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Electronic Cigarettes : Tobacco Harm Reduction

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Electronic cigarettes have been marketed in recent years as alternatives to smoking. They are electrically-driven devices, used to vaporise a liquid that may or may not contain nicotine. They consist of a battery part-usually lithium battery, and an atomizer where liquid is stored and is aerosolized by heating a resistance encircling a wick. The main ingredients of liquids are propylene glycol, glycerol and a variety of flavourings. A huge variety of devices and different liquids are available, with the main purpose to satisfy users’ need and preference.
The powerful addictive properties of nicotine and of the ritualistic behaviour of smoking make smoking cessation a difficult task. Currently-approved products for smoking cessation have low long-term quit rates, with nicotine replacement therapy having less than 7% sustained abstinence rate, while oral medications have less than 20% quit rate at one year. Therefore, tobacco harm reduction strategies and products have been developed, with the goal to reduce smoking-related morbidity and mortality burden by providing nicotine in a less harmful form. Electronic cigarettes are tobacco harm reduction products that may deal with both chemical through nicotine delivery and behavioural through motor simulation and sensory stimulation addiction to smoking. Awareness and use of Electronic cigarettes are growing exponentially, but there is controversy over their potential as smoking substitutes. Surveys have shown that they may be

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