Small Good News: Bringing Big Tobacco To Its Battery-Powered Knees

In the name of transparency, yes, my late father lit one cigarette off the end of another from the time he was twelve until nine months before he died of lung cancer at sixty-five, so, no, I am not objective when it comes to tobacco.
On the other hand, the companies that push nicotine make it so easy for me to vent; over 40 years after the first health warnings, they're still looking for ways to build their customer base, still dismissing the latest research, still pursuing my lovely, clean-breathing daughter, all of her friends, and all of their younger siblings.
The latest gimmick is the electronic cigarette. Yes, the bipolar tobacco industry, which pretends it wants you to stop smoking even as it invents new ways to keep people hooked, has invented a plastic tube that looks like a cigarette, delivers nicotine like a cigarette, and runs on a battery--supposedly to keep the user from inhaling some less life-affirming ingredients. Companies with names like NJoy and Smoking Everywhere say that a customer gets water vapor, nicotine and propylene glycol, and not much else. Think of it as a kinder, gentler cigarette.
Even though the Food and Drug Administration found that some of the nineteen varieties of cartridges it analyzed happened also to hold nitrosamines, which cause cancer.
Even though one cartridge contained diethlyene glycol, an ingredient found in your car's anti-freeze.
Even though the darned things are produced in, yep, China, home of lead-paint toys and other examples of questionable quality control.
Even though flavored varieties include cherry and bubblegum, and would you like to guess what age group the marketing gurus are pursuing with those?
The glimmer of hope, here, is that the FDA has decided that these little gizmos qualify as drug delivery devices, and as such should not be allowed in the U.S. The dark side is that our beloved internet knows no physical boundaries, so products we turn away at our physical borders still show up online, and then in our mailboxes. And of course there's a tussle brewing over whether seizures are even legal, so in the meantime the techno-smokes continue to show up in malls, where your kids sometimes hang out with money in their pockets and no parental supervision.
The cigarette industry people say what they've been saying as long as there's been negative research about smoking: The studies are too small to be meaningful, and they would never, ever go after the kid market. The FDA, clearly not buying, has not yet said whether it intends to ban or seize more shipments, but one can always hope.
Or we can get really noisy and complain, because right now www.fda.gov wants to know what we think about tobacco regulations; there's a link right on the home page so that you can make your voice heard. Don't depend on your addicted friends to say, Wow, not nerdy at all, a little plastic faux ciggie with which I can wean myself from some if not all of the toxic aspects of my habit. Give them a hand. Weigh in. Complain about smokes in whatever form troubles you the most, and help this country develop a real drug policy.
As I wrote that, I thought of all the people who are going to say I'm out of line - the ones who protest when apartment buildings extend the smokeless ban to private residences as well as public spaces, or cities revoke smoking privileges in bars and even outdoor dining areas. What can I say? I have no sympathy for an industry that exists primarily because it's wealthy enough to take on and trounce all comers. Forget my dad, though I find that impossible to do, even decades after the fact: There's a digital tote board in west Los Angeles that logs tobacco-related deaths each year, and it rolls up to six figures with lightning speed.
You're a web fan or you wouldn't be reading this: Go make some good news for yourself; log on to the FDA site and tell them just how you feel about a business that kills not only its customers but unlucky second-handers who spend too much time with those customers. They've asked for our input. Let's make sure they hear us good and loud.

Visit www.karenstabiner.com or write to Karen at [e-mail].

Comments

[kareall]

I'm a 30 year smoker (almost 2 packs a day) and E-Cigarettes have gotten me off the tobacco habit where nothing else has ever worked. I'm wondering, Ms. Stabiner if you tried talking to anyone that actually USES these devices? This piece seems to be very one sided for sure. I'm over 50 and enjoy the bubblegum flavor thank you very much!

Please talk to some e-cigarette users, you'll be very surprised if you did.

[Sar-Sar]

If you are a smoker and reading this blog to learn if personal vaporizers could be useful to you, you are probably very discouraged by the irresponsible writing of Ms Karen. Please do not give up, seek out more information. Just today, the Washington Times published a completely opposite view on electronic cigarettes. Written by Dr. Elizabeth M. Whelan, it is available at:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/06/fda-smoke-screen-on-e-cigarettes/

There are other links in the comments section of this blog entry. Please read what you can. If you are a smoker, your life could depend on it.

