Question

• the effects of the inhalation of smoke and E-cigarette vapor on gas exchange in the lungs;
• specific diseases associated with smoking, both pulmonary and cardiovascular; and
• lastly, based on what you know about E-cigarettes from the reading and your own research, defend or oppose the regulation of vaping products as traditional cigarettes.

Answer 1

Cigarette smoke contains as many as 4000 lethal compounds which includes tar,nicotine,carbon monoxide,acetaldehyde,acetone,ammonia, cadmium ,chromium,cresol and many more which affects almost all the parts of the body .

E- cigarettes too produce a large number of lethal chemicals which are released to our blood like acetaldehyde, acrolein , propylene glycol,vegetable glycerin and many more .

Effects of inhalation of smoke on gas exchange in lungs :

When we inhale the smoke from cigarattes , the toxins reach the respiratory tract . Alveloli are tiny air sacs deep in the lungs where the gas exchange takes place. The toxins from smoking build up overtime which leads to breaking up of thin wall of alveloli resulting in its reduced elasticity which makes it harder for the gas exchange to take place. It causes the oxygen and carbondi oxide partially trapped in the alveloli . This causes emphysema .( a condition which causes shortness of breath) . Once emphysema is caused, it cannot be reversed.

Diseases associated with Smoking :

Pulmonary :

Emphysema

COPD( Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease )

Asthma

Chronic bronchitis

Recurring lung infections

Lung cancer

Cardiovascular diseases associated with smoking :

Atherosclerosis ( Hardening of the arteries in the heart )

Thrombosis ( clot formation in the blood vessels of heart)

Congestive Heart Failure

There is increase in levels of people addicted to smoking. E cigarette too causes lethal levels of harm to the body. There has to strict laws as tobacco sale to persons below 18 years of age has to be banned. Adequate health information regarding the useage of e cigarette and its harm on our body should be provided to teens and adults .FDA must certifty whether these e- cigarettes meet up standarad. Regulatory policy should target the youth e-cigarette use. FDA should work with media to impart the knowledge on hazardous effects of vaping products including the traditional cigarettes and the recent e-cigarettes.