Monday, February 24, 2014

Nonfiction article of the week. ALL CLASSES POST HERE

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/health/a-hot-debate-over-e-cigarettes-as-a-path-to-tobacco-or-from-it.html?_r=1

1.  Read the article.  Consider the author's tone, structure of the article, validity of evidence, persuasive techniques, and your personal reaction.
2. Please add an intelligent comment (minimum 3 sentences) in response to the linked article from The New York Times.  Be sure to reference specifics from the article.
3. Optional: Comment on a classmates post in a second post (minimum 3 sentences)
*Use only your first name, last initial and class period.

97 comments:

  1. I would have to agree with the fact that e cigarettes are much better than regular cigarettes. These electronic cigarettes allow people fighting addiction to be doing the same motion as smoking a regular cigarette, however it is a more healthy version of it in which you are not inhaling the awful toxins that are in cigarettes. In the text it said, "The devices, intended to feed nicotine addiction without the toxic tar of conventional cigarettes, have divided a normally sedate public health community that had long been united in the fight against smoking and Big Tobacco." By smoking electronic cigarettes instead of regular cigarettes, you are fighting putting the harmful chemicals into your body. It could reduce addiction and maybe even cause you to stop doing it once you realize your body does not really need it.
    Marissa G.
    Per: 8

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  2. George H P.7
    Many people are accusatory towards E Cigarettes being worse or just as bad as regular cigarettes but in many cases its not true. Real cigarettes have more then just nicotine, they also have tobacco. Unlike real cigarettes e cigarettes just have the nicotine, which in the long run is better for you then real cigarettes because it doesn't have the tar ingredients like real cigarettes. E cigarettes also help remove a lot of the second hand effects that regular cigarettes promote. Soon the cigarette smokers will decrease in numbers because e cigarettes help those who are addicted to quit earlier then they would have on a regular cigarette diet. Both sides are not healthy but I am approving of people smoking e cigs over regular cigs because it doesn't smell as bad as regular cigs. I bet that after the e cig craze ends people will be far from regular smoking to the point that smoking will decrease.

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    1. I agree with this statement george, good job!
      Cassie V

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  3. The article proposes both sides of the e-cigarette debate. It claims there are pro and cons to these electronic cigarettes but the tone suggests that there is more harm than good. There are undermining sentences that show how harmful smoking is such as, "Nicotine, the powerful stimulant that makes traditional cigarettes addictive, is the crucial ingredient in e-cigarettes, whose current incarnation was developed by a Chinese pharmacist whose father died of lung cancer. With e-cigarettes, nicotine is inhaled through a liquid that is heated into vapor. New research suggests that e-cigarettes deliver nicotine faster than gum or lozenges, two therapies that have never quite taken off." Though it talks about how the e-cigarettes are more effective than other therapies it suggests through the mention of the Chinese pharmacist's father that lung cancer still is a prevalent thing. Going on, every time a pro is mentioned a negative paragraph then follows and takes away the credibility of the pro statement. The author does a good job a subtly placing bias through the article.

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    1. Hi Alec- Interesting points about the subtle bias in this article!

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  4. I would say that e-cigarette's are better for you than real cigarettes are. After all, real cigarettes have more than just nicotine in them, it is a very powerful stimulant that makes those cigarettes addictive. With e-cigarettes are nicotine that is inhaled through a liquid that is then had to be heated into water vapor. I noticed in the article, that every time that there was a pro section for e-cigarettes, a con paragraph showed up next in the article. E-cigarettes can be a very aesthetic thing to have, but on top of that, they can also be dangerous, because other small children are seeing them being used, and thinking, "Oh, my parents' have an e-cigarette, when i grow up, i want one of those." Which, isn't a very good thing. Another thing is, e-cigarettes allow people with a real problem with smoking, to try and help that addiction by trying to quit the nasty habit for good. My cousin has an electronic cigarette and it does help him with smoking real cigarettes, but he tried getting the one that didn't have a lot of nicotine, and mostly water vapor. However, some kids use e-cigarettes just for the heck of using them, which in most cases, to me; that shouldn't happen, they should just be provided to adults/children that actually NEED them, not just wanting them and then having them for the heck of it. They're many people that are accusatory towards the use of e-cigarettes, but in conclusion, i don't think that people give them credit, as much as they should..But i think we should all just look at what electronic cigarettes are really offering to this society, and time period.
    Cassie Vaccaro
    Period;7

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  5. Caroline M. 2
    Regarding suspicions about e-cigarettes causing cancer, Kiklas said these fears are also unproved. E-smoke vapor contains just five chemicals, he said, compared with the up to 9,000 chemicals that have been identified in tobacco smoke. "The vapor is closer to regular water vapor than tobacco smoke, and poses no risk of any kind," he said. Citing a 2009 Food and Drug Administration report comparing traditional cigarettes with the e-cigarettes, Kiklas claimed that e-cigarettes are 1,400 times less harmful than tobacco. The flavorings and glycerin used in e-cigarettes have been consumed for generations without causing harm to humans, he said. Most experts will admit that the scientific research conducted so far suggests that electronic cigarettes do pose a much lower cancer risk than regular cigarettes, and that in particular, they carry a greatly reduced risk of lung cancer and other cancers as well as lower risks for lung disease and heart disease. As it says in the article, it is to early to tell if e-cigarettes are truly helping or hurting the user and the ones around them.

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  6. If you don't smoke, e-cigarettes definitely aren't an excuse to start. They were created to help people stop smoking because real cigarettes are so bad for you. But that doesn't mean that e-cigarettes are good for you. Nicotine is not a healthy chemical, whether it greatly damages your health or not. It's an addictive substance and anything addictive is bad for you. Of course it's 1000x times better than a cigarette, but just because it may not give you cancer, doesn't mean everyone should go out and buy an e-cigarette just for the fun of it.

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  7. Jordyn B. P2

    I believe that if advertised properly, e cigarettes could really improve our society. For starters, they eliminate all of the nasty chemicals that are what truly makes cigarettes dangerous. With these chemicals gone, and the lack of smoke, there is a very minimal chance of second hand smoking affecting people. Also, it is a huge step towards quitting smoking, especially since it really is water vapor and nicotine. lastly, the sad truth is, no matter how it looks or how dangerous it is, teenagers are are always going to find something illegal or not safe to do. With e cigarettes, you have the option to by liquid that does not have nicotine in it. I personally would rather have kids doing this then other drugs and things that could actually harm their bodies.

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  8. The article does a good job of acknowledging both sides to using electronic cigarettes."New research suggests that e-cigarettes deliver nicotine faster than gum or lozenges, two therapies that have never quite taken off." Another idea expressed through the article is "Public health experts like to say that people smoke for the nicotine but die from the tar. And the reason e-cigarettes have caused such a stir is that they take the deadly tar out of the equation while offering the nicotine fix and the sensation of smoking. For all that is unknown about the new devices they have been on the American market for only seven years most researchers agree that puffing on one is far less harmful than smoking a traditional cigarette." Do electronic cigarettes really give people their fix? The author of this articles sets it up so you realize the side effects of it and ways to avoid them, but also makes it seem that they are the answer for smoking is electronic cigarettes. This author is in-decisive on a stance of the article and structures it to acknowledge both sides.

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  9. Jared C. Period: 2
    This article is a good source as it shows both sides of the debate. The pros and cons are both discussed but the article sounds like it leans more to the e-cigs being harmful. There are many sentences that focus on the cons such as, "Nicotine, the powerful stimulant that makes traditional cigarettes addictive, is the crucial ingredient in e-cigarettes, whose current incarnation was developed by a Chinese pharmacist whose father died of lung cancer. With e-cigarettes, nicotine is inhaled through a liquid that is heated into vapor. New research suggests that e-cigarettes deliver nicotine faster than gum or lozenges, two therapies that have never quite taken off." Though it talks about how the e-cigarettes are more effective than other therapies it suggests that there are still many cases of cancer and other diseases, referring to the Chinese pharmacist. For each pro mentioned, a con is mentioned or brought up directly after. This shows that the author has a bias towards e-cigs being harmful and writes accordingly.