[rozane]

Rather than cigarette i think the smoking cessation drug champix is the best option.Champix adopts a unique mechanism to fight nicotine addiction. Only Champix targets the receptors in the brain responsible for nicotine addiction. Its active ingredient Varenicline acts as a nicotine receptor antagonist. Champix Varenicline attaches itself to the nicotine receptors in the brain and stimulates them. Thus Champix imitates the effect of nicotine and dupes the brain into thinking that it has received its dose of nicotine.

[Sar-Sar]

In US, Champix is marketed unser the brand name of Chantix. The FDA released the following warning about the drug:

"Serious neuropsychiatric symptoms have occurred in patients taking Chantix. These symptoms include changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal ideation, and attempted and completed suicide."

Source: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm106540.htm

Notice the term "completed suicide" -- translated it means that people die. That is not only smoking cessation, it is also breathing cessation!

Can you please explain how Chantix could possibly be a better option than puffing harmless vapor?

[tangmonk]

Wouldn't a "real" reporter, after having been presented with so much information that's obviously new to her, say "Wait a minute! There's much more to this story than I had originally known!" And then diligently pursue all of the facts and report those as well?

[Sar-Sar]

And the hand, having writ, moves on...

Karen already did the damage. I don't think she is interested in digging deeper into these issues. Too bad.

Cronkite who? Turning in his what?

[Duner]

Uhh..I dont think you understood the point I was making. The begining of your initial post was great. Especially concerning Goverment.
But then you yourself made a sly threat to someone who MAY want to use a e cig..IE "dont expect me to pay for your health care".
Seems to me you share their views on the matter dont it?? Isnt that what the "evil Queen Bee" would do?? You want to decry goverment or not????

I dont know what Kiosk in the mall you visited,but Ive never seen e cigs advertised that they dont contain nicotine.The ones in the "mall" tend to have alot of things in common. Like a high price tag for one.And they have to use one on one selling to move $100-$150 starter kits!
If you read the toxicology reports that are already available on E cigs,you will find that 2 of these 3 nasty,cancer causing agents the FDA is screaming about,are in concentrations about 1200% LOWER than whats in a conventional cigarette (about the same as nicorette gum and patches). And the FDA also didnt find the other 4000 chemicals in a real cig.Oh and lets not forget the "your not inhaling burnt things".
The 3rd chemical they found (but didnt bother to say HOW MUCH),was found in ONE cart by ONE manufactuer.
So whats the bottom line here? A exclusive E cig smoker is more than likely going to have less instances of smoking related illness.

[JKH1948]

I'm sure some poeple don't have the brains God gave them. Or they are ignorant enough to believe whatever the current goverment tells them.
Want some truth and not propoganda use the link.

http://www.getvapure.com/news/fda-exposed-alarmist-attitude-and-double-standard-in-ecig-testing/

I, by the way, do not smoke but know serveral people who use these things. They all report how they feel better. One is a guy who use to use a Nebulizer every night after a tobacco smoking day, who has pretty much eliminated it from his end of the day routine.
The ecig is less dangerous than the cigarette and will save lives and WHO IN GODS NAME COULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

[Sar-Sar]

Keren, in the comments section you used the word "palinized" which brought me to another blog you wrote, a call to action for women:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karen-stabiner/dont-skirt-the-issue-wome_b_125428.html

Few words jumped out: "... politician who wants to take away your right to choose." I have always supported women's reproductive rights. Not because I am pro-abortion, but because I think a woman will make better decision than government ever could.

But don't you think it is hypocritical for you to insist that you can choose for yourself when it affects you, but the government should decide for me if I will be allowed to use electronic cigarette? For me, the e-cigarette was the tool that aborted my use of tobacco and thousands of chemicals that were making me ill. But here you call on people to write to FDA to take my right to choose away from me. How can you remain on the wrong side of this?

[1amongmany]

The myriad of flavor choices came about because of consumers demands, not because the manufacturers wanted to appeal to children. There are many adults who want fruit and candy flavors. The e-cig manufacturers and suppliers don't have to market anything to anyone much less children. Currently demand exceeds supply.

