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Electronic cigarettes Praktyka
– (un)safe smoking?

PART I. CHARACTERISTICS AND HEALTH ASPECTS

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) until now smokes over 1.1 billion people, and cigarette
smoking causes more than 6 million deaths each year all over the world. This clearly demonstrates that despite
the society’s growing awareness of the consequences of excessive smoking, the problem remains unsolved. In
recent years, the immense popularity gained electronic cigarettes as a healthier and more fashionable alternative
to traditional cigarettes. The electronic cigarette consists of container for liquid containing propylene glycol and/
or glycerol, nicotine, and many flavor substances and aerosol generating system from a nicotine-containing liquid
(atomizer). Unlike traditional cigarettes, during use of the electronic cigarette, there is no combustion of tobacco,
so that the user is not exposed to thousands of tarry substances, including many carcinogens. Due to growing
popularity of these products, especially among young people, there is need for comprehensive studies of liquids
and aerosols in order to assess the real risks for which the consumer is exposed during use of electronic cigarettes.

ANALITYKA – NUMER 2, ROK (XVIII) 2017 62