research

Is Nicotine Really That Bad?

November 6, 2015

Nicotine is addictive. Most people – whether they are smokers or not – will know and agree with that. Nicotine produces a ‘rush’ in the body that is very appealing. It’s incredibly easy – alarmingly easy, in fact – to get addicted. That’s why smokers find it so hard to stop. In fact it is thought that willpower alone isn’t usually enough to quit the habit, because the power of nicotine to keep you hooked is so strong.

The feeling nicotine gives you when you smoke is one of pleasure. It’s fast too – and it wears off just as quickly. That’s why it’s so easy to want to smoke more all the time.

So is there anything good to be said about nicotine?

Actually, there might be. Research has been conducted into the effects nicotine has on the body and on the brain, and some interesting results have come to light. For example, one study conducted way back in the Sixties threw up an interesting factor with regard to smokers. While they were more likely to suffer from lung cancer and emphysema when compared to those who didn’t smoke, they were less likely to get Parkinson’s disease. Three times as many non-smokers contracted Parkinson’s when compared to the smokers in the same study. It was subsequently confirmed with more research.

Since the Sixties, other studies have seemed to confirm the idea that nicotine can have a potentially-positive effect on the brain. Indeed, while we’ve already mentioned Parkinson’s, it seems that nicotine might have the potential to help treat the symptoms of that same disease. Nicotine triggers enhanced dopamine levels in the brain, and dopamine is known to reduce movement. Hence it can reduce the tremors that are associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Nicotine separated from tobacco

It is important to realise that nicotine is usually taken in by people when smoking. This means they’ll be smoking tobacco as well as inhaling the nicotine. That’s one of the reasons why there is plenty of room for further studies looking into nicotine on its own, instead of as part of a cigarette.

There has been some research into this area already. While limited, it could be that nicotine might have the potential to prevent dementia. The same applies with regard to cognitive decline. However this is by no means certain. It is definitely worthy of further research though, so we can see whether nicotine on its own could have a lot to recommend it with regard to isolated and controlled use.

Addiction

There are plenty of drugs that are highly addictive in themselves. Think of morphine for example – and yet it is used to relieve pain in patients after surgery and in other worthwhile situations. Could it be that if nicotine is isolated from the other ingredients in a cigarette and given in controlled doses, it too could have a positive effect on those with certain illnesses that affect the brain?

It is too early to say. Yet it is definitely worth looking into this area. Again, the limited amount of evidence and research available seems to suggest people who have a mild degree of cognitive impairment could be helped with nicotine. It is not an invitation to go out and start smoking, since this brings with it problems of its own. But if nicotine could be isolated and given as a drug under controlled conditions, perhaps it could be of significant use in the future.

It is too early to say for sure, of course. Yet there is certainly enough evidence here to support further study into the effects of nicotine on cognitive function in the future.

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Should E-Cigarettes be available on the NHS?

August 19, 2015

If you’re an e-cigarette user, you’ve probably been wise to the idea that e-cigarettes are much better for you than smoking tobacco, it’s even quite likely you were an ex tobacco smoker and made the switch to e-cigarettes for this very reason. Having made that switch, you no doubt feel healthier and happier with yourself knowing that you may have avoided serious health problems in the future related to smoking tobacco.

Well, it appears now Government health officials also agree with you and would like to see more tobacco users using e-cigarettes instead. This comes after a review they published stating that vaping is 95% less harmful than tobacco. In light of this review officials want GPs to be able to prescribe e-cigarettes on the NHS to reduce the number of people dying of tobacco related diseases every year in the UK by reducing the number of smokers.

E-Cigarettes have become popular in recent years, it’s even spawned a culture of fanatic vapers and vape culture across UK, Europe and the US. However for most vapers, it is the similarity between e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes that has aided their efforts to quit smoking and take up what is considered to be a healthier alternative. The familiar glow of an e-cigarette and the ability to draw on vapour laced with nicotine which resembles smoke has proved to be a very popular tool in helping people quit smoking. E-Cigarettes are now also being trumpeted as a potential game changer in public health here in the UK.

