(Top Photo) Smoke in lungs: dangerous to your health
(Bottom) No smoke: battery-powered, electronic cigarette
March 24,2009WHAT IS AN E-CIGARETTE?
The e-cigarette, or "electronic cigarette," looks like a real cigarette, glows at its tip like a cigarette and contains nicotine like a cigarette. But it's not a cigarette -- it's a stainless-steel tube.
"When someone puffs on an e-cigarette, a computer-aided sensor activates a heating element that vaporizes a solution -- usually containing nicotine -- in the mouthpiece," reports San Jose Mercury News. "The resulting mist -- which comes in flavors such as chocolate and cherry -- can be inhaled. A light-emitting diode on the tip of the e-cigarette simulates the glow of burning tobacco. The device is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery."
The e-cigarette was invented in China several years ago.
"The Chinese consumed 2 trillion cigarettes in 2007," writes Dr. David Moore, a psychologist and chemical dependency professional, who writes for the New York Daily News.
"In the first 11 months of last year, their tobacco sales were up 18 percent! The result was a health system overloaded with fatalities and weakened cardiopulmonary systems. Is it any wonder that China started and still leads the world in e-cigarette marketing?"
WHAT DOES THE FDA SAY ABOUT E-CIGARETTES?
The FDA considers e-cigs "new drugs," which means they need approval from the FDA -- and that requires that claims to be backed up with scientific data. And that just hasn't happened. There are a lot of claims, but no studies with any evidence. Even though FDA officials have been quoted in numerous publications in recent weeks saying e-cigarettes must have FDA prior approval before they are allowed to be sold, they ARE being sold in the U.S. And no action is being taken to remove e-cigarettes from the market, reports Fox Business .
ARE E-CIGARETTES DANGEROUS OR SAFE?
In September, the World Health Organization warned that so-called "electronic cigarettes" are not an effective nicotine-replacement therapy and are highly poisonous.
The e-cigs, which are usually made of stainless steel, have a chamber for storing liquid nicotine in different concentrations. They produce a fine, heated mist that's absorbed into the lungs.
"There are a number of chemical additives in the product that could be very toxic," as quoted in U.S. News & World Report.
The World Health Organization is particularly concerned because some manufacturers of the devices use the WHO's name and logo in advertisements packaging.
Promoters claim e-cigs are a perfect way to quit smoking -- nicotine mist has none of the tar or other cancer-causing agents of tobacco smoke -- but has the touch and feel of smoking.
Boosters say that means the e-cigarette is better than other nicotine-delivery systems -- patches, chewing gum, aerosol sprays and inhalers. Since levels of nicotine can be adjusted, supporters say smokers can wean themselves from nicotine.
WHERE ARE THE CLINICAL STUDIES?
So, if the marketers of the electronic cigarette want to help smokers quit, how come they don't conduct clinical studies and toxicity analyses?
My guess is that they already have conducted these tests and not only do they not have evidence of safety, but probably have evidence that the opposite is true -- e-cigs are toxic and dangerous to one's health.
MOST RECENT POST ON E-CIGARETTES:
"E-CIGARETTES PROHIBITED IN NEW JERSEY PUBLIC AND WORKPLACES" CLICK HERE TO READ.
TO READ "E-CIGARETTE FOLLOW UP: INHALE THIS -- BA-BYE" CLICK HERE.
TO READ "FDA WARNS: E-CIGARETTES CONTAIN HARMFUL TOXINS, CANCER CAUSING CHEMICALS AND ANTIFREEZE COMPOUND" CLICK HERE.
TO READ "E-CIGARETTES NOT SAFE: OREGON SUES IMPORTER, PILOTS WANT TO BAN AS FIRE DANGER" CLICK HERE.
http://www.ethicsoup.com/2009/03/hey-hey-fda-whaddaya-say-are-eciga...
