Cigarettes have long been the source of advertisements telling of the horrors they truly cause. Constant reminders surround just about everyone making them not want to use them for the fear of their side effects. However, for those that still do not listen, oftentimes pay the price. In recent years a new form of technology for smoking cessation has come about that has proven to be helpful in making people move away from smoking. Even though electronic cigarettes are keeping people from smoking traditional cigarettes, people still question if this new technology is actually safer. There have been many studies from around the world to work toward finding an answer. All the while, electronic cigarettes are evolving and new advances are being made every day, and people are out there trying to prove that it is not as good as it seems. 

The biggest concern that many have about vaping are the effects to personal health. Everyone knows that cigarettes are harmful to the human body, but that was only discovered after many years of people smoking tobacco. Many people fear that electronic cigarettes may be just as dangerous as traditional tobacco cigarettes. Before we note the research and concerns that are being had surrounding the topic, a basic understanding of what an electronic cigarette is should be made. 

There are many different kinds of electronic cigarettes in the world today, however many follow one basic concept. Within a device there is a battery that provides power to a heating element in the top of the device. Within the heating element there is a wicking material that holds E-liquid, and when the element heats up, vapor is created. This vapor is then inhaled by the user, delivering the nicotine to the lungs and relieving the sensation. The wicks are commonly made of silica or unbleached cotton, both of which are proven to be safe when inhaled in small amounts. The E-juice is made of 4 simple ingredients. The first ingredient is vegetable glycerin, a liquid commonly used in the making of many food items. Next is the propylene glycol, another liquid commonly used in the making of many food items. The other ingredients are FDA approved nicotine and flavorings that are both used in very trace amounts.  

The studies that are being held are to prove whether or not these materials are safe to inhale in the same way that they are safe to consume. The main problem that has come about amongst all of the research sources out there is that not all of them are very credible. Some of the studies that have been conducted are by sources that are hardly credible, and many of those that are against vaping are using some of these as evidence. There are bad studies conducted about almost everything in the world but it is very important for consumers to know which ones are credible and which ones are not. 

A particular source that has caused some issues is from TIME Magazine. Though they themselves have not been conducting or funding studies on electronic cigarettes. There is one writer for the online magazine that has been bringing many different studies to light. She has been known to be an activist against the advancement of electronic cigarette technology, and is commonly writing articles about how it is dangerous to a person's health. However upon further inspection of the studies that she is referencing, the studies are hardly credible. One of the articles that she wrote spoke of a study that proved that electronic cigarette use makes a person more likely to use more dangerous drugs such as cocaine. "E-cigarettes are basically nicotine-delivery devices," she says, and Eric agrees. "This is a powerful facilitator for addiction to cocaine and perhaps other drugs as well," he says. "If people knew that this is in fact the danger  ...  they'd be much less enthusiastic about using nicotine." (Sifferlin) Though the experiment that was conducted was seemingly very well done, there was a problem with the scientists that conducted the experiment. This study was conducted by a husband and wife team with no scientific background to be seen, and upon research of their names, there are several other studies conducted In the same manner, all in opposition to vaping. 

This author has posted other articles as well including one in particular where she quotes a study about how the use of electronic cigarettes leads people to use traditional tobacco cigarettes. This study was conducted by a highly credited scientific journal and the results did show this trend.  "Out of the 694 people in the study, only 16 were e-cigarette users at the start. Six of those 16 people, or 37.5%, used cigarettes a year later. Just 65 out of the 678 people who did not use e-cigarettes progressed to smoking cigarettes, or 9.6%." (Sifferlin) The news is full of articles such as these that are presented in a very professional way, but are backed up by studies that need more work and credibility. 

One of the biggest arguments that vaping had to face less than a year ago is the infamous "Popcorn Lung". Known as Bronchiolitis Obliterans in the medical world, it can be caused by the inhalation of diacetyl, an ingredient found in some early E-juice recipes. The condition got the name popcorn lung from a case of the disease in the year 2000. A number of employees who were exposed to the butter flavorings inhaled diacetyl and came down with the disease. This situation came into question when a large number of E-juices were tested and 39 of the 50 samples tested contained diacetyl. However, according to a study conducted by Harvard "Siegel found "daily exposure to diacetyl from smoking is therefore 750 times higher, on average than exposure to diacetyl from vaping." Vapers are, on average, exposed to a daily dose of nine micrograms of diacetyl, compared with 6,718 micrograms for smokers." (Siegel) It was also discovered that ""The 'worst' e-cigarette tested produces diacetyl exposure that is 85 times lower than that of the 'worst' cigarette tested," says Siegel. The e-cigarette liquid with the highest level of diacetyl in the Harvard study exposed vapers to just 239 micrograms against 20,340 micrograms for heavy smokers." Upon the discovery of diacetyl's dangerous effects, many manufacturers have changed their recipes to be rid of diacetyl flavorings. The companies that did not choose to change were quickly pushed away from the vaping community. 

