Electronic Cigarettes: Aggregate Harm
Authors: Thaddeus Bartter
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2015)

In the Balance7 July 2015Electronic Cigarettes: Aggregate HarmThaddeus Bartter, MDThaddeus Bartter, MDFrom University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M15-0450 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are a new and divisive force in the struggle against tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Tobacco products are the greatest cause of preventable death and disability in the world. The key issue in the debate about e-cigarettes is consideration of their aggregate effect: their role in the tobacco world and their potential to engender far more addiction and disease than “harm reduction.” Comprehensive understanding of these issues requires data coupled with common sense.E-cigarettes involve liquid nicotine (plus additives) and a delivery device that vaporizes the liquid into an inhalable mist. The nicotine in e-cigarettes may or may ...References1. Kandel DB, Chen K. Extent of smoking and nicotine dependence in the United States: 1991–1993. Nicotine Tob Res. 2000;2:263-74. [PMID: 11082827] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General—Executive Summary. 2012. Accessed at www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/preventing-youth-tobacco-use/#Executive Summary on 20 April 2015. Google Scholar3. 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[PMID: 25894027] doi:10.7326/M14-2481 LinkGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M15-0450.Editors' Disclosures: Christine Laine, MD, MPH, Editor in Chief, reports that she has no financial relationships or interests to disclose. Darren B. Taichman, MD, PhD, Executive Deputy Editor, reports that he has no financial relationships or interests to disclose. Cynthia D. Mulrow, MD, MSc, Senior Deputy Editor, reports that she has no relationships or interests to disclose. Deborah Cotton, MD, MPH, Deputy Editor, reports that she has no financial relationships or interest to disclose. Jaya K. Rao, MD, MHS, Deputy Editor, reports that she has stock holdings/options in Eli Lilly and Pfizer. Sankey V. Williams, MD, Deputy Editor, reports that he has no financial relationships or interests to disclose. Catharine B. Stack, PhD, MS, Deputy Editor for Statistics, reports that she has stock holdings in Pfizer.Corresponding Author: Thaddeus Bartter, MD, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham, Mail Slot 555, Little Rock, AR 72205; e-mail, [email protected]edu.Author Contributions: Conception and design: T. Bartter.Analysis and interpretation of the data: T. Bartter.Drafting of the article: T. Bartter.This article was published online first at www.annals.org on 12 May 2015. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoCelebrating the ACP Centennial: From the Annals Archive—Smoking Cessation Deborah Cotton Electronic Cigarettes: Perhaps the Devil Unknown Is Better Than the Devil Known M. Bradley Drummond Electronic Cigarettes: Perhaps the Devil Unknown Is Better Than the Devil Known M. 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A cross-sectional and longitudinal surveyQuantifying population-level health benefits and harms of e-cigarette use in the United StatesPharmacological therapies in smoking cessation: an evidence-based updateCelebrating the ACP Centennial: From the Annals Archive—Smoking CessationDeborah Cotton, MD, MPH, Deputy Editor 7 July 2015Volume 163, Issue 1Page: 59-60KeywordsAdolescentsElectronic cigarettesEye diseasesMortalityNicotineNicotine addictionSmoking preventionTaxesTobacco controlToxins ePublished: 7 July 2015 Issue Published: 7 July 2015 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2015 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...