10 million Chinese are being used as experimental subjects for e-cigarettes!

A while ago, many netizens asked us to pick e-cigarettes, so let’s arrange it. Today, let’s talk about whether e-cigarettes are “leprechauns” or “Voldemort”.

The e-cigarettes mentioned in this issue refer to the most common electronic atomization nicotine delivery devices currently on the domestic market, and do not include e-cigarettes containing cannabinoids such as CBD and THC in some foreign regions. (Those are all drugs)

The concept of e-cigarettes originated in the United States in the 1960s, and was initially called "smokeless non-cigarettes"; in China, it was first commercialized in 2003. The original intention of product development is similar - to serve as a tobacco harm reduction product.

The reason why it has such a large market amid controversy is due to these excuses, oh no, names: "replace smoking", "control smoking", "help quit smoking".

But there is one thing we must say: E-cigarettes can help you quit smoking?! Quit smoking! Traditional cigarettes use open flames to burn tobacco, releasing nicotine and carcinogenic tar;

Electronic cigarettes, on the other hand, use electricity to heat the e-liquid, which is then vaporized and released into aerosol that contains nicotine, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and other potentially carcinogenic compounds, as well as some harmful phenolic compounds.

The difference between cigarettes and e-cigarettes is that one contains tar and the other does not. But the nicotine they both contain is the cause of "smoking addiction".

The e-cigarette oil also needs to be extracted from tobacco or other nicotine-containing plant organs; even if the nicotine is artificially purified, it is still the acetylcholine receptor agonist that stimulates the nervous system to secrete dopamine and thus leads to addiction.

To put it bluntly, there is no essential difference between smoking e-cigarettes and smoking traditional cigarettes in terms of obtaining nicotine. The first contact will make you feel nauseous and dizzy, and as your breathing speeds up and your blood pressure rises... As you gradually get high, excessive inhalation of nicotine may cause blood clots, irritate the kidneys, and damage the cognitive and emotional regulation systems.

I guess there must be people in the barrage who say that without tar, isn’t it healthier?

Don’t worry, the tar is gone, but inhaling nicotine from e-cigarettes is more exciting.

At a certain frequency of smoking, the nicotine content and addiction rate of e-cigarettes may be higher than those of traditional cigarettes.

For example, the instruction manual of the cigarette cartridge in front of you says that it takes about 350 to 640 puffs to smoke it all. However, studies have found that for every 300 puffs of an e-cigarette, an average of 2 to 15 mg of nicotine is released in the aerosol produced.

If you do the math, after smoking about half a cigarette cartridge, the amount of nicotine released is already as high as that of a box of traditional cigarettes.

Can e-cigarettes help old smokers quit smoking at a physiological level? Scientists in various fields have not yet figured it out.

But "in the name of quitting smoking", he picked up another cigarette, what...? If you want to quit smoking but don't have the self-awareness and willpower, we recommend a regular hospital's smoking cessation clinic.

The World Health Organization has also made it clear that switching from traditional tobacco products to e-cigarettes does not mean quitting smoking.

If you want to quit smoking but lack self-awareness and willpower, we recommend going to a regular hospital's smoking cessation clinic.

Cases observed in the Journal of Clinical Toxicology have shown the irritation of e-cigarette exposure - a puff of secondhand smoke is blown into the face of your boyfriend or girlfriend. If they don't wash their face, certain heavy metal elements and toxic phenolic compounds can adhere to their face for 24 hours.

Even if you just want to smoke a flavored cartridge for novelty, some e-cigarette oils on the market have been found to contain active carbonyl substances, including formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, which can induce cancer. The higher the power of the cigarette rod, the faster the formaldehyde is released.

In China, among young people aged 19 to 29, one in four have ever used e-cigarettes.

From 2018 to 2019, the average e-cigarette use rate among junior high school students in my country increased from 1.2% to 2.7%. In other words, according to the above usage rate, which may continue to expand, there are at least 1.32 million junior high school students who smoke e-cigarettes.

Overall, according to the 2020 estimates of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the total number of people aged 15 and above who use e-cigarettes in my country is around 10 million.

The survey of 150,000 Chinese students conducted by the Nicotine and Tobacco Research published by Oxford University also showed that many factors would encourage young people to try e-cigarettes, such as cigarette advertising, relatives and friends smoking... The most important thing is that they believe that smoking can help them navigate social situations and make themselves look more attractive.

The young age of e-smokers is not the only issue. The most worrying thing is the impact of the "gateway effect". Simply put, non-smokers tend to transition to traditional tobacco after using e-cigarettes.

In a large number of studies, teenagers who were introduced to e-cigarettes also showed a tendency to use other tobacco products.

Smokers with relevant experience are more willing to recommend or give e-cigarettes to others, promoting this behavior.

Therefore, e-cigarettes may be becoming a "nicotine starter"

It is the entrance. This entrance is wonderful. It is like a charming little elf and is easy to get. Your classmates may be drawing it.

Just looking at the brightly colored cartridge boxes placed together, the e-cigarette street shop is more attractive than the lipstick counter.

Looking at the many flavors of e-liquids, such as lemon black tea, peach oolong... Is this the order list of a tea shop? Pink sea salt, ruthless raspberry... The emotions are also quite good.

Combined with the avant-garde painted cigarette holder, all of this makes e-cigarettes and smoking seem cool.

You only need to spend the money for a takeout meal, and you don’t even have to leave the house. Just add the agent’s WeChat and you can “get on board” immediately.

The study, which analyzed 124 publications on e-cigarette marketing and communication, found that much of the money spent by e-cigarette companies on marketing is spent on online social media.

Open Bilibili, wow, the bulging electronic smoke is almost as good as the dazzling light panel of the computer case, becoming the identity symbol of the next Cyberman.

Offline promotion is also taking this cool route. The Wuhan Electronic Music Festival and the Strawberry Music Festival are sponsored by leading e-cigarette brands, and experience booths will be set up for audiences to try. The DJ plays on the stage, the audience takes a puff of cigarette, and then watches a circle of "cigarette model" girls...

Want to participate? Want to find an official website to search for activities? A pop-up window asks you "Are you over 18?"

That's it? Can he still check my ID?

The trick of the "little fairy" is to whisper in your ear: Come on, come on, it's time to smoke

Whether the "leprechaun" is "Voldemort" may not be determined at the moment. It is also possible that e-cigarette users around the world are participating in this experiment that will take many years to reach a conclusion - but we hope that the rats in this group of experiments are at least not teenagers.

I am Zhang Maichong, the editor of this issue. That’s all for today’s history. If you want to hear more from me, please leave me a message in the comment section.

Editor: Zhang Maichong Director: Gobolun Animation: Mist Ice Blueberry

Layout: Xiaoman

Source: History of All Things

References:

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【2】Xinsong Wang, Xiulan Zhang, Xiaoxin Xu - Perceptions and use of electronic cigarettes among young adults in China - Tobacco Induced Diseases

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【11】CCTV News - 2019 Chinese Middle School Student Tobacco Survey: The proportion of junior high school students smoking e-cigarettes has increased significantly

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【16】GONIEWICZ. M. L, HAJEK. P - Nicotine content of electronic cigarettes, its release in vapour and its consistency across batches: regulatory implications - Addiction