Without a doubt, smoking continues to be the leading cause of disease, disability, and premature death worldwide. How ever, the advent of the new Electronic Administration Systems of Nicotine (SEAN), among which the electronic cigarette stands out, has had explosive growth and in some countries has depleted tobacco cigarettes, especially among young people who feel attracted by its striking flavors and the deployment of technology that is used in its design and operation.
The SEANs initially emerged in 2003 as a supposed help to quit smoking, at 16 years from this date no clinical studies are confirming their superiority over existing medications for this purpose: nicotine, bupropion and varenicline replacement therapies, or over psychological therapies such as emotional and cognitive-behavioral rational. On the other side, a large amount of evidence has been accumulated on the deleterious effect they have on the health of consumers, the risk they represent is unquestionable and this is confirmed by recent reports from the Centers for Disease Control of the United States (CDC) that indicate 2142 hospitalized cases with acute lung disease and 42 deaths from this cause, 79% being people under 35 years. This outbreak of lung disease has determined that the ban on SEAN in the United States will be planted. Also, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the sale of hybrid cigarettes or “Heets” (Heat-not-burn tobacco products), which uses heated tobacco, and are now available in our country.
There is no doubt that as health professionals, we must inform with scientific evidence about the risks that SEANs pose to their consumers, we must also learn from the history of smoking to prevent the morbidity and mortality associated with these new tobacco products.
Keywords: Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS); electronic cigarettes; JUUL®; heets; toxicity; health effects; damage.
Trends in Unit Sales of Flavored and Menthol Electronic Cigarettes in the United States, 2012–2016