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  10. The author of the article tried to show both side of the argument and he was successful. There were various evidences for and against e- cigarette. I found Tavernise more persuasive against the use of e-cigarette but I might be biased since I also think that e-cigarettes are harmful till the day the research completely proves the opposite. I feel like more people are using e-cigarette for fun, trend, peer pressure and not exactly for quitting smoking. Of course there are people who actually want to quit smoking and live a healthier life. Its’ the nicotine that’s addicting, doesn’t matter if it’s in regular cigarette or the electronic one. Researches prove that the tar in cigarette is the deadly particle and that e-cigarette might be a better choice. But e-cigarette might hang on to the new generation since there are varieties of flavors available to attract the teenagers. “Researchers also worry that e-cigarettes could be a gateway to traditional cigarettes for young people. The devices are sold on the Internet. The liquids that make their vapor come in flavors like mango and watermelon. Celebrities smoke them: Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Leonardo DiCaprio puffed on them at the Golden Globe Awards.” Since so many celebrities approve of e-cigarette, they are more likely to be popular among the younger generation. Until research proves the use of e-cigarettes as safe for public use under their own will, it shouldn’t be available so easily through the internet.
    ~Shilpa R Period 3

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  11. The main question posed in the articale, "Will E Cigarettes cause more or less people to smoke", doesn't have one clear cut answer. On one hand, I believe that less people will smoke analog cigarettes, but on the other hand, more people will consume the electronic counterpart. This can be both a good thing, but also a negative thing. It is good because less normal cigarretes means less tar, less lung cancer, and less illness. However, consuming nicotine will be the easiest it has ever been. I pose the question, what happens when the teen who is dying for his E Cig nicotine fix picks up a real cigarette. Then, E Cigs will be responsible for this young teen being introduced to Cigarettes.
    Ben G
    Period 6

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  12. The truth is that we have no knowledge yet of the results of e-cigarettes on health. This is not supportive of either side because the results could be harmful or not. However, I don't think that health professionals should be comparing the health effects of e-cigarettes to those of real cigarettes. As of now, it looks like the e-cigarettes will have less adverse effects, but that's not saying much. Until we know the effects, we should be careful not to promote them to young people that are not smokers. The hope is that e-cigarettes will help people that currently smoke to quit. We don't want more people starting to smoke because it now looks appealing. I think that we should ban advertisements for e-cigarettes just like real ones. People that smoke already know that it's less unhealthy for them to switch, and they can make that choice without seeing advertised on TV. Until we know the effects of e-cigarettes, we should exercise caution. Jessica L. Period 6

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  13. Michael Caminear Period 6
    I agree with most of the points made in this article. E-cigarettes undoubtedly a good idea, seeing as they encourage people to quit smoking, but at the same time there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding them. There has been no real long term study that ensures their safety in regards to health. Furthermore, I think that more research needs to be done on this matter before people decide to start actively using E-cigs. In general, only time will tell if e-cigs are good idea, but I personally think that the intentions of the E-cig are extremely noble in that they want to reduce the most common cause of preventable death, which is smoking real cigarettes.

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  14. The resounding issue with e-cigarettes is that we don't know enough about them yet for research to be completely effective. We are judging a book by its cover and therefore don't know whether or not to label them as good or bad. The comparisons in the article about how bad cigarettes are in comparison to e-cigarettes seems absurd because they're completely different. The purpose of the e-cigarettes is to prevent smokers from harming themselves, not promote the use of a cool new toy for teenagers to try. It should proceed to be only used by those who really need it, and be closely observed for any complications that may arise.
    Sonny G. Pr. G

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  15. Although this article discusses some concerns over e-cigarettes, I still think they are very helpful. One major argument against e-cigarettes is that it will get kids introduced to smoking. Unfortunately, even without e-cigarettes teenagers will be introduced to cigarettes. This will always occur, so that should not be a reason to turn against something that can ease people off smoking. Cigarettes are deadly especially because they are so hard to quit. People become addicted easily and after that it is nearly impossible to summon the will power to just stop. With e-cigarettes it offers a way to do it. Now, it is easier to stop smoking and I predict we will see a decrease in deaths due to smoking. Most people do not want to be addicted to smoking but can't stop. E-cigarettes will cause more people to quit smoking than it will cause people to start smoking. For that reason, they are extremely beneficially.

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  16. First of all, I don't believe the negative health effects of electronic cigarettes are too extreme that they will ever pose a problem in that regard, at least not relative to the killing power of regular cigarettes. I also don't think that imposing significant taxes will have as much of an effect on e-cig purchases as it may have cigarette purchases. Before I analyze the researchers' points in the article, I can already make the point that e-cigs have gained popularity due to their exotic flavors and "safe" selling points. As for whether or not this leads people to smoke who wouldn't have smoked cigarettes otherwise, I have to agree with Dr. Glantz's opinion. E-cigs can introduce as many people to smoking cigarettes as people that it takes away from the lung-destroying tobacco products. So what's the solution? Not to sound redundant with what is said in the article, but only time will tell. The only real way to stop this, if a larger portion of the public agrees with this vision, would be to ban the devices in more public places.

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  20. Jonathan B
    P7

    E-cigarettes really shouldn't be a concern to most people. Most people use them because they are trying to quit. People are worried about kids using this product but, I myself have seen many E-cigarettes commercials. My view is that their good and bad. There good because they lessen the chances of death caused by conventional cigarettes, also the e-cig smoke is just vapor which doesn't affect the people around them. There bad because, "Researchers also worry that e-cigarettes could be a gateway to traditional cigarettes for young people." I do believe that they shouldn't be used in schools. If your going to use an e-cig do it at home or somewhere other than schools. This would make many people feel better.

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  21. Conor Duffy
    Period: 7
    The electronic cigarette is nothing more than to help people that have an addiction with real cigarettes. Even though science and health departments don’t know the full effects of the e- cigarettes, or the symptoms it can do to the body. They are still being used as a replacement for real cigarettes. Some people who don’t smoke real cigarettes, smoke e -cigarettes just for fun. For the flavor and the experience but I believe the research for e-cigarettes needs to be in the further future.

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  22. Some people say that E cigarettes aren't bad, while others are completely against it. However, since they're so new to us, we don't really know how harmful the can be. they do have nicotine in them, which is "the crucial ingredient" as mentioned in the article. However, some e cigs are made without nictoine, and that's why so many people are debating if this is truly a bad thing. Dr Steinberg states " E cigarettes may prolong people's habits." The article also says how e cigs are alluring. I do think that e cigs are just as bad as regular cigarettes if there's nicotine. If it is free of nicotine i don't really see the harm. It's just too soon to tell how dangerous they can be.
    Amy B per 8

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  23. I think the electronic cigarette is a good alternative to cigarettes although i dont think it should be used for someone who doesnt have a serious nicotene addiction. Its definitely much better for you than ciggaretes considering it doesnt have all of the added carcinogens and harmful chemicals in it. Until further research is done, I dont think just any person just be playing around with electronic cigarettes. Only as an alternative for someone who is addicted to cigarettes.
    Jack Murray Period 8

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  24. The article brings up some valid points. I do think that e-cigarettes can be a great way for smokers to begin to quit, although it seems to be a bad thing that people who have never smoked before begin with these e-cigarettes. In the article it says that e-cigarettes will be a great help in reducing cigarette-related deaths in America. I agree with the article in that it says perhaps "making ordinary cigarettes more expensive than e-cigarettes or reducing the amount of nicotine in ordinary cigarettes so smokers turn to e-cigarettes for their nicotine" will help to reduce the amount of cigarette-related deaths.

