Researchers at Aberdeen University will host a discussion on the pros and cons of e-cigarettes next week.
At the first Cafe Med event of 2016, research fellow Heather Morgan and senior clinical lecturer Dr Steve
Turner will present findings on the rise in e-cigarette use alongside its social and medical effects.
Although it has been claimed that using e-cigarettes is far less harmful than traditional smoking methods, it will be another 10 or 20 years until thorough investigations are complete.
Dr Turner said: “Because e-cigarettes have only just hit the market in the last three or four years, it’s hard to determine the long term effects of e-cigarettes.
“There are many questions we won’t know for 10 or 20 years.”
Dr Turner, who is interested in creating a smoke-free bubble around children, however, has identified that e-cigarettes can play a big part in harm reduction.
He said: “For smoking parents who live in tenements and high storeys, they can’t always go outside to smoke so with e-cigarettes the children aren’t exposed to the smoke from cigarettes.
“This wouldn’t make difference to an unborn child though as they still contain nicotine and if you look at the blood supply to the baby in real time while the mum is smoking, the blood vessels narrow.”
Monday’s free talk, No Smoke Without E-cigarettes, will be held at the Suttie Centre Lecture Theatre, Forsterhill from 6pm.