E-cigarettes have their own set of dangers

If you are trying to quit smoking, should you try vaping?

Just over 36 million Americans smoke cigarettes, despite evidence that tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of disease and early death.

Many times, people continue to smoke because it’s difficult to quit, according to doctor Humberto Choi of Cleveland Clinic, some folks who want to quit turn to e-cigarettes.

One recent study says e-cigarettes do not come without risks.

"In the group that used the e-cigarettes with nicotine, there was an increase in heart rate, an increase in blood pressure, and it did find a transient increase in the stiffness of the blood vessels," Choi said.

Researchers looked at a group of young adults with an average age of 26 and found that those who used e-cigarettes with nicotine not only had cardiovascular symptoms, but also asthma symptoms.

The doctor says there are still some unanswered questions about the long-term effects of e-cigarettes, but that one thing is for sure:  e-cigarettes, like regular cigarettes, deliver nicotine, just in a different way.

He says when someone is ready to quit, it's best to stick to tried and true methods, rather than turning to e-cigarettes.

"The best way is a combination of counseling, and probably one-to-one, the best way to offer the counseling. We can offer nicotine replacement therapies that can be used with gums, lozenges, patches or even a nasal spray. and also medication."

There are a lot of resources and support groups as well as a Michigan Tobacco Quitline: 1-800-784-8669 or 1-800-QUIT-NOW.