    Period 8

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  25. I think that E cigarettes are better for people than regular ones, but still are not the best thing for a persons health. Unlike regular cigarettes E cigarettes do not contain tobacco and the many other toxins that normal cigarettes have. However, E cigarettes are still bad because they contain nicotine, which highly addictive. Addiction is never a good thing to deal with. Like it says in the article," Science that might resolve questions about E cigarettes is still developing..." because of this, I think that we can not yet decide if E cigarettes are better for people, or if they will cause more people to start smoking.
    Julia Kendzierski
    period 8

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  26. Electronic cigarettes seem like an amazing alternative on the outside. They provide the user with nicotine without the harshness of tar and the many chemicals found in cigarettes. They also have the power to addict a teenager to nicotine before they had a cigarette. Nicotine is a powerful drug that once hooked, it is very hard to stop taking the drug. More cigarette smokers will come out of the school because of the addiction potential of these ecigarettes. The user feels comfortable smoking and will give cigarettes a try no matter the consequences.
    Sure they are perfect for nicotine for long term cigarette smokers looking to quit but the younger individuals susceptible to a life long addiction makes them not worth it.
    -Alec Carlson

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  27. E-cigs are meant to be used to help people quit smoking real cigarettes. I believe it is a great alternative to smoking actual cigarettes. Even though some research has been done on e-cigs and they have been "proven" to be healthier than actual cigarettes, not all of the research has been done and we don't truly know everything that is in an e-cig. As of right now i believe they are healthier but as the research goes on, who knows what will be healthier in the end.
    Nick T.
    Per 8

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  28. Vapes are nothing to be concerned about at all. Vapes were invented to help people quit smoking. They can reduce the amount of nicotine in them to help ween them off actually cigarettes. the only reason people are so sketched out about them is because not many companies are doing studies on them. yes there are people out there who are using them for all the wrong reasons but i feel there are more people using them for the right reasons to quit smoking. i know a couple people even in my family that are now using a vape to quit smoking.
    quinn u
    per. 8

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  29. Onions

    In my opinion, I believe e-cigarettes are a wise investment as opposed to cigarettes. The main issue is not the nicotine, but the tar and thousands of chemicals you breath in with every drag. With e-cigarettes, essentially all you are inhaling is water vapor, nicotine, and flavoring that was added. It is healthier, it's is becoming more popular with every passing day, and it is a better substitute for the nicotine buzz than nicotine gum or nicotine patches.

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  30. Harjot Benipal
    Period 8

    I believe that electronic cigarettes should not be a concern. If in the right hands, they are able to be used as replacements for actual cigarettes and can encourage smokers to slowly be able to quit. E-cigarettes contain only 5 chemicals while regular cigarettes contain up to 9000+. They are also known to contain vapor closer to regular water vapor than tobacco smoke.Research also shows that E-cigarettes pose a much lower threat to cancer risk than a regular cigarette. Therefore, it is clear that a electronic cigarette is no where close to dangerous when compared to a regular cigarette. However, the fact that e-cigarettes are better than regular cigarettes should not give non-smokers a reasonable reason to begin to use e-cigarettes. They should only be used as a benefit for prior smokers to be able to quit.

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  31. Miranda S Period 6

    Whether its a E-cigarette or a normal cigarette, you are inhaling the same toxin into your lung, nicotine. The only difference is that in an E-cigarette, it is now a nicotine vapor. Nicotine is what gets you addicted to cigarettes in the first place, thus both are still harmful to the body. All of this is new, and now its so much easier. You have a cartridge of nicotine and you turn on a battery and you're all set. The matter of the fact is that your still susceptible to cancer, all the health risks of a normal cigarette can still happen. The only difference is that E-cigarette doesn't have all the various chemical harms and tar. Every normal cigarette takes 7 years off your life, and now an e-cigarette poses even more of threat. I understand that e-cigarettes are the new "cool" but in no way would I say they are "AMAZING" and better. The truth of the matter is that they're even more harmful. Life is precious, there are kids out there who have cancer and are fighting to live past 18, while we're sitting here smoking our life away. It is awful. Life is so precious, so don't go waste it on smoking. No one wants to experience the harms of nicotine. I'm pretty sure most people would rather live an extra 7 years instead of lying on the bed in that white hospital room being poked and prodded by needles knowing that there is a mass of tumor in your lung that will eventually kill you. So as for the "hot debate" I believe E-cigs will only lead you one direction towards addiction to tobacco. It might help older people quit, but for our younger generation, it'll harm society's system.

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  32. In my opinion, e-cigs are better than regular cigarettes in the sense that they aren't AS HARMFUL towards your health and those around you, ALTHOUGH its existence causes more people to smoke. I want to speak from personal experience here and talk about our own school. I know many people at our school that smoke, the majority smoking only because they thought it was cool. I see EVEN MORE people smoke nowadays, in or out of school, except they're e-cigarettes now. Not only is it easier to smoke while in school, but it's considered extremely 'cool' and 'hip' and 'look I have peanut butter, oh well I have vanilla.' I've seen people walk around school with 'keep calm and smoke e-cigs' shirts. Really? Although an e-cig is NOT as deadly as a regular cigarette, it still causes more people to get into the habit of smoking, those who may want to switch over to regular cigarettes as well or instead. E-cigs, as mentioned in the article, also contain bad things like poisons in them and the like.
    So, in conclusion, in terms of pure effectiveness on the human body when being smoked, e-cigs win for being the least, but in terms of popularity and getting more people into the habit, the e-cigarette loses. Horribly.
    Megan Glynn Period 3

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  33. It's difficult to completely judge the situation of e- cigarettes because they are still a new thing and there isn't much research on the effects e- cigarettes can have. However, I believe smoking them is still not a good idea. E- cigarettes sound like a great alternative to smoking real cigarettes and trying to quit smoking, but they aren't safe to use for everyday life. Unfortunately, with the sudden popularity, they are becoming more popular and as the article says, "more alluring." I think it will be difficult for the government to make laws about e- cigarettes. The article makes a strong point in saying, "If they are too tough, experts say, they risk snuffing out small e-cigarette companies in favor of Big Tobacco, which has recently entered the e-cigarette business. If they are too lax, sloppy manufacturing could lead to devices that do not work properly or even harm people." There is a fine line.

    Eleanor Hall

    Period 3

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  34. For this particular topic, I find it quite difficult to pick a side, and stick to it; I can see and understand both points of view. One thing that is an unalterable opinion of mine is that smoking, be it a standard cigarette, or e-cigarette, is harmful, and well, a stupid thing to do. Regardless as to whether you are smoking a cigarette or an e-cig, you are still consuming harmful chemicals that will do nothing but harm the body. Granted, with an e-cig you aren’t inhaling the tar and other various toxins, but you are still taking in nicotine, something that isn’t exactly…..ideal. Where we go wrong, is the use of e-cigs to the point where it is not meant to be used; they’re supposed to be a method to help people that have an addiction with real cigarettes overcome it. As of right now, many people are abusing this, and some are even starting to “smoke” these e-cigs for fun, or to be “cool.”

    Here’s the thing, regardless of whether or not I like e-cigarettes, or whether or not they truly are incredibly harmful, I think it would be difficult to essentially “outlaw” them. The fact of the matter is, too many people are using them now, and the government has much more important and bigger issues to attend to, than e-cigs.

    Period 3

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  35. Dan Lalor
    Period 2
    There's no denying that E-Cigarettes are a healthier alternative to real cigarettes in short term use.
    The article makes evident that the ingredients of a cigarette are far more harmful for people than the ingredients of an E-Cigarette, particularly the lung tar producing carcinogens which are not found in an E-Cigarette.
    But what exactly is in an E-Cigarette?
    Well it's actually rather unclear at the moment.
    One active ingredient that is obviously in an E-Cigarette is Prophlene Gycol. Prophlene Glycol is the substance found in (quality) E-Cigarettes which changes from the liquid solution into a vapor. As it is pointed out in the article, Prophlene Glycol is a more controversial ingredient than the nicotine in an e-cigarette because it is a "lung irritant" of which its long-term effects remain unclear.
    However, something that is clear is that for decades Prophlene Glycol has been found in an array of products be it antifreeze or comestics or even food products such as salad dressing and soda. It's likely that you may coat your face with it, your frozen windshield with it, or even ingest it on a regular basis. So what exactly does it do?
    Well in a very broad way, it serves to maintain moisture and absorb excess water.
    According the CDC, it does not have cancerous effects and does not have a certain chemical classification; therefore it's short term effects are relatively harmless.
    However Prophlene Glycol and Nicotene are not the only ingredients in an E-Cigarette and all of the chemicals have yet to be identified.
    Because of this, I do not believe one can safely say that E-Cigarettes are harmless until more in-depth research has been done regarding the health risks they may or may not present.
    My stand point is that E-Cigarettes hold great potential for prevalent use in the years to come and will be the definite alternative to smoking cigarettes, but for the time being buyers should beware because no one can say for certain whether or not these devices are completely safe.

