Electronic Cigarettes

Question

Are electronic cigarettes effective as a way to quit smoking for good? Or are you just as addicted to the e cigs, but they are just not as harmful..but more expensive? Is there good long time research that shows that e cigs are safe over the long terms, such as if you used them for 40 years or a lifetime, like people do with cigarettes.

Dr. Arthur Trotzky · Accepted Answer

I do not know the long term effects of electronic cigarettes and personally, do not recommend their use. Part of the cigarette addiction is the behavior surrounding the smoking and not just the nicotine. It is possible to withdraw from nicotine but one still has to deal with triggers such as; alcohol, coffee, excitement, social situations, social pressure, etc. Part of my approach to getting off of cigarettes is to motivate to quit and find alternatives to wanting to pick up a cigarette when exposed to triggers. The first 72 hours are the toughest and then there is oftentimes depression for the first a month of being clean. The real problem is avoiding the first puff and findng ways to deal with cravings which are automatically triggered.

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