Several credible studies however have shown that vaping can truly be a positive alternative to smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes. One of these studies in particular was conducted by the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. This article studied different kinds of vaping atomizers that can emit certain materials during varying conditions of use. The study measured the levels of aldehydes and acrolein present when using an electronic cigarette. The results of this experiment did determine that electronic cigarettes are completely safe, however did determine that they are a far better option than smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes. "Results in Table 2 show that emissions from tobacco cigarettes are from 2 to 32 times higher for formaldehyde and from 600 to 2100 times higher for acetaldehyde depending on the battery output of the e-cigarette and the tar-yield of the tobacco cigarette." (Geiss et al.) This data collected shows just how harmful traditional cigarettes are compared to the new technology of electronic cigarettes. However, some of these results can still be argued to show that electronic cigarettes are still even a little safer. "Acrolein was detected only at a setting of 20 W: vaping conditions unlikely to be applied by vapers." (Geiss et al.) The lab results determined that under this condition the Acrolein levels were higher than that recommended for the inhalation of humans without noticing some form of irritation. The study used a person who was experienced with vaping to rate the quality of the vapor that he inhaled. "The results summarised in Table 4 reveal that the most subjectively pleasant vapor was generated when setting the battery output between 10 and 15 W." (Geiss et al.) This fact supports the idea that some harmful conditions are only present during usage that would not be frequently used by an electronic cigarette user. 

One of the greatest arguments that is of great concern to the public is not simply the possible dangers of the new technology that is vaping. The general public has a strong concern as to whether or not vaping is even worth keeping around. One study by a group of Medical Scientists in association with the Journal of Nicotine and Tobacco Research shows that there may be some promise to proving the general public. This particular study took a group of young adults who were smoking traditional cigarettes and had them use either a true electronic cigarette or a placebo electronic cigarette for a period of 3 weeks. The subjects that were tested would then report back with how many cigarettes they smoked a day while using the electronic substitute. The data that was collected from this experiment was that the subjects with the real electronic cigarettes had at least a 50% reduction in the number of cigarettes that they smoke each day at the end of the test period. The placebo group kept up for the first two weeks however at the end of the testing period the amount of cigarettes smoked per day averaged much higher than that of the latter group. (Tseng, et al) This data shows that there is some hope for the future of electronic cigarettes as it is being proved more and more to be a possible alternative to smoking and also be proven to help people quit smoking all together. Similar studies that have been conducted in the past have tried to prove this to be false in attempts to disprove the idea that vaping is an alternative to smoking. However, this very recent study seems to prove otherwise and shows that the progress in new vaping technology may be a more effective method of smoking cessation.

Another issue that has presented itself since the creation of the electronic cigarette and its entry into the market is its use by teenagers under the age of 18. It brings memories to the movies where teenagers are found in the bathrooms at school passing around a cigarette in between classes. Electronic cigarettes have turned into a new way for teenagers to get away with smoking in schools and in their homes. Electronic cigarettes have very little smell and the vapor produced dissipates rather quickly. Due to their discreet qualities they have been abused by teenagers around the country. 

Nobody can make the argument that "at least the teens are no longer smoking cigarettes", this still is truly a problem. This is not due to the potential health risks, but simply because it is against the law and has been for some time. Parents, schools, and police have been fighting for years to keep teenagers from using things that their age does not permit. As we all know teenagers are highly experimental and often times want to try new things that they know they are not supposed to do. However this kind of risk taking behavior has a chance of escalating and becoming a real problem in adulthood. Starting with something as simple as a cigarette in the bathroom can possibly lead a child down the wrong track at life. 