As it stands, GPs and smoking cessation services are not currently able to prescribe or recommend any e-cigarettes brands as none of the e-cigarettes available on the market are licensed. Public health officials are hoping this will change soon.
A recent concern which has been voiced in the media and anti-vaping community is that vaping normalises smoking which would encourage younger children who do not smoke at all, to be lured into the habit of smoking through the route of vaping. Despite the concerns, officials say that there is no evidence so far that e-cigarettes act as a route into smoking for non smokers and children. Infact, research shows almost all of the vaping population are either current or ex-smokers with only a minority of virgin smokers now vaping.

In general UK is witnessing a decline in the number of people smoking tobacco and professionals believe that e-cigarettes are one of the main contributing factors towards this declining trend. However, the rise in popularity of e-cigarettes has been met with equal distrust, misinformation and myths all contributing to negative press. But as the paranoia and rushed opinions on vaping come to settle, new reports are shedding a much clearer light on the actual health implications of vaping vs tobacco. Evidence from a new British report says vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco. One of the largest concerns with vaping is that the vapour produced by e-cigarettes by heating flavoured liquids contains ingredients, by-products and contaminants which could potentially be harmful to health. Studies however have rebutted the claim by showing these are found at very low levels in the actual air people breathe.

Smoking is currently the biggest killer in England and health officials and professionals widely agree that while quitting smoking altogether would be the best thing any smoker could do, many also agree that vaping and e-cigarettes provide a much healthier alternative to smoking tobacco.

Knowing that smoking is the number one killer and vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco many now also feel that spending tax payers money on funding the availability of e-cigarettes on the NHS is a justifiable cause as it would save thousands of lives.

What do you think? Should E-cigarettes be prescribed on the NHS?

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E-Cigarette Vapour as harmless as air

July 20, 2015

When taking up vaping, many people, including myself, ask if e-cigarettes are harmful – a sensible question to ask. After spending some time reading through articles, reports, opinions and advice from medical circles it became apparent that the most toxic element I would need to be concerned about in e-cigarettes was Nicotine and this was only toxic in large volumes, massively larger than the amount inhaled through e-cigarette vapour. Coming to the world of vaping as a smoker, it was clear that there were fewer health risks associated with vaping and that vaping instead of smoking would be extremely positive change in my lifestyle.

Despite the occasional ‘scare tactic’ article in the media about vaping, the prevailing wisdom in heath circles and in the general public is that vaping is by far a healthier alternative to smoking. To further add to the body of evidence which supports this claim, a recent study shows that e-cigarette vapour is almost as harmless as air, which even to the already convinced vapour, will come as a pleasant surprise.

The tobacco giant – British American Tobacco recently funded research which seems to suggest that e-cigarette vapour could be as safe as air. The study uses human lung cells and robotic smokers to investigate the health risks and effects of smoking cigarettes and e-cigarette vapour.

The research was a joined venture between British American Tobacco and MatTek Corporation, which produces models of human cells used in laboratory experiments. The experiment involved using a smoking robot designed to emulate the smoking / inhaling process of humans. The smoking robot was used to expose the model lung cells to cigarette smoke, e-cig vapour from two different brands and plain air.

When the cells were exposed to traditional cigarette smoke for six hours, the cells died – not a surprise. However, much more surprisingly, when the cells were exposed to an aggressive and continuous dose of e-cigarette vapour, the damage to the airway tissue was “similar to that of air”.

British American Tobacco plans to conduct further research and test a wider range and brand of e-cigarettes and e-liquids to further prove their findings.
The new findings have been welcomed by health professionals and those campaigning for healthier lifestyles. Health officials are being encouraged by such professionals to promote vaping to smokers in a bid to achieve a public health victory.

So, no doubt the debate on whether or not e-cigarette vapour is safe will continue, and despite the arguments, the science and research based argument continues to add to the ever growing body of evidence that e-cigarettes are not as harmful as some misleading opinions and thoughts on the subject suggest.

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Infographic – Vaping overtaking Nicotine Patches and Gums?

July 1, 2015

This infographic illustrates how the latest research shows a trend in which the use of vaping devices such as e-cigarettes are overtaking nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine patches and nicotine gums. The UK has witnessed a decline in the number of people using nicotine replacements as more British smokers choose vaping devices such as e-cigarettes as their choice for kicking the habit Although the infographic presents the stats primarily for the UK, the trend is also being echoed globally, specifically across the US and Europe.

Infographic - Vaping taking over Nicotine Replacement Therapies

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