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E-cigarettes are not only popular among smokers
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
According to scientists, the number of people who have tried electronic cigarettes has increased significantly over the past couple of years. A large-scale study was conducted by specialists from Imperial College (London), who found that in the UK every 6th person uses electronic cigarettes, which is 15% in percentage terms, whereas 2 years ago only 8% of the population used such cigarettes.
Smoking is a life-threatening and health-threatening habit, and an electronic cigarette is considered one of the most effective methods of combating it. But today, doctors are concerned that electronic cigarettes are not used by people who want to quit smoking, but quite the opposite - among young people, an electronic cigarette is used as a fashion item. Despite the fact that experts have recognized an electronic cigarette as safer than a regular one, the fact that it is used by people who have never smoked in their lives raises real concerns. According to experts, young people can easily switch from an electronic cigarette to regular tobacco products, consciously harming their own health, in addition, it is quite difficult to get rid of nicotine addiction later.
E-cigarettes are becoming increasingly popular among Europeans, according to a new study, with scientists suggesting that at least 1 in 10 people living in Europe have tried an e-cigarette, with many continuing to smoke them to maintain their image.
At Imperial College, experts emphasize that electronic cigarettes and their impact on human health have not been sufficiently studied, and many diseases associated with the use of these “fashionable” devices may only appear in decades.
According to experts, there has been insufficient research into the effects of e-cigarettes on the body of not only the person who smokes, but also those around them, and the consequences can be very unpredictable. Short-term studies in this area have shown that there is a health risk from e-cigarettes, but no one can say for sure what the long-term effects will be. However, many are willing to take the risk, especially non-smokers. As a result, it turns out that the device, originally conceived as a means of getting rid of smoking, now contributes to the development of a bad habit.
But despite the warnings, the number of e-cigarette users continues to increase worldwide, with the number of "e-smokers" in the UK alone doubling. That's why scientists are calling for immediate work to study the effects of e-cigarettes on the human body.
In their report, British scientists suggested that the health consequences of smoking e-cigarettes would be more severe than those of regular tobacco products.
There is a lot of controversy surrounding electronic cigarettes, for example, the public health organization Public Health England has recognized electronic cigarettes as 20 times less harmful than regular cigarettes, but the WHO and experts from the School of Hygiene in London, the University of Liverpool do not agree with this and the question of the safety of electronic cigarettes remains open.
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