At times over the past century, certain revolutionary technological advancements have resulted in new consumer goods that disrupted the product landscape so quickly and significantly, that our language struggled to catch up. The term ‘mechanized horse’ was used frequently in the early days to describe the automobile, and the term ‘smartphone’ is still widely accepted and used but seems antiquated and inaccurate given the large list of functions we perform on these devices.
More often than not, misnomers like this are harmless. But sometimes improper labels can become more than just a matter of semantics - they can affect public policy and national health.
This is currently the fate of the “electronic cigarette.” Despite the product’s name, it is not a cigarette at all. Unlike “traditional” cigarettes, their electronic “counterparts” do not contain tobacco leaves meant for combustion. Rather, they are simply nicotine delivery devices. While e-cigarettes are not currently sold, marketed or regulated as smoking cessation products, they are used mostly by people who are desperate for an alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes.
