Scholars of UTSA to Study the Effects of E-Cigarette

There has been a constant debate over the 'safety' or 'health' issues of electronic cigarettes or ecigs, a better alternative to the traditional cigarettes. Many scholars, scientists, cigarette manufacturers, tobacco producers, doctors and smokers are discussing the pros and cons of the ecigs and studies are being carried out in order to reach a conclusion.

With the increase in the number of smokers turning to ecigs, scholars William Cooke and Donovan Fogt have received funding from UTSA for research. The UTSA kinesiologists (kinesiology is the scientific study of human movement) will team up with Caroline Rickards at the University of North Texas Health Science Centre to gather baseline data about the effects of ecigs on the body's basic physiological health. Over the next year, the researchers will study the effects that inhaling vaporised nicotine has on a person's heart rate, blood pressure, resting metabolic rate, physical work capacity and brain blood flow.

For over six years, ecigs have been marketed as an alternative to tobacco cigarettes. E-cigarettes are now being perceived as the best alternative to traditional cigarettes. ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) said that ecigs are likely to be a safer alternative to smoking due to the use of nicotine in electronic cigarettes minus the harmful chemicals.

Whatever may be the outcome of this study, ecig still continues to be the smart smoker’s choice.