Current News Regarding E Cigarettes

Last week in the Heath Day News, it was discussed as to whether or not E cigarettes are harmful. This is all over the news these days. Let us see if we can provide you with helpful information for the issue at hand.

New research mentions that there are little particles that remain in the lungs after vaping that could potentially be harmful.

“These particles have a high surface area-to volume ratio.” Thornburg stated. He is the lead investigator and senior research engineer at RTI international, which is a research institute. He mentions that he believes this could increase problems for people who suffer from asthma and similar illnesses. (http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20140507/e-cigarette-vapor-contains-potentially-harmful-particles-review)

So the idea is that with increased exposure, the particulates in the vapor have an opportunity to dissolve in your tissues and therefore encourage potential damage. With further inquiry, I looked into the article and it mentions that there were no toxic chemicals found in the two types of E-cigarettes that they studied.

“Everything we found was what the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] and others generally regard as safe,” he said, noting that the cancer-causing agents produced by burning tobacco are not present in e-cigarettes..”

On the other side of the story, as there are always at least two sides, states that recent study suggests that e-cig vapors could contain carcinogens and/or additional not so helpful ingredients. Dr. Norman Edelman who holds the position of senior medical adviser for the American Lung Association states,” “We certainly don’t believe e-cigarettes are a safe alternative. The question is whether it’s a safer alternative, and we believe those results aren’t in yet. This is a tobacco product and should be regulated by the FDA as all tobacco products should.”

For more discussion see here on the current topic of e-cigarettes and vaporizers and the FDA regulation of tobacco products.

It is known that the substances that carry the nicotine being glycerin and glycol ethers are not harmful. What is in question is the inhalation vs ingestion question. Now to quote from the other side of the issue. “Thomas Kiklas, CFO of the Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association, “All constituents [of e-cigarettes] have been in the U.S. food supply for generations and all are approved by the EPA/FDA for human inhalation and use dermally.” He also states that there have been many billions of users that have not been hurt at all.

It is a good thing that both sides of this issue are openly discussing their viewpoints. I, myself believe that there is not enough research and time that has passed yet to really make an educated decision, but I do believe that for people who smoke, the opportunity to have an e cigarette as an option to help assist the process of quitting traditional smoking is a really good choice. Especially if it works and one decides to quit all smoking or vaping altogether!

What is an E cigarettes you might ask?

“They are electronic, alternative smoking devices that simulate the sensation of smoking. They do not expose the user, or others close by, to harmful levels of cancer-causing agents and other dangerous chemicals normally associated with traditional tobacco products.”

— Craig Youngblood, president of InLife, an e-cigarette company.

“They are nicotine delivery devices intended to be used like a cigarette. What happens to someone who stops inhaling the tars of cigarettes and inhales only nicotine? We don’t know. There is at least the potential for harm.”

— Norman Edelman, MD, chief medical officer, American Lung Association

There is Norman again, giving us his take on the issue. You can view entire article at: (http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/features/ecigarettes-under-fire)

If you have been to the mall lately, you may have seen these e-cigs for sale at a kiosk. The FDA is definitely getting involved in this issue. “We have an open investigation into this issue,” FDA spokeswoman Rita Chappelle tells WebMD. “What is happening right now is FDA has reviewed several e-cigarettes, e-cigars, and e-pipes, and have refused entry of these products into the country. We acted because these products appear to require FDA approval for marketing, and have not been reviewed by the agency.”

So I am left to think, does the FDA just want to find a way to get rid of and/or have the power or regulation of something that could be helpful for some? Or is it true that there could be potentially harmful effects of e-cigarette on the human body? Or more importantly, is this a chance for big tobacco companies to gain the lead and sell these products while the small vaping companies go out of business?

• In a recent article from Vice news, they mention that any e-cig product made after 2007 must be regulated by the FDA.
• We all know in order to do just that, you have to hire professionals to do the research involved.

How does a small business do this? See the trend? “There’s no vape shop anymore if this [law] goes through,” Greg Conley, former legislative director for the Consumer Advocates for Smokefree Alternatives Association (CASAA). Greg Conley is currently the president of the American Vaping Association. He is currently working with the FDA and additional advocates to encourage the FDA to modify its regulations.

What I find interesting, is that the Mega tobacco companies can afford to put an e-cig on the market. But the little companies that are working to create an alternative seem to be suffering from all this controversy. As the Vice news states:” The fear in the vaping community is that FDA regulations would inadvertently (or purposefully, as the more radical viewpoint goes) favor the big tobacco companies’ disposable cigs, essentially bringing the independent e-cig industry to a screeching halt.” That’s what I was afraid of!

Let me also mention that there is a level of quality that is being compromised when the big tobacco comes in to push the little ones aside. “the difference between pre-loaded ‘cigalikes’ sold by Lorillard (the Blu e-cig) or Reynolds tobacco (the Vuse e-cig) and the customizable DIY mods beloved by the vape community is like the difference between instant coffee and responsibly sourced beans hand-ground and brewed with a high-end filter by a loving if pretentious barista.” I just love this analogy because I think it really describes the truth of it all.

There is so much current controversy on the issue. All you have to do is google it to see the hub-hub. I believe that supporting federal regulations can be a good idea, if and only if new rules are fairly implemented. That is it in a nutshell.