TAMPA, FL (WFLA) – With a thousand people dying every day from smoking-related illnesses, health professionals want smokers to cut back on tobacco products.
But what are their options?? It could be e-cigarettes. Kyle Kane has been trying to transition away from tobacco cigarettes to e-cigarettes. He’d like to know if it’s a safer alternative.RELATED: Study: E-cigarettes found to contain more harmful chemicals
Kane said, “It would be great if somebody would do the research, I mean the sooner we know the better.”
That’s exactly what researchers at the Moffitt Cancer Center would like to answer. They are one year into a five-year study of the effects of e-cigarettes.RELATED: Study: Teens turning to e-cigarettes to smoke pot
Dr. Thomas Brandon with the Moffitt said, “A lot of people are using e-cigarettes in order to quit smoking, but there is not a lot of information about how well that works, it is starting to emerge and it is starting to look positive.”
E-cigarettes have grown in popularity over the years. They use vapor instead of smoke to deliver highly addictive nicotine.
Dr. Brandon added, “There is really no disagreement in the scientific world that vaporing is far less dangerous than smoking that is very clear.”RELATED: Woman injured, car destroyed in e-cigarette explosion
E-cigarette user Kane welcomes the Moffitt study and whether the devices are a safer alternative to tobacco products.
Kane said, “It would be great if they’ve got something else so people could know and then maybe it will be easier for people to switch over.”RELATED: WATCH: E-cigarette explodes in man’s pocket, setting pants on fire
Ultimately, Moffitt researchers are interested in saving lives.
Dr. Brandon added, “One-third of cancer deaths are caused by smoking, that’s a huge proportion, if everyone stopped smoking we would have some extra beds at Moffitt and that would be a good thing.”
Moffitt has received $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct the study. In the next couple of months it will look for smokers who want to participate both here in the Bay area and around the country.WHAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON RIGHT NOW:
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