Electronic Cigarettes Feared To Be A Cancer Risk

By Ainul Farahana Chik Lid KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- Experts on cancer are of the opinion that the habit of smoking liquid nicotine or electronic cigarette may lead to deadly diseases, namely cancer. National Cancer Society (NCSM), Cancer Screening Centre, chief medical officer, Dr Dalilah Kamaruddin said liquid nicotine inhaled from an electronic cigarette, has the same properties as nitric acid. She said the acid is a chemical catalyst in the occurrence of cancer in the human body. "Moreover, you cannot use liquid nicotine no matter how small the dosage, for fear that its absorption into the blood stream may produce mutations which create chemical imbalance in the cells, besides containing glycerin. "In fact vapourised nicotine is similar to nitric acid which may trigger cancer," she told Bernama when contacted Friday. Dr Dalilah was commenting on a statement by Malaysia's Health Minister Dr S. Subramaniam on Wednesday, advising shisha and vapour users to stop using the products temporarily until its risk to users are announced in two months. The ministry is currently in talks with various agencies and relevant authorities to gather views on the effects of electronic cigarette usage. Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (FOMCA) secretary-general, Paul Selvaraj in supporting the government's proposal said consumers' excuse of turning to electronic cigarette to save money was unreasonable. "We should look at it in terms of health rather than cost. If you want to save money but neglect your health you are certainly going to spend more when you fall sick," he said. Meanwile a Bernama survey around Kampung Baru, a Malay enclave in central Kuala Lumpur here Friday revealed that generally users will not stop vaping as long as the results are not released. A public relations officer from Shah Alam (in Malaysia's Selangor state), Saiful Hazim Abdul Razak, 29, when met said he would not stop using electronic cigarettes even if he was aware that the substance in the vapour was harmful. He uses the 'Mod Zero Geeco' electronic cigarette which he purchased online at US$29 (RM120). "I will not quit. Besides I only smoke occasionally as I am not a heavy smoker. I think it is actually safer than the regular cigarettes," he said, adding that he enjoyed the 'sirap bandung' flavour. Sirap bandung is a Malaysian popular drink consists of evaporated milk flavoured with rose cordial syrup, giving a pink colour. A technician from Manjung, Perak state, Shafiq Ali, 24, who is a heavy smoker also said that he would not stop even though he is not addicted to vapour as it does not deliver the same kick as real cigarettes. Syafiq, who has been a smoker since his schooldays, is willing to spend US$122 (RM500) on vapour merely to follow the trend. Meanwhile Mohd Luqman Hashim, 26, from Cheras said he started on electronic cigarettes as an excuse to quit the tobacco habit. "I've stopped smoking cigarettes for five months now, since I turned to vaping. For me it is much safer than smoking," he said. -- BERNAMA