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    1. Dan Lalor
      Period 2
      Corrections:
      *In a very broad sense,
      **the definitive alternative to smoking

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  36. There is support on either side of this debate. I am somewhere in the gray area in the middle. I believe that e-cigs should only be used by those currently trying to quit smoking cigarettes as a stepping stone. That was the intended purpose of them in the first place. With only 5 chemicals instead of 900 and no tar product, an e-cig is definitely a safer option than traditional cigarettes. However, e-cigs are only helpful if used as they were intended- by those already addicted to nicotine. The real issue of e-cigs is that those who are not addicted to nicotine are using them;as stated in the article, “7 percent of those who had tried e-cigarettes said they had never smoked a traditional cigarette”. Now, the e-cigs become a controversial topic, proving that they are more often than not a gateway to other tobacco products. I am in the belief that e-cigs could be a monumental treatment for those with nicotine addictions and should only be used for that purpose.
    Skylar S.
    Period 2

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  37. From reading this article, I do not have a side to support in this debate. I think e-cigs are a good way to help regular smokers to cut down on tobacco or even quit smoking tobacco products because it gives smokers the quick nicotine that they are looking for without all of the other chemicals. However, I find controversy in this due to the fact that users of e-cigs can use them anywhere. For example, sitting in an office at work being able to use the e-cig in my opinion is not appropriate and not professional. Although there is not a strong scent like a cigarette, the fact that someone is causing smoke in a room is not right. Also, most smokers tell kids not to smoke because it's unhealthy and a bad habit but as kids grow up, some kids might be pressured into it because they think it's "cool". So if adults don't want kids around cigarettes, why would they smoke e-cigs around them?
    Tatiana Harrison
    Period 8

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  38. While reading this I felt that the article didn't really take a stance on the issue. It proposed both sides..with a little more focus on the pro side. I liked how they started off with the pro side and ended with the con side. I am quite curious why e-cigarettes have been on the market for 7 years and they're just becoming popular. Also why there isn't research about them? It amazes me that companies can put out products without knowing how it will effect someone. I think e-cigarettes will help reduce smoking of traditional cigarettes but I also agree with the con side. That its becoming a popular fad, especially with teens and most of the time it's introducing nicotine to them for the first time. I don't agree with how that's a gateway to smoking actual cigarettes but I don't think it's healthy either. Especially if we don't know how the vapor is effecting the user or even the environment for that matter.
    MaryColleen Whitney
    per. 2

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  39. This article does a good job of explaining the positive and negative impacts of this innovation. On the positive side there are less harmful chemicals and effects from using e-cigaretes. They can also help people to become less addicted to nicotene and get them away from smoking cigarettes. But on the more negative side it can also get more people to start smoking because they don't think that it has any negative impacts; however, it can still be addicting because the nicotene is still present. In some cases e-cig use can lead people to try normal cigarettes instead of the other way around. I think they are ok to use when trying to quit smoking but e-cigarettes should not be an excuse to start smoking.
    Jessica M. Period 6

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  40. Leah Braley Period 6
    I agree with many of the people who have posted so far saying that e-cigs are essentially "better" for you than regular ones. And if it came down to choosing one or the other they would be the better option, but they are only the lesser of two evils. They still have the addictive property of regular cigarettes and seeing them being smoked can still send the message to young children that its okay to do, especially in the case of how they come in different flavors, and this is something that could encourage younger and younger people to try it. Also, as the article said, we don't truly know the effects that e-cigarettes could have on your health, for all we know they could have harmful long term affects. So what if the idea gets around that they are safe to use and don't hold the same dangers as normal cigarettes and then one day we find out they are really able to hurt us, but by then it would be too late to change the majority public oppinion. So I say that we should push these as an alternative to those who are already addicted to smoking but don't begin pushing them on those who have never smoked. We should still stay just as comitted to discouraging smoking in general.

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  41. I agree with the fact that ecigarettes are a lot better for you than normal cigarettes. Ecigs don't have the tar that normal cigarettes do, which is a turn on for most people. No one wants to grow up and be like my grandmother who now has to have an oxygen tank, and who has emphysema, from excessive cigarette use. Ecigs only have the nicotine. One of the problems that I see with ecigs, is that a lot of people that wouldn't normally try cigarettes, (I think), are more inclined to try ecigs. Ecig juice(?) comes in so many different flavors, and nicotine levels, that they're very appealing to people, especially teenagers. You can buy an ecig that has no nicotine in it at all, and in that case you're just using them to say you do. Cigarettes are so expensive now, because of all the health affects, that economically its smarter to go with the ecig. One thing that does scare me about ecigs is that in the early 1900s, they thought there was nothing wrong with cigarettes, and thats why a lot of the older generation has the problems they do now. Its very possible that could also be the case with ecigs. One of the things I didn't like in the article is that they didn't tell you any of the bad health affects of ecigs. They said the one thing about how the vapor is like smoke from a fog machine, but in my point of view people put a lot worse in their bodies on a regular basis. Fast food, preservatives, GMOs, and added chemicals are all in foods we eat on a regular basis, (nothing is grosser than the twinkie). I don't think cigarettes will ever be obsolete, no matter how many people die from them, but I do think ecigs will be around for a while. Just look at Branford. Even though you aren't supposed to, I still see people smoking around school. They even just opened a new ecig store on Branford Hill. Are ecigs a better alternative to the tar producing cigarettes? Absolutely. Will ecigs convert long time smokers that are set in their ways? Probably not... if anything they're just altering the new generation of cigarette smokers. I don't see any true harm in it, because if its not ecigs, it would be something worse.
    Francesca
    Per 3

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  42. The NY Times article, "A Hot Debate Over E-Cigarettes as a Path to Tobacco, or From It" by Sabrina Tavernise provides evidence of both pros and cons of e-cigarettes. This article was resourceful and unbiased because she gave valid evidence for weather e-cigarettes help or hinder people who are trying to quit smoking. Because e-cigs have only been around for 7 years, there are not enough health research/ projects that can provide the impacts or risks of this product, whereas traditional cigarettes have been used for decades. Therefore, it is difficult to judge weather e-cigs can cause serious damage to our health. It is clear from the article that e-cigs are much less harmful to our bodies because it does not contain the tar that regular cigarettes contain. The article states, "Public health experts like to say that people smoke for the nicotine but die from the tar. And the reason e-cigarettes have caused such a stir is that they take the deadly tar out of the equation while offering the nicotine fix and the sensation of smoking." We can clearly see that e-cigs are a better option than traditional cigarettes. In an idealistic world, people would not intake harmful toxins or chemicals in their bodies however it is unrealistic to hope so. Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, but people still continue to inhale such toxins in their bodies knowing that it can cause lung cancer and heart disease. In the end, we can debate about weather e-cigs are good or bad, but we can not decide for the individuals who purposely use these stimulants.
    E-cigs seem to be directed mostly to adolescents, whose quick instincts are to experiment with new products especially with flavors like mango and watermelon. I believe that e-cigs should not be readily available for teens to purchase online because it can cause addictions.
    The world's most widely consumed psychoactive drug is caffeine, however there are no debates or concerns about the harmful affects that it has on our bodies. E-cigs may be similar to caffeine- "an addictive substance that stimulates the mind." Why is it that we never hear about the dangers of caffeine addictions, but nicotine addictions seem to cause controversial debates? Although caffeine intake is less addictive and dangerous, if we were to go by the logic that every chemical stimulant for our body is "bad", then caffeine should be an issue.

