Debate over e-cigarettes is raging. Those battery-powered faux cigarettes that emit a harmless vapor rather than smoke have caused a stir around the globe, as their popularity rises but etiquette remains fuzzy.
The Independent in the UK writes that "the sudden ubiquity of e-cigarettes -- electronic substitutes for the cancer sticks of old -- is challenging our assumptions about where it is appropriate to ‘smoke.'" Is it okay, say, to light up at a restaurant or in the office?
There's no question that more and more people are puffing on the pen-shaped gadgets. According to Bloomberg, e-cigarettes will outsell conventional cigarettes by 2047.
As the EU restricts the advertising of e-cigarettes, the devices have taken off in the US, becoming a $1.7 billion market. There is an estimated 7 million users across Europe.
While a key selling point to e-cigarettes is that you can use them in places where cigarettes are banned, New York City and Chicago are now considering adding e-cigarettes to bans on smoking in bars, restaurants, and parks, reports The New York Times, and Los Angeles is considering a similar move to restrict their sales altogether.
According to the report in the Independent, Heathrow Airport just opened the world's first airport "vaping" zone, but strictly forbids all other forms of smoking in the airport, causing some confusion. Is "vaping" still considered smoking?
While government laws don't forbid e-cigarettes on airplanes, most airlines have banned the devices. But still, e-cigarette manufacturer Vapestick has published tips on how to get away with using their products during flights.
Still, health experts urge for tolerance for the cigarette look-alikes, in that switching to e-cigarettes could save millions of smokers' lives. A study published September 9 in The Lancet suggests that e-cigarettes are just as effective as nicotine patches in helping people kick the habit, with the researchers adding that may even be a more useful quitting tool, since smokers generally prefer them over patches.
But still, the jury is still out on whether the gadgets are safe or not. "Without question, e-cigarettes are safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes," Joel Nitzkin, of the American Association of Public Health Physicians told the AFP in February. "They deliver nicotine, with only the tiniest traces of other toxic chemicals." But questions remain over health hazards that we may not even be aware of yet, just like cigarettes before their damaging health effects emerged into public light.
AFP RELAXNEWS
Wed Dec 18 2013
![Do e-cigarettes make it OK to light up? Do e-cigarettes make it OK to light up?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2013-12/81387345938_295x200.jpg)
E-cigarettes can be used in places where cigarettes are banned -AFPpic
![Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723704577_RusdiMohdIsa.jpg)
Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol
Polis telah mengenal pasti seorang pemain bola sepak yang ditahan kerana membawa kerambit ke padang bola, sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol di sebuah pusat hiburan di ibu negara.
![Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723703465_TBperkeso.jpg)
Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan
Bernama dan Perkeso menandatangani MoU bagi memperluas perlindungan sosial kepada pengamal media sambilan (stringers) melalui Skim Keselamatan Sosial Pekerjaan Sendiri (SKSPS).
![RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723701143_TBastro.jpg)
RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif
RADIO 360 merentasi 11 stesen radio Astro yang boleh diakses di aplikasi SYOK termasuk Era, Sinar, Gegar, Hitz, Mix, My dan Raaga.
AWANI Ringkas: Pemain bola bawa kerambit juga suspek baling bom petrol
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
![Enam mengaku tidak bersalah culik warga China Enam mengaku tidak bersalah culik warga China](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723702959_TBMahkamahSesyen.jpg)
Enam mengaku tidak bersalah culik warga China
Sepasang suami isteri dan empat individu didakwa menculik seorang lelaki warga China untuk mendapatkan wang tebusan berbentuk mata wang kripto.
![Bursa gantung jualan singkat SP Setia Bursa gantung jualan singkat SP Setia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61722341186_BursaMalaysia.jpg)
Bursa gantung jualan singkat SP Setia
Bursa Malaysia menggantung jualan singkat SP Setia Bhd bagi baki tempoh hari ini selepas penyusutan harga yang ketara.
![MITI mula siasat duti antilambakan import gulungan rata besi disadur timah MITI mula siasat duti antilambakan import gulungan rata besi disadur timah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723697210_TBMiti.jpg)
MITI mula siasat duti antilambakan import gulungan rata besi disadur timah
MITI menjelaskan tindakan itu diputuskan selepas menerima petisyen daripada pengeluar tempatan, Perusahaan Sadur Timah Malaysia (Perstima) Bhd.
!['Nidza Afham pernah cakap mahu jadi terkenal, tapi bukan macam ini' - Kakak 'Nidza Afham pernah cakap mahu jadi terkenal, tapi bukan macam ini' - Kakak](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723700126_NidzaAfhammeningg.jpg)
'Nidza Afham pernah cakap mahu jadi terkenal, tapi bukan macam ini' - Kakak
Kakak kepada Allahyarham penyanyi Nidza Afham iaitu Irfahanie memaklumkan adiknya itu pernah berhasrat untuk menjadi penyanyi terkenal.
![Punca kematian Muhammad Nidza Afham diketahui selepas bedah siasat - KPN Punca kematian Muhammad Nidza Afham diketahui selepas bedah siasat - KPN](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723701968_TBNidzaAfham.jpg)
Punca kematian Muhammad Nidza Afham diketahui selepas bedah siasat - KPN
Polis belum dapat mengklasifikasikan kematian Muhammad Nidza Afham Mokhtar yang mayatnya ditemukan di Sungai Klang petang semalam.
![Abang ipar Nidza Afham mohon netizen henti buat spekulasi Abang ipar Nidza Afham mohon netizen henti buat spekulasi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723699828_NidzaAfhammeningg.jpg)
Abang ipar Nidza Afham mohon netizen henti buat spekulasi
Abang ipar kepada Allahyarham penyanyi Nidza Afham, Effie Amron memohon semua pihak tidak membuat sebarang spekulasi mengenai berita kematian adik iparnya itu.