About those e-cigs

Don’t be misled by article just came out this morning in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Study of cancer-causing toxins finds e-cigarettes much safer than smoking

This can lead one to think that e-cigs are a healthy alternative. And at first, it’s a bit of a no brainer. Let’s say you stop breathing in tar and benzine and formaldehyde and all the other Acme Jr Chemistry set of tobacco toxicity into your body.

But anything you do is healthier than that. It’s really hard to image the conditions that would not be better for your body. So yes, e-cigs are within the infinite set of things that are also better for you than the cancer delivery device of cigarettes.

By the way, the report wasn’t just about e-cigs, but also showing that if you applied the patch or chewed the nicotine gum you’d also have less of the toxins that you’re no longer breathing in. Again, no kidding.

In essence, they made the conclusions out to be a bit different than they warrant. Are e-cigs better than breathing in terrible chemicals into your body every day? Yeah, but so is the gum and the patch and buttermilk cornbread.

It’s like doing a study to conclude that “Reading a book is better for your brain than banging your head against a brick wall until unconscious.” The issue about the book is neither here nor there. Everything is better for you than banging your head against a wall until unconscious.

So here’s the point. This article will make many think that it’s healthy. But it’s not a healthy alternative at all, just a healthier alternative. Words matter.