The deaths attributed to electronic cigarettes that took place this summer in the United States had a strong effect on French opinion. According to a new survey, 56% of French people now consider vaping as dangerous as conventional smoking.
This summer, several lung diseases and deaths attributed to electronic cigarettes have occurred in the United States. According to the first elements of the investigation, at least ¾ of the patients had consumed products sold illegally, containing THC, the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis. And if in France, the Ministry of Health indicated that there was no particular health alert concerning e-cigarettes, it would seem that the media coverage of these cases has greatly worried the population. While the e-cigarette had rather better press than tobacco, 56% of French people now consider it as risky as the traditional one, according to a new Odoxa poll carried out between the end of September and the end of October and released this Friday, November 8.
Since last May, when the last survey on the electronic cigarette was carried out, the feeling of information of the French on the latter has decreased by 9 points. In detail, the respondents who say they are the best informed are vapor smokers (58%), smokers (48%), executives and higher intellectual professions (44%), and people living in the Paris area (42%).
And if 57% of French people still believe that the electronic cigarette is an effective way to reduce tobacco consumption, it is 16 points less than in May. Similarly, 40% of respondents believe that vaping is effective in quitting traditional cigarettes, compared to 52% last May.
Better regulate the electronic cigarette
According to this survey, the French who have heard of the American cases (73% of respondents) almost all agree (nine out of ten) on one point: the electronic cigarette must be more regulated, whether at the level of regulation, quality, marketing and even use.
In addition, for 61% of those questioned, the public authorities should not encourage smokers to switch to electronic cigarettes. Interesting when you know that before the media coverage of the American cases, they were 59% to consider that the public authorities should encourage vaping. At last, 6 out of 10 believe that consumers should no longer favor electronic cigarettes over tobacco.
It is therefore no surprise that the proportion of smokers wishing to switch to electronic cigarettes in the coming months has greatly decreased since last May, dropping from 58 to 39%.
Proven adverse health effects
If we still do not know if the electronic cigarette is as bad for your health as tobacco (in particular because we have much less perspective on it), it is clear that it is not without risk either. In October, a large meta-analysis published in the British Medical highlighted the deleterious effects of vaping on the respiratory system. By analyzing the studies published on the subject, the researchers observed a correlation between vaping and an increase in respiratory symptoms, particularly in adolescents, “such as an increase in bronchitis-type symptoms, an increase in asthma, shortness of breath.”
“We also evaluated the effects of vaping on cells in vitro. Most studies have shown that exposure to lung cells via e-liquid has effects such as general cytotoxicity and impaired specialized functions, such as secretion and phagocytosis, which are important for the proper functioning of the lungs”. said the researchers. As for e-liquids, such as nicotine, propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin and flavorings, scientists have found harmful effects in animal studies and in the laboratory when they have certain concentrations.
And to conclude: “We recommend that vaping products be more strictly regulated, like pharmaceutical products which are the subject of a well-defined series of preclinical and human studies before being put on the market. Marlet”.
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