For those thinking that they might be doing less harm with e-cigarettes than regular ones, they might want to think again. As a matter of fact, there’s a new report that says e-cigarettes are no better for you and your health than normal cigarettes, and especially if you smoke them near small children.

According to Smart Parenting, a lot of parents ask this same question: is smoking e-cigarettes a safer alternative to tobacco? New research says you shouldn’t bet your money on it. Thankfully, there are less people smoking cigarettes these days (mostly because of health concerns and the rising cost of a pack of cigarettes), but smoking the "fake kind" can be just as bad, if not addicting.

Even though a lot of people pick up the habit of smoking e-cigarettes thinking that they are doing themselves and their health a favor, that’s not the case at all. Electronic cigarettes – which are battery operated devices that look like cigars and even act like one too – aren’t all that safe. Yes, the majority of toxic chemicals found in tobacco smoke are absent in e-cigarette vapor. But at the same time, E-cigarette vapor potentially contains harmful substances not found in tobacco smoke.

E-cigarette juice contains five ingredients: propylene glycol, glycerin, water, nicotine, and flavorings like cinnamon, strawberry. And while you would think that wouldn’t be a threat to your health, new research states that there is a link between the flavorings and cell damage in the blood vessels and the heart even when they do not contain nicotine.

According to the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology inhalation of these chemicals could damage the lungs, even for passive smokers or second-hand smokers. In other words, if you are smoking an e-cigarette next to a child, you are damaging their health as much as your own.

Jessica Fetterman, lead study author at Boston University School of Medicine put it this way, “The loss of nitric oxide is important because it has been associated with heart disease outcomes like heart attacks and strokes.”

Also, some chemicals in e-cigarettes can irritate the airways in your lungs. Of course, no one is going to tell you to put your e-cigarette down or to cut down on the habit altogether. But if you want to do what’s best for you and your family, pick up a healthier habit to chew on instead. Can we suggest carrot sticks?

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