    Reitsuma Panta
    Period 3

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  43. This subject is highly controversial for good reason. E-cigarettes, while appearing safe, are a widely under studied device. As the article stated, in theory they are much safer. They give the user their nicotine fix while omitting harmful substances such as the black tar that is found in conventional cigarettes. However, the article also sheds light on how dangerous e-cigarettes can be. If produced improperly, the e-cigarette can be harmful to the user. E-cigarettes are not always used properly as well. Often times other drugs can be smoked in them fairly easily, which is obviously not ideal. E-cigarettes cut out much of the bad parts of cigarettes but bring their own side effects as well, and I believe that these devices need to be further studied.

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  44. I think the original purpose of en e-cig was filled with good intent. It was to help cigarette smokers lean their way off of smoking. But I think that the younger generation has taken the market over, and because most of my generation are not cigarette smokers, but do smoke e-cigs, the original "good intent" is lost. It has made smoking popular to the younger generation, just when cigarette smoking was becoming a dead trend to the youth. I personally don't have a strong opinion on whether or not e-cigs are a bad or good thing and if they should be used or not. But, I do feel that because they are so new, we should be cautious. The article states, " the reason e-cigarettes have caused such a stir is that they take the deadly tar out of the equation while offering the nicotine fix and the sensation of smoking. For all that is unknown about the new devices — they have been on the American market for only seven years — most researchers agree that puffing on one is far less harmful than smoking a traditional cigarette." There is no factual evidence on the effects of these devices, but we should remember that when cigarettes originally were popular, especially in the 1920's- 1940's, nobody truly knew the serious damage they caused until most of the population was hooked on the habit.
    Claire Paterson
    Period 3

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  45. The authors tone in the article was undecided, so he supported and explained two opposing opinions on the e-cigarettes by different professors. One believed that the idea and use of e-cigarettes would be the revolutionary transition for smokers to begin living a healthier lifestyle and quit their original habits. On the opposition side of things, the other professor believes that the electronic cigarette are going to become large contributors to air pollution along with keeping people addicted to nicotine. Personally I agree that the idea of e-cigarettes is conventional, although I dont think they are the answer. They might be able to ween cigarette consumers away from the harmful tar, but with e-cigarettes everyone is still in harms way of the highly addictive nicotine, and that nicotine is going to prevent people from stopping. No matter what you are smoking, the act of smoking is unattractive and unhealthy, and using an e-cig is an excuse for young kids to smoke in order to look cool, because it stands as a status symbol. Smoking is a dangerous habit, and if people really have the desire to quit they should do it the right way rather than becoming addicted to some other stimulant for the mind.

    ReplyDelete
  46. It seems to me that at first E-Cigs were made with the intent of bringing the rate of lung cancer down and help smoker to quit smoking. But now we are learning that the e-cigarettes may be doing more harm than good. In my opinion this article touched bases on many good arguments for both sides. The article did mention that there was concern about how many new e-cigarette users were but i dont think that is the main problem at hand. I think that the main problem we face with e-cigarettes is the effects on the users body. I dont think that any kind of chemical inhaled from something known as an "e-cigarette" can be good for the body at all. Just by the name of the product it cant be good it has the word cigarette in it still! I think that young people are enjoying all the fruity cartridge flavors and the idea that they arent bad for you. More research about them needs to be done fast before e-cigarettes become the gateway for young people to start smoking real cigarettes which will actually harm health and cause even more deaths. E-cigarettes are an upcoming problem our nation faces and all the advertisement is not helping. Dr. Glantz stated, "they make smoking look alluring again, with images on billboards and television ads for the first time in decades" He was speaking about the companies advertising these products just like the companies did in the 80's when people didnt think cigarettes were harmful either. The debate over e-cigarettes is definitely becoming more and more controversial and we should expect to hear more about these possibly dangerous products in the near future.
    Elena Muniz Period 3

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  47. I strongly disagree with the fact that e cigarettes are worse than traditional cigarettes. Other than (optional) levels of nicotine, there is nothing bad for you in it. I know many people who have quit smoking with the use of e cigs and have found them more helpful than any other quitting substance. My mom recently got one and she said sometimes she doesn't even crave a cigarette. They are almost overly studied. Recently since they have gained more popularity there has been more and more research being put towards them. They were made with the intention that they would reduce cancer, not harm you more. I do agree that more and more young people are starting to become e-cig users and a main reason is the flavors, not intentionally the habit of smoking. The only concern that there is with young people smoking them is that it's creating the habit of smoking in young kids. The flavor is replacing the tobacco creating the want for that flavor. I do not think that e cigs are worse for you than real cigarettes. If you compare the "chemicals" found in e cigs to what the harsh chemicals found in real cigarettes theres not even a comparison. Real cigarettes are so harmful to you and cancer causing. The problem is no one is ready to face all these advancements in technology.

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  48. I agree that e-cigarettes are better than normal cigarettes; however they are not the best for you. Many teens are now using e-cigs because they can get away with it more rather than smoking regular cigarettes. I agree with Dr. Michael B. Steinberg when he said, “The popularity is outpacing the knowledge.” People normally smoke in groups and focus on the social aspect of it rather than looking at the harmful side effects it has. Now that e-cigs have been introduced, I feel that teens who never smoked before are now using them not to quit, but for the fun of it. Even though most researchers feel that they are safer than cigarettes, more research needs to be done on them.
    Holly Parker Period 2

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  49. Stephanie Durso Period:7
    I think that e cigarettes is a better choice than traditional cigarettes. For people who smoke or are trying to quit e cigarettes is the better option. The e cigarettes provide less nicotine than normal cigarettes. Though the e cigarettes are a better option it is not in anyway a cure to stopping smoking.“E-cigarettes are not a miracle cure,” said David B. Abrams, executive director of the Schroeder National Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies at the Legacy Foundation, an anti smoking research group. “They need a little help to eclipse cigarettes, which are still the most satisfying and deadly product ever made.” Between the two ,e cigarettes is the better of the two evils

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  50. In the article "A Hot Debate over E-cigarettes as Path to Tobacco or From it" I agree with some of what they were saying and disagree. I do think that e-cigarettes are much better than regular cigarettes, but I think younger people take advantage of them. Most of the people I know in my grade has one, and most of them has them with nicotine in it. I like the choice to put nicotine in the e-cigarette or not. One of my friend has them without nicotine because she said she wanted to quit and it helped her a lot. Whenever she had a craving for the cigarette she would turn to the e-cigarette. In the article it says, "And many scientists say e-cigarettes will be truly effective in reducing the death toll from smoking only with the right kind of federal regulation — for example, rules that make ordinary cigarettes more expensive than e-cigarettes, or that reduce the amount of nicotine in ordinary cigarettes so smokers turn to e-cigarettes for their nicotine." I think that is a good rule because if we raise money on regular cigarettes, then maybe the death numbers will decrease. E-cigarettes are much better in my opinion.

