LAUSR

A R T IN E D O U C E T /I S O C K WHILE GREAT STRIDES have been made in decreasing traditional cigarette smoking in the United States, a new danger is poised to reverse this advance in disease prevention. Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), also known as electronic nicotine delivery systems, have saturated the market in recent years. Nicotine is once again being made to look sexy, smart, and glamorous. The renormalization of smoking by this new technology exposes more individuals to nicotine and increases their risk for addiction and other health consequences. Efforts to regulate tobacco use are being sidelined by the big business of e-cigarettes. Advertisers claim that e-cigarettes are merely a means to quit smoking by delivering nicotine, a tobacco derivative, through a process known as vaping, although evidence supporting this proposed benefit is scant. In spite of this, in 2014, vape, defined as the inhalation and exhalation of vapor through a device such as an e-cigarette, was named the Oxford English Dictionary word of the year.1 This article presents some of the dangers of e-cigarettes, examines their potential usefulness in tobacco cessation efforts, and discusses new legislation aimed at regulating these products.