Explanation of how e-cigarettes work

Originally published on November 29, 2013

The Dutch Health Ministry on Thursday announced plans to tighten regulations on electronic cigarettes, citing their possible health risks after an analysis of research on e-cigarettes by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health.

Reuters reports that the institute "said it was concerned about a lack of evidence on the possible health effects of e-cigarettes, and said that as a precaution, they should not be used by pregnant women or in the vicinity of children."

The report continues

Citing the institute's findings, Dutch deputy health minister Martin Van Rijn argued that e-cigarettes are as addictive as tobacco cigarettes because they contain nicotine, and he said there was no proof of claims by manufacturers that they help smokers quit.

"There is insufficient scientific evidence to be able to say whether the quantities of toxins in the exhaled air are dangerous for bystanders," Van Rijn wrote in a letter to parliament on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the New York City Council introduced legislation to include e-cigarettes in the city's clean indoor air law, which would mean that people would not be able to smoke e-cigarettes in areas subject to the city's ban on smoking, including parks, plazas, public benches, restaurants and bars.

This animation explains how e-cigarettes work.

An e-cigarette is a hollow tube that contains a battery, electronic controls and an atomizer. Inhaling from the e-cigarette activates a sensor, which triggers the atomizer to heat liquid nicotine that has been placed inside the cartridge. The heated liquid turns into vapor, which the user inhales into the lungs without the tar and chemicals present smoking conventional cigarettes. Meanwhile, exhaling the vapor creates an illusion that the user is exhaling smoke.

An e-cigarette can be charged like a mobile phone, using an outlet or other device designed for its battery.

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