MANILA – Smokers who want to quit the habit should never consider electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) as an option or a choice.
E-cigs are battery-operated devices that people use to inhale an aerosol, which typically contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals, while resembling traditional tobacco cigarettes.
“It is a definite ‘no’ for e-cigs. We do not agree that vaping is a smoking cessation device,” Dr. Glynna Ong Cabrera, program director of the Lung Center of the Philippines’ (LCP) smoking cessation program told a forum in Quezon City on Tuesday.
The forum, organized by the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), was held in line with the celebration of World No Tobacco Day.
Cabrera described as deceptive the marketing strategy of e-cig manufacturers that say it is the best way to quit smoking cigarettes.
E-cigs, she said, may also cause other smoking-related illnesses, such as Lipoid Pneumonia and Popcorn Lung, not to mention the threat of e-cig explosions.
“There have been several instances of exploding e-cigs, particularly their batteries,” said the pulmonologist.
Every year, during the 31st of May, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners mark World No Tobacco Day to highlight the health and other risks associated with tobacco use, and to advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.