Now parents and schools have been fighting underage smoking for many years now with very little progress. As electronic cigarettes become more common in schools it will be harder for teachers to spot them and take care of the problem. The only solution that can be provided is to put more work into eliminating usage by those who are not old enough. Not for their health, but to help guarantee that they have a bright future ahead of them. 

Aside from all of the negativity that vaping has received since its introduction into the consumer market, there has been many more benefits to the world since its creation. Whenever a new industry is created, in order for it to be successful there must be a few things in place, inventors, manufacturers, sellers, and consumers. However the vaping industry is a very unique one, as due to its very young age, many of the inventors and sellers are also previous consumers themselves. With such a new piece of technology the ideas for development are currently endless, slowly making vaping devices more and more advanced each day. With all of this new technology there has been a sales boom, with shop owners almost fighting to create the best atmosphere for customers to frequent their location. 

Since the introduction of electronic cigarettes into the consumer market, small businesses have been popping up around cities and towns around the world to supply locals with their alternative to smoking. Selling everything from beginner kits for those quitting smoking, to high end devices for enthusiasts who are very experienced with vaping technology. These small businesses bring in a lot of yearly income and are providing locals with a way to kick their smoking habits. As these shops grow, so do the consumer bases that visit them and make them thrive. 

Vaping has very much evolved from where it began several years ago. It is seemingly no longer just for those that wish to stop smoking and live healthier lives, many have created a new hobby out of it. While traditional devices still work very well for those that are trying to quit smoking, some people need a little more to continue their vaping activities. This has led to the creation of thousands of new devices that are good for "flavor chasers" and "cloud chasers". As silly as these names might sound they have grown a huge following and have allowed for vaping to grow and self-advertise for those looking to make the switch. 

Because of all of these strong communities for vaping, the growth rate is almost exponential. These large groups of hobbyists have allowed for a lot of good to be done in local communities. Many vape shops around the country have partaken in community outreach events by hosting charity auctions and donating to help those in need. As with any group of hobbyists they can join together to help a common cause and make a difference in the community with their strong numbers. 

However as with many hobbies and activities that are done by a large number of people there are a lot of stereotypes and jokes. Almost anyone who has been on the internet and used social media has probably seen "we get it, you vape" or a plethora of other 'memes' made about vaping. However for the most part, many members of the vaping community have come to embrace these jokes, and often take them as their own. Though these sayings are not made to put down vaping in any way, it is still interesting to see that more than just those that use electronic cigarettes are knowledgeable about what it is.  

Some of the most active members of the vaping community are those on the internet, particularly famous YouTubers. There are many YouTubers out there that have been making videos since the debut of electronic cigarettes. Some of them are regular consumers while others own their own shops and companies that sell vape products. These YouTubers often make tutorial videos or reviews on new devices, anyone from a beginner to an expert can watch their videos to get advice on what they are looking to do. Their reviews and tutorials are a vital part of the vaping community as it is one of the only ways to get information on the release of new and improved electronic cigarette equipment. 

The size of these YouTuber's follow can be measured in their 'subscriber count' with the most being had by a man who goes by RipTrippers with over 640,000 subscribers and almost 400,000 views on each of his videos. While many members of the vaping community who watch these YouTubers have their favorites, many of the YouTubers share common feelings about the future of vaping. With their strong 'subscriber' base, they are able to promote advocacy on a grand scale. There have been multiple occasions where potential bans on vapor products have been put down due to the action of advocacy groups creating petitions and speaking out to their local congressman. There has been one big thing in the back of every vapers mind especially for the past few years, when are the bans coming. 

With so much news about the possible dangers of electronic cigarettes, it has become an issue in the government for several years now. State legislatures are having discussions on whether or not vape shops and companies should be allowed to operate within their state. This in particular has been the cause of a vast amount of debate. Many theories have been created as to why the government would want to shut down these successful businesses, however they all come back to one main idea, lobbyists. 

There are lobbyists that work within the government for many different industries to deal with any large scale legal issues that may come about to harm a large corporation. However with the relatively small size of the vaping industry, there are no lobbyists to represent the community in government. However, the companies that have some of the most lobbyists are the big tobacco companies. Large tobacco corporations have needed lobbyists in the government since day one, when it was discovered that traditional tobacco cigarettes were harmful to a person's health, these lobbyists worked hard to keep them for sale in consumer markets. Now, the electronic cigarette companies are fighting the same issues, with nobody to represent them in state and federal governments. 