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  51. I feel like e-cigarettes are a much better alternative to regular cigarettes. I know people that have quit smoking because of them, and they are much better for you health wise. If all smokers switched over to e-cigarettes I'm sure the death toll from smoking would be extremely reduced. There are none of the disgusting chemicals in the the e-cigarettes that are in regular cigarettes have. I do see the point in which it can encourage young people to smoke, but if you had to chose between them smoking e-cigarettes or regular cigarettes, I'm sure you would chose the electronic ones. It doesn't make much sense to ban things are so much better for you health than traditional cigarettes. David B Abrams said, “E-cigarettes are not a miracle cure.", which is true, but they are much better than the usual cigarette.
    Emma Salvatore
    Period 3

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  52. The author addressed the argument objectively, but provided sufficient evidence for both sides. Tavernise also mentioned other important debates within E-cigarette’s: Should people be allowed to vape E-cigarettes in public and at their workplace? Should advertising E-cigarette’s be allowed? Also, how successfully are they making people quit? I believe E-cigarettes can help smoker’s quit, and that with the right regulations will complete their intended job. The government should pass a ban over smoking E-cigarettes in public. This would eliminate the issue of smokers using E-cigarettes to get a nicotine fix and still use regular cigarettes in private, as skeptics have argued. I was surprised when I read that E-cigarettes can be advertised, as I thought that it was illegal to show any type of smoking related advertisement in the US. A ban should be placed on advertising E-cigarettes. If smokers are trying to quit, they will notice E-cigarettes next to the nicotine gum or patches, if they haven’t already heard of them. There is no reason E-cigarettes need to be advertised, except to make users more likely to buy specific companies. By advertising E-cigarettes they could turn into a cool thing for teenagers to do, ruining their credibility as a way to stop smoking. As pointed out in the article, E-cigarettes are already helping people quit. “A clinical trial in New Zealand, which many researchers regard as the most reliable study to date, found that after six months about 7 percent of people given e-cigarettes had quit smoking, a slightly better rate than those with patches.” Even if some smokers were unable to completely quit, E-cigarettes do not contain tar, making them less harmful. “Public health experts like to say that people smoke for the nicotine but die from the tar. And the reason e-cigarettes have caused such a stir is that they take the deadly tar out of the equation while offering the nicotine fix and the sensation of smoking.”

    Period 6
    Caitie Perricone

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  53. The author addressed the argument objectively, but provided sufficient evidence for both sides. Tavernise also mentioned other important debates within E-cigarette’s: Should people be allowed to vape E-cigarettes in public and at their workplace? Should advertising E-cigarette’s be allowed? Also, how successfully are they making people quit? I believe E-cigarettes can help smoker’s quit, and that with the right regulations will complete their intended job. The government should pass a ban over smoking E-cigarettes in public. This would eliminate the issue of smokers using E-cigarettes to get a nicotine fix and still use regular cigarettes in private, as skeptics have argued. I was surprised when I read that E-cigarettes can be advertised, as I thought that it was illegal to show any type of smoking related advertisement in the US. A ban should be placed on advertising E-cigarettes. If smokers are trying to quit, they will notice E-cigarettes next to the nicotine gum or patches, if they haven’t already heard of them. There is no reason E-cigarettes need to be advertised, except to make users more likely to buy specific companies. By advertising E-cigarettes they could turn into a cool thing for teenagers to do, ruining their credibility as a way to stop smoking. As pointed out in the article, E-cigarettes are already helping people quit. “A clinical trial in New Zealand, which many researchers regard as the most reliable study to date, found that after six months about 7 percent of people given e-cigarettes had quit smoking, a slightly better rate than those with patches.” Even if some smokers were unable to completely quit, E-cigarettes do not contain tar, making them less harmful. “Public health experts like to say that people smoke for the nicotine but die from the tar. And the reason e-cigarettes have caused such a stir is that they take the deadly tar out of the equation while offering the nicotine fix and the sensation of smoking.”

    Period 6
    Caitie Perricone

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  54. in my point of view i would have to say that E-cigarettes are not better for u than regular cigarettes because you smoke them more than u smoke regular cigarettes everyday. think about it, u smoke more with e-cigarettes, like every 5 seconds in a day your pressing a button and taking thousands of drags, with regular cigarettes your probably smoking less because with regular cigarettes people are smoking maybe four times a day. With E-cigs ur smoking more thatn four times a day. i think that e-cigs are very bad for u

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  55. Pat Cunningham
    Period 7
    In my opinion i think that e-cigarettes are a good investment for a smoker to make because the e-cigarettes are not as harmful to your body as normal cigarettes are. You can control the amount of nicotine that you put into the e-cigarette to try to help you quit smoking. Also the e-cigarette does not have the tar or the harmful smoke that you inhale with the normal cigarettes. In the e-cigarettes all you have is whatever amount of nicotine you put into the juice and the water vapor that is made from a burning mick and the juice. So in the long run i think that the e-cigarette is the right direction for any smoker to be traveling because they will help you get on the track to quitting smoking.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Jake S.
    Period 2
    I believe that E-Cigarettes are much better in theory currently as we do not know much about their harmful effects, if any. I feel as though more research is necessary to definitively believe that E-Cigarettes are better than regular cigarettes. Recently, I have noticed a sharp increase in E-Cigarette consumption among the BHS community which, I suppose, is better than using regular cigarettes which can create deadly second-hand smoke. However the article had some discrepancies as to whether or not the vapors are harmful. "One recent study in Germany on secondhand vapor from e-cigarettes prompted Dr. Glantz to write on his blog, “More evidence that e-cigs cause substantial air pollution.” Dr. Siegel highlighted the same study, concluding that it showed “no evidence of a significant public health hazard.”"

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  57. After reading this article i learned many news facts about e-cigs. I was not aware that nicotine is the main ingredient in e-cigs. The nicotine in regular cigarettes is the addictive agent in the cancer causing drug. Many young kids are found using e-cigs because they are said to be "not as dangerous" as normal cigarettes. In my opinion e-cigs are the gateway cigarettes to regular addictive cigarettes. Kids using e-cigs are able to get the feel of regular cigarettes and still receive affect as cigarettes. Kids are using this new piece of technology in the wrong way, e-cigs are meant to help people end their addiction by slowly weening them off of the nicotine. Instead kids are using all the nicotine and still inhaling a dangerous substance. E-cigs are no better then regular cigarettes and kids should be facing more consequences for using them.
    Michaela S
    Period 3

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  58. Ahmad Zaidi
    Period 6

    According to this article normal cigarettes have countless harmful chemicals and carcinogens which make cigarettes one of the leading causes of death. Now e cigarettes only have nicotine and few other chemicals which are not proven to be severely harmful so they are really useful in keeping people away from normal cigarettes. In my opinion e cigarettes do nothing but drive people who are using harmful and possibly even lethal cigarettes away towards a more safer alternative. So people who were using cigarettes will now just switch and it is that simple.

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  59. Alla Miller period 2
    Personally I think e-cigarettes are better than cigarettes for people who are trying to stop, if that's what they are used for. They don't have as many chemicals. But I do not think that teenagers should be using them because who knows what is really in them and I agree it can lead to teens actually smoking. I do not really see the point in them unless people are trying to stop.

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  60. I think e-cigarettes, while a step in the right direction do not have nearly enough power to stop smoking entirely. It is also difficult to predict how e-cigarettes will spread. As stated in the article, "Science that might resolve questions about e-cigarettes is still developing, and many experts agree that the evidence so far is too skimpy to draw definitive conclusions about the long-term effects of the devices on the broader population." It will be interesting to see if more people start using e-cigarettes because they are less harmful or if people will stick to what they like.
    Cassidy M. Period 6

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  61. The debate on e-cigarettes has both positives and negatives, but the truth is that there hasn't been enough studies done to really know. While I do see it as being a positive in the fact that it steps people in the right direction towards quitting actual cigarettes, but, the dangers that come with it are still unknown. Is it the best way to quit smoking, probably not. There are many other healthier alternatives that have been proven to help people quit smoking. I do, however, believe that if a person is trying to stay away from actual cigarettes and resort to using e-cigarettes that they are doing something better for themselves. Although the true negative effects are not yet known, the deadly effects of real cigarettes far outweigh the effects of e-cigarettes.
    Kevin C. Period 3

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  62. I agree that E-cigarettes are better than regular cigarettes, and also that they improve the habits of those that regularly smoke cigarettes. I is important to note that they are just an attempt at finding a solution; to critique this method is not doing any good, because in the article none of the critiques offered a useful opposition anyways. As for the teens that use E-cigs just for fun, that is a different story. These products were made to try and help those with bad smoking habits, so to critique e-cigs because they are attracting young users that wouldn't even be smoking if it weren't for this new technology, is useless as well. They weren't directly intended for teens, and so it doesn't really come as a surprise that these aren't positively impacting teens, because they were never meant to. Teens fall to peer pressure and succumb to the idea that these are better than smoking any other substance because they are less risky, and this isn't a smart idea, but its not the issue that E-cigs were created to address. They were mean to help fight the urge to smoke a regular cigarette, which contains many more harmful products while giving the smoker the same nicotine satisfaction as the much less harmful e-cig. The E-Cig isn't an answer to all the problems, but it is arrogant for the researchers to be critiquing this idea when it isn't doing any harm, and they haven't found anything better yet to replace it.
    Cara Broughal
    period 3

