E-cigarette: A Cessation Solution or a New Gateway to Smoking Combustible Cigarettes

Abstract

Background: Over the past decades, electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) has entered into the tobacco industry as a safe alternative to combustible cigarettes. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of e-cigarette on smoking cessation. Materials and Methods: Related studies were extracted by specific keywords from PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. The inclusion criterion was the relevance of the studies to the aim of the study from 2010 to 2022. Finally, the contents were summarized by content analysis. Results: Due to the non-combustible property of tobacco, many people consider it less harmful. Other features such as different flavors, availability, and modern appearance make it user-friendly. Nevertheless, numerous studies declared the harmful effects of e-cigarettes on the lungs, platelets, and vascular tissue because of the formation of new suspected toxic compounds. Moreover, it has been reported that the use of e-cigarettes not only does not contribute to smoking cessation but also increases people’s desire to conventional smoking, especially in e-liquids containing nicotine. Conclusion: The potential of e-cigarette as a safe tool for smoking cessation remains debatable. In addition, due to the greater attraction of young adults, countries should enact laws regarding the distribution, access, and prohibitions.