The dangers of electronic cigarettes: interview with Professor Alcimar Nunes Pinheiro

Professor Alcimar Nunes Pinheiro, chair of pulmonology at UFMA and president of the Josué Montello Foundation, was the guest on 'Café com Notícias' this Tuesday (24) on TV Assembleia. In an engaging interview, he addressed the controversy surrounding electronic cigarettes, which emerged as a healthy alternative to traditional cigarettes, but are now banned by Anvisa.

According to the professor, e-cigarettes were created with attractions such as flavor and aroma to appeal to young people, but they contain tobacco, which makes them just as harmful as traditional cigarettes. He pointed out that, due to the short time e-cigarettes have been used, it is not yet possible to assess their long-term effects, but it is possible to infer that they will cause the same harm.

Alcimar Nunes Pinheiro also pointed out that, despite having emerged as an alternative for those who wanted to quit smoking, e-cigarettes turned out to be a decoy, as many of them contain nicotine, an addictive substance, and tobacco. He warned that the concentration of nicotine in e-cigarettes can be even higher than in traditional cigarettes, which makes it even quicker to become addicted.

In addition, the professor spoke about the drop in smoking rates over the last 15 years and the risks for passive smokers, pointing out that passive smoking is a reality, especially in closed and air-conditioned environments, where people can be exposed to smoke from electronic or traditional cigarettes.

'Café com Notícias', presented by journalist Elda Borges, airs from Monday to Friday at 9am on TV Assembleia. To watch the interview in full, click on the link provided.