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  63. In my opinion I believe that e-cigs are a lot better then regular cigarettes because they don't contain the same toxins that cigarettes. In the article it said that e-cigs may be creating more of an addiction since you can have anywhere you go. I believe this creates a problem because it can start getting teens addicted to nicotine and then it may lead them to smoking actual cigarettes. I do believe that e-cigs are risky to use regularly because there isn't very much information about them. Overall, there may not be a lot of facts that are known about e-cigs, however I still believe it is a good alternative for cigarettes.
    Owen K
    per 8

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  64. I think that the purpose for e-cigarrettes is to quit smoking. It's like the pathway to being healthier, and that's the only way it should be used. But, I think the ways I see it being used personally in BHS are the wrong ways. For example, I'll be in class and someone will be smoking secretively, or in the library. And even if it's not a real cigarette, it makes me uncomfortable to be around. Also, for people to adopt smoking e-cigs without even the intent of quitting is sort of ridiculous. Teenagers have enough to focus about, like school and friends and sports, and they shouldn't even be concerned about doing e-cigarrettes. They're pointless when used incorrectly and they should not be used unless for the purpose of quitting smoking.
    Jennifer G
    Period 3

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  65. My opinion is that e-cigs and vaporizers are used effectively to quit smoking, or even to simply give the relaxation of smoking a real cigarette without all of the harmful tar and toxins. While people can put THC oils and such into the e cig or vape, the oil is not meant for the tank and can ruin it's components, wasting money. The school goes a bit overboard with its enforcement of rules regarding e-cigs. The administrators put them in the same category as tobacco when there is no tobacco involved. Its similar to saying a student chewing nicotine gum in school to help with his or her craving isnt allowed. Yes they can be obnoxious but if they were enforced with the same location rules as cell phones there wouldn't be a problem.
    Tyler M
    Period 7

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  66. While I understand that e-cigarettes may be better for people then normal ones if used properly I still have a problem with this article that is mainly reflected by the title "A Hot Debate Over E-Cigarettes as a Path to Tobacco, or From It". This article seems to state that smoking will stop due to this new and innovative invention however that is not the case. Sure, these new cigarettes eliminate the problem of tar and second hand smoke as the article stated however they do not fix the problem of addiction. I am worried that the opposite of the title will become true. With e-cigarettes people will be able to smoke anywhere. This poses an issue because there are health effects upon which people will not care about. People claim that smoking calms them but this is not true. People smoke because they give into their addictions to the nicotine and it stops them from being nervous due to withdrawal. We also don't know the long term health affects for certain. From what I have heard these e-cigarettes come in all sorts of flavors as well. Putting aside the nicotine, I have a hard time believing that all of these chemicals used for artificial flavors can stay out of your body with much success.
    Overall this is a topic that not many people know much about and I would very much like to see actual data and statistics of how companies think these new e-cigarettes will sell and what health effects they can have on a persons body.
    Shoshanna Longo
    Period 6

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  67. As long as you are using them APPROPRIATELY and they are using them to quit smoking. Because we all know that cigarettes are harmful for us and I agree that e-cigs are there to help people stop smoking. As mentioned in the story that the THC oils are put in the tank, that's stupid. Your just ruining your tank which can ruin your entire machine. BHS is showing kids that the e-cig is bad to use, and then that results in kids jumping up and smoking and showing off for the class. That's ridiculous, if BHS treated e-cigs like cellphones then we wouldn't have this problem.
    Andrews
    period 8

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  68. I believe that the idea of e cigs is great, with the idea of helping smokers, but i do not believe they have served that purpose. They are just used by kids who are looking to do tricks or look cool in front of their friends. I do not believe that they serve any real world purpose other than give a kid something to do tricks with. I feel as if they could also become boring to these kids and they may look to smoke real cigarettes or even things such as marijuana. So because of this I have to state that e cigs as they are currently being used are not serving any beneficial purpose to society, and that they have to be regulated so that only people trying to get off of smoking can acquire them.
    Mike Per 3

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  69. Jonathan W, p6

    I like the idea of e-cigarettes but only if they're used as intended, which is to help people who want to quit but can't get off the nicotine. From the research that's been done, they look like a much healthier substitute, despite still being poisonous. The biggest controversy isn't with the cigarettes themselves, but the reasons that people use them. As the article points out, "E-cigarettes could be a gateway to traditional cigarettes for young people." People could start smoking e-cigs to look cool or to try one of the flavors, so there's a chance that these cigarettes could increase the number of smokers, when it should be decreasing them.

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  70. I don't like the idea of e-cigarettes because they are being used for the wrong reasons. It is being used by teens as a seemingly safe way to smoke. As of now there aren't any long term effects known. However, there could be some discovered in the future. It could have been a helpful device, but it ended up being popular for the wrong purpose. They are an extremely helpful devic if they are used as intended.
    Joe R Period 2

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  71. I concur with the original intended purpose of e-cigarettes, which is to provide an alternative to conventional cigarettes for people who are already addicted to the nicotine. It provides an alternative that provides the user with their nicotine fix without the adverse affects of all the carcinogens contained in conventional cigarettes and without second hand smoke affecting those around them. But unfortunately I don't believe that they are being used this way in our society. Instead I feel that they are being abused by our youth and is introducing smoking to young people. They are being over glamorized by the media and are giving the wrong message to youth that this is some sort of safe alternative to starting to smoke. In addition, I believe that the e-cigarette corporations are actually targeting youth by making vapors that come in different flavors.
    Justin C Period 3

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  72. I believe that e-cigarettes is a good way for regular smokers try to brake their unhealthy habit. This option is more healthier than smoking a cigarette. Although there has been issues like people putting THC oils into the e-cigarettes. I still feel that this has more good then harm. Teens shouldnt start smoking becasue the e-cigarettes seem cool, but more for people trying to quite smoking. This is a solution for an addiction not to encourage more people to smoke. I think e-cigs was intended to be a good thing.
    Rachel C per 6

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  73. In my opinion, the original idea of the e-cigarette was a great idea, and still is for those who use it the right way. It is a great alternative for smokers, because it gives them the nicotine they crave, while getting rid of the carcinogens, and reducing second hand smoke. However, many of adolescents have taking a liking to these e-cigs, whether they have nicotine or not, and this is not a good thing. They are being wrongly advertised as some completely safe alternative, with no harmful effects, but the fact of the matter is that it can still have these effects, and many of the youthful users do not know this. The advertisers need to find a way to get the message across about the harmful effects, and when they do, I believe e-cigarettes can be an extremely effective alternative to smoking.
    Aidan D per 6

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  74. The new toy sweeping the nation in smokers, non smokers, and the adolescence of America is device called the e-cigarette. These devices we created for the soul purpose for people to help stop smoking, with the benefits of still maintaining their nicotine fix. These Devices come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors to suit your smoking preferences. the controversy being proposed in this article is that , is it safe to use e-cigs? Some say yes, because you are cutting out all the carcinogens and tar that you would get inhaling a cigarette. But others say that its not because you are still inhaling nicotine which acts as a stimulant in the human body, which is the reason why people get addicted to smoking in the first place. but the problem these e-cigs are causing is that they are causing people to smoke. with all the different fruity flavors and creative designs of these machines, its drawing attention to the public as well as underage smokers. Now the youth of america is taking interest in e-cigs and all over country kids are getting caught with them in school, and also people are finding ways to put illegal substances such as THC oil in the tanks. So now these Devices are not tools to help people stop smoking anymore. they are only encouraging them to smoke. no they may not be smoking cigarettes and constantly paying the outrageous american tobacco prices, but they are still inhaling smoke and nicotine and causing some harm to their bodies. people shouldn't smoke in the first place and if they do and would like to quit, they shouldn't turn to smoking something else to break their addiction.

