Public Concern on Vaping (E-cigarette)
Recently Vaping (E-cigarettes) has become one of the hot topics in Malaysia. There are 4 states have banned vapes which are Penang, Kedah, Johor, Kelantan and Terengganu. According to Malaysia's National Fatwa Council, Vaping (e-Cigarettes) were on 21 Dec 2015 declared as ‘haram’ for Muslims.
"From the syariah aspect, it is detrimental to health. Islam forbids its followers from using things that can harm them directly or indirectly; immediately or gradually that can lead to death, damage the body, result in dangerous illnesses or harm the mind," its chairman Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Abdul Shukor Husin was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.
The issue of vaping has been focused in Malaysia. More and more questions have been voiced out.
Some people concern about the side effects of vaping whereas some business owners and smokers protest against the banned issues.
How does an E-cigarette work?
E-cigarette basically consists of few components, which are:
A rechargeable lithium battery
A cartridge containing nicotine, flavouring and chemicals
An atomizer
An LED light to stimulate a burning cigarette
A sensor that detects use and activates microprocessor
Microprocessor controls atomizer and LED
Atomizer heats the liquid (E-juice) to its boiling point and that becomes vapour you can inhale. That is why smoking E-cigarette is often called ‘vaping’.
[http://www.bbc.com/news/health]
Are E-cigarettes safe to take?
It is said that having E-cigarette is safer and can helps in quitting conventional smoking. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, by which 43 of them are known carcinogens whereas E-cigarettes deliever nicotine without burning tobacco leaves. The people believed that E-cigarette is less toxic compared to conventional cigarette.
However, there is a lack of evidence or data shows that E-cigarette (vapes) is safe for use.
The main components, E-juice which contains propylene glycol or vegetable glycerine are already widely and safely used in food industry. However, the safety use of these ingredients are unknown when they are heated up and inhaled. For example, diacetyl which is used to create a buttery flavor in popcorn has been linked with obstructive lung disease when inhaled.
“There is also emerging evidence on the harmful effects of various chemicals added to or formed during the use of EC, since the aerosolised chemicals are in direct contact with the airways as opposed to being used as a food colouring and/or flavouring agent,” the associate professor and head of the International Islamic University Malaysia’s Pharmacy Practice Department told Malay Mail Online in a recent email interview.
Besides, studies have found that 50-70 percent of E-cigarette users are also conventional smoking users. They prolong their exposure and addiction to nicotine by dual using of both. It is critical when it comes to health.
“Non-smokers not exposed to nicotine addiction and which make up the vast majority of the Malaysian population at 77 per cent are now “potentially at risk” with the proliferation of vape devices”, Dr Amer Siddiq said. He also highlights concerned parents’ worry over their children’s possible experimentation and subsequent use of vape products.
You may see the teenagers vaping together at the street and it is claims to be ‘ legal’. The E-cigarette is not yet subject to regulation or enforcement even though it contains nicotine derived from tobacco. The popularity of E-cigarette has been increasing drastically these years especially among adolescents.
Early evidence suggests that e-cigarette use may serve as an introductory product for youth who then go on to use other tobacco products, including conventional cigarettes, which are known to cause disease and lead to premature death. A recent study showed that students who have used e-cigarettes by the time they start 9th grade are more likely than others to start smoking traditional cigarettes and other smokable tobacco products within the next year (Rigotti, 2015).
[http://www.bbc.com/news/health]
“British American Tobacco (BAT) is unable to determine the impact of vaping on domestic cigarettes volumes given that the industry is relatively new and there are no official statistics on the size and consumption of vaping in Malaysia", Stefano Clini, managing director of BAT said.
Nicotine considers as a “powerful addictive poison” that has to be carefully used. It should be administered by licensed and trained health professionals to help smokers quit smoking. The treatment for each smoker is individualized and it involves counseling and medication dosing strategies.
E-cigarette has not been scientifically proven for its safety. There is an unknown in terms of its therapeutic benefits. It is suggesting that vaping should be avoided until there is an enough evidence of studies on E-cigarette.
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