Exploring E-cigarettes: Ingredients, Health Effects, and Considerations for Use

Abstract

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes are becoming an increasingly popular nicotine delivery system, especially among adolescents and college aged students. They appeal to this population because they are new, are convenient to use, have appealing flavors, and are viewed as a cleaner, safer alternative to cigarettes. However, there are known ingredients in both the e-cigarette solution and vapors that have significant health effects and it is becoming an emerging public health issue that needs to be addressed. There is a gap in the knowledge about the potential harmful effects of e-cigarettes on both the part of the user and the healthcare providers who may need to counsel a user of e-cigarettes, since a lot of evidence is still emerging related to the health effects of e-cigarette use. To address this gap in knowledge, this paper summarizes some of the literature related to e-cigarette use, their health and safety effects that could be used to inform both users and healthcare providers, specifically nurses and nurse practitioners. There is still much to be learned about the long-term effects of e-cigarette use and what healthcare providers can do to minimize those effects.