    Riley O
    Period 2

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  75. E-cigs is everyone's new favorite toy. Its easy to get and with so many flavors it has become one of the most attractive things to get. However there is a discussion if its healthy or not, and its hard to say because we dont know the long term causes. A lot of people think its more healthy than smoking cigarettes, so you can say its a good replacement for that. OR is it? We dont know enough but i can tell you one thing for sure. getting smoke into your lungs is not a good thing even though people say its better than smoking cigarettes. In 20 years we might be more able to know what will happen, but the long term studies, and the long term effects are only shown after a long period of time. That is why I think we should wait. Time will show, and the discussion going on now is very divided. Doctors are even recommending this as a replacement for cigarettes, so we will see what happens.

    Christian F period 6

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  76. I like how the article addresses the goods and bads of e-cigs. E-cigs, obviously, are not as harmful as cigarettes,which is good for people who are tying to quit smoking, but that doesn't mean that they don't have any harmful effects. I don't see there being any reason for people to be using electronic cigarettes if they do not have an addiction, since we do not know much about the possible harmful chemicals inside. Overall in my opinion, e-cigs are a step in the right direction for people who are trying to quit smoking tobacco, but are bad for anybody else who is using them.
    Aodhan Dunn Period 6

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  77. I think that e- cigarettes are better than regular cigarettes, but it is not better than simply not using them all together. They should be used to decreasing the amount you take in to slow the addiction, but the problem is they are used instead of cigarettes. This defeats the purpose and i believe some modifications should be done, like decreasing the amount of harmful drugs even more, or completely.
    Evan Seward P2

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  78. E-cigarettes are for helping people quit smoking. There is no reason why people our age need to start to smoke them. They are supposed to be used to decrease your use of cigarettes, but instead they are abused by teens. Although they have a small amount of nicotine, the e-cigs can still be addicting. In the article it reads, "E-cigarettes may even prolong the habit, he said, by offering a dose of nicotine at times when getting one from a traditional cigarette is inconvenient or illegal." In addition to this I find e-cigarettes to be completely unnecessary not only because they are harmful but because they are very expensive. There are many different parts to an e-cig, and each part is expensive. It article also states that. '“E-cigarette users sure seem to be speaking with their pocketbooks,”' In my opinion I don't see much of a purpose to these e-cigarettes. To me it's just another thing little kids will start to be curious about and will want to try because of all the different flavors. I think the best thing to do is to not have them.
    Teagan Mockus
    Period 6

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  79. To me, it is very simple. People addicted to cigarettes should have full access to these as tools to assist them in quitting. People that don't have a tobacco addiction are either using them to occupy their time, join in on a fad, or use them to do smoke tricks. There's no real need for them to have an e cigarette, it's just money down the drain.
    Aaron R
    Period 6

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  80. I believe that e cigarettes can be a useful tool to help people quit smoking. However there are pros and cons to every situation. E cigarettes also have the potential to become a gateway to cigarettes. This is the major debate over e cigarettes today, “Will e-cigarettes cause more or fewer people to smoke?” In this article the author has a neutral tone on the subject and presents both sides of the argument. I believe that in this situation the pros outweigh the cons and that e cigarettes will help people more then they will harm them and that we shouldn't limit people access to them.
    Hannah Beatty pd.6

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  81. Personally, When I first heard and saw E-cigarettes, I thought they were stupid and were going to lead to people just buying them for fun. But learning of them more and more, I realize that they are very beneficial when it comes to quitting cigarettes. This article shows the positive and negative side to these things and what good they do and what bad they do. My main question is that if these e-cigarettes have been around for so long, why are they just getting popular? It seems like all of a sudden, they are the new thing to get. “Motivation to quit is up, success of quit attempts are up, and prevalence is coming down faster than it has for the last six or seven years,” said Robert West, director of tobacco studies at University College London. What he means is that now that these e-cigarettes are popular and cheap, people dont need the motivation to quit cigarettes because these electronic ones provide the same thing you would want from a cigarette, and 7 years later they are finally started to prevail. My main issue on this is that I believe E-cigarettes are beneficial to people trying to quit smoking, not just for fun. Yeah, they have flavors and different types but what reasons are provided for a nonsmoker to buy one?
    Dalton E
    Period 3

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  82. I don't think that e-cigarettes are necessarily bad for you, but I do think they can cause people that use them to be more comfortable to start smoking actual cigarettes. Also, I think that e-cigs are better off just for people that are trying to quit smoking instead of just using them for fun. A lot of teenagers these days just have them to look cool and because everyone else uses them which really isn't the right thing to do because smoking e-cigs can cause problems with smoking later on in life.

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  83. While reading the article I felt that it didn't take a stance on the issue. It talked of both sides with a little more focus on the pro side. I liked how they started off with the pro side and ended with the con side. I am quite curious why e-cigarettes have been on the market for 7 years and they're just becoming popular. Also why isn’t there a research on them? It amazes me how companies can put out products without knowing how it will affect someone. I think e-cigarettes will help lessen smoking of traditional cigarettes but I also agree with the con side. E-cigs are becoming a popular trend, especially with teens. Most of the time, the e-cigars are introducing nicotine to teens for the first time. I don't agree with how that is a gateway to smoking actual cigarettes but I don't think it's healthy either. Especially if we don't know how the vapor is affecting the user or even the environment for that matter.
    Vicky Seok Period 6

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  84. There are two different sides to this article; one that supports e cigarettes and another that thinks they are not beneficial. In my own opinion, I think e cigarettes can have the capability to lessen the amount of smokers out there, but on the other hand they create a new way for people to smoke more freely since there isn't any smoke. I also believe that it's a new way for teenagers to smoke because it appears to be "cool". Hypothetically speaking, an e cigarette can become a gateway to trying other nicotine products. As for the article, I thought that it did a good job of stating both sides of the argument on whether e cigarettes are good or not.
    Gabby White
    Period 3

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  85. The recent increase in popularity for E-Cigs has provoked a lot of debate over whether or not the devices are an effective means of therapy for those wishing to quit traditional tobacco products. The article does an excellent job of presenting multiple stances on the topic and provides a lot of viable and relevant information. E-Cigs have considerably fewer harmful ingredients than traditional tobacco products. In this sense, the E-Cigs have proven to be a healthier alternative for tobacco users. However, "Nicotine, the powerful stimulant that makes traditional cigarettes addictive, is the crucial ingredient in e-cigarettes." Because of the considerable amount of nicotine that is present within the product and because of the speed at which the nicotine is introduced into the bloodstream, the E-Cigs are not particularly effective at helping people end their addictions. E-Cigs are definitely a healthier alternative to traditional tobacco products however they are by no means healthy. If a person with no desire to quit smoking all together were to want a more health conscious alternative, then the E-Cig would be for them. However, if a smoker desires to end their addiction, then the E-Cigs is not a very good option for them.
    Iana West
    Period 2

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  86. E cigarettes were an interesting idea, but I think they were most likely intended to target younger smokers. With flavors and tastes, they are much more appealing to younger kids, and getting those kids in the habit of smoking anything is not good. However I do think that E-cigs are the right choice for people who are interested in quitting or are looking for something less harmful. i think it is important for people to understand, though, that they are not not bad for you. They still have harmful chemicals, and nicotine, the addictive part of cigarettes. For some people, e cigarettes are the right choice, and for others it may be leading them down a dark and unclear path.
    Emma P per 6

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  87. E cigarettes are a good idea in the theory that they are to get people off tobacco but in another way they still promote cigarettes because they are teaching kids that even if you can't get the real thing you can get this fake thing that is kind of like the real thing and when you get older you can buy the real thing doesn't that sound fun. So yes I think E cigarettes are good in the theory but i don't think they are ever really used as intended by the majority of people who use them. Not to mention even if they are E cigarettes supposed heather they are still putting out nicotine and getting people addicted to the drug and when they can't get the same feelings they will probably turn to actual cigarettes will hurt them much more. so on the whole i don't think they help at all.
    sam period 6

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