoking ban for traditional cigarettes and, even, some researches evidenced that it appears to contribute to nicotine addiction. E-cig smoking seems to be less dangerous of conventional cigarettes, but its use is not risk-free. Besides, cases of accidental or intentional poisoning with liquid solutions of e-cig have been reported. Also, the smoke of e-cig decreases indoor air quality, releasing particulate matter and other toxics that can persist on surfaces for days and generating passive exposure. These phenomena are similar to environmental tobacco smoke produced by conventional smoking, that is the sum of second- and third-hand smoke. We propose to call them “environmental electronic smoke”, “electronic-second- hand smoke” and “electronic-third-hand smoke”, respectively. Uncertainties relating to e-cig features determined the sequence, in the short term, of warnings and regulations approved and then replaced. In conclusion, although in recent years many researches were performed, evidences is limited and there is a need to study in deep all these issues


Visualizza il file PDF

ATTENZIONE: per accedere al servizio di consultazione online dei file pdf occorre essere abbonati alla rivista ed aver abilitato il proprio pin.
Se non siete ancora abbonati potete abbonarvi e ricevere il pin attraverso il nostro online store.
Per l'attivazione del pin ricevuto, contattare ordini@seu-roma.it
.

18

H Index

SCImago Journal & Country Rank


Società Editrice Universo s.r.l.
Via G.B.Morgagni, 1 - 00161 Roma - tel (06) 4402054 / (06) 44231171, (06) 64503500 fax (06) 4402033