A team of British researchers has been studying the impact of smoking on the brain in detail. In the investigations that have already been finished, test subjects have been evaluated in a variety of ways while using an electronic cigarette.
Utilizing E Smokers to Examine the Factors Contributing to Tobacco Smoking’s Addictive Nature
The scientists involved performed a number of fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans on test individuals while they smoked as part of an initial pilot study. The best approach to replicate smoking in order to map brain activity and understand why smoking is so addicting was to use an electronic cigarette, which of course doesn’t burn.
The main reason why electronic cigarettes were chosen was that they closely resemble the “actual” effects of tobacco cigarette smoking. When e-smoking, the e-cigarette is held in the same manner as a regular cigarette, and a drag or draw is taken in the same manner. This ensures that you continue to experience the distinct throat hit that tobacco cigarette smokers love. In truth, the only distinction between manufactured cigarettes and e-cigarettes is whether or not smoke is inhaled.
The Dissimilarities Between Tobacco and Electronic Cigarettes
In addition to nicotine, tobacco cigarettes also contain tar and a variety of other surprise substances. The smoker inhales the numerous byproducts of the burning chemicals as the cigarette burns. With an e-cigarette, the physical act of inhaling is the same; the substance that is breathed differs. A typical electronic cigarette has an e-liquid cartridge that is heated by a battery to produce a vapour that is inhaled similarly to cigarette smoke. E-liquids are made up of a base (often glycol propylene), flavorings, and different concentrations of nicotine. The best test subjects were electronic cigarette smokers because of the parallels between their behaviors and actions when using either type of cigarette.
Despite some opposition to the e-cigarette industry, which some claim sensationalizes smoking, it is important to remember that over 6 million people die each year worldwide from diseases and accidents linked to tobacco use, and WHO (World Health Organization) predicts that number will increase to over 8 million by the year 2030. Many people have praised the introduction of an alternative to the global market as a beneficial development.
However, many think that it is encouraging to see the e-cigarettes so generally recognized as a good tobacco smoking replacement. For the purposes of the study, the scientists involved declared they were not pronouncing judgment on the tobacco versus e-smoking issue.
Study Findings and Forward Movement
The study’s findings imply that nicotine is not the sole factor in the addiction to smoking; if it were, nicotine replacement therapies like nicotine gum and patches would have a far greater success rate. According to one scientist, the physical act of picking up a cigarette and taking a drag or draw is also addicting because it is a formed habit.
A larger study involving e-smokers or vapers will be conducted as a result of the pilot project’s success, and the scientist involved has stated that these practices provide “an good paradigm for direct examination of the consequences of smoking on human neurophysiology.” Some may view this as a backhanded compliment, but there is no disputing that e-cigarette fame is growing quickly.