As to proscription only, while it's not a problem for some, many who would have switched simply won't. If you want to get at the tobacco companies having these as readily available to current smokers as their regular cigarettes is the way to go. Some determined children will gain access to "adult only" items. They always have and always will, but I don't see why other adults should be penalized because some parents do not properly supervise their children.

My 10yr old can legally purchase Nicorette, fruity flavors and all. He cannot walk into the mall and buy an e-cig. The kiosk won't sell to anyone under 18. To purchase online, he would have to take my credit card or steal one. Should either happen, well my issues are far beyond e-cig use at that point. If my child wanted nicotine, the easiest route to go is the gum, on par safety wise with the e-cigs. I'm not saying the e-cigs have to be sold in the open, but I don't see why anyone objects to having similar sales restrictions as cigarettes or alcohol.

For the record, my 80yr old grandmother uses apple and cherry.

[Sar-Sar]

Well said! But there are other problems with having e-cigarettes available only via prescription. The country is already having way too expensive health care system. This would increase the cost of our health care even more. And it sends out really wrong signal: this product is so much more dangerous than your standard tobacco cigarettes that you actually need prescription for it! And we know that is not true.

[daniel2828]

Here here, Thank you for calling her out. This woman needs to go back to college and learn that journalism is about digging for the truth.

[BigJimW]

Karen,

If you want to see the real story behind the electronic cigarette, I suggest checking out the Moonport Pressroom that has been gathering news stories pro electronic cigarettes.

http://moonport.org/blog/index.php?blog=1

Unfortunately the truth to the matter does not have the big pockets like the FDA does to control what the people read by manipulating the mass media like the FDA did. It is here you will see the truth.

[aspelling]

Have you ever thought that PROMOTING use of cigarettes is actually a good thing?
The average lifespan of the population would shorten and there will be less burden on Social Security fund.
Also: smart people with a strong will are going to have a longer lifespan. Isn't it great?
This could be especially helpful in the developing countries like China or Russia. It will help them to keep their population younger and more productive.

[randomuser33]

Was any research done for this article or were the 'whos', 'whats', and 'whys' just dreamed up by a conspiracy theorist?

The 'bipolar tobacco industry' created electronic cigarettes? Really? Please name your source. And please, name the tobacco industry's member or members that did the actual creating. Was it the big, bad tobacco-man in the sky?

"The cigarette industry people say what they've been saying as long as there's been negative research about smoking: The studies are too small to be meaningful,..." Which cigarette industry people are you referring to?

Yes, some e-cigarettes, if not most, are manufactured in China. People however do not inhale e-cigarettes, they inhale the liquid that is used to fill the cigarette. Just as people who smoke pipes do not inhale the pipe, they inhale whatever they choose to put inside the pipe.

There are many manufacturers of e-liquid, a consumer need only do a little research. A UK brand for instance contains only food grade ingredients from within the UK. Nicotine, Ethyl maltol, Glycerol and deionized water. How many ingredients are in actual cigarettes?

I'm also quite tired of the 'for the children argument'. Edible underwear and massage oils come in bubblegum and cherry flavors; does that mean that they are being marketed to children? Should we ban them? Maybe the writer of this article can give examples of flavors exclusively for adults. Onion & garlic perhaps?

[gimbler]

Good comment. I too am tired of the "for the children" argument regarding e-cigs.

[Sar-Sar]

Karen, since most of the media is repeating many of the opinions you voiced about electronic cigarettes, it would be great to also point out some expert opposing views.

A group of prominent doctors and tobacco researchers, including Dr. Michael Siegel at the Boston University School of Public Health, Dr. Joel Nitzkin of the AAPHP Tobacco Control Task Force, and Dr. Brad Rodu, Endowed Chair, Tobacco Harm Reduction Research University of Louisville, challenge the FDA’s Alarmist Attitude Toward the Devices. Their press release is available at:

http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2009/07/prominent-tobacco-researchers-expose.html

http://www.earnedmedia.org/inlife0727.htm

Please post this information, help repair the damage.

[Sar-Sar]

Karen, of course you are not alone in your views. Your views are shared by some great journalists as can be seen in the following newscast about electronic cigarettes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kblg-GJuYd0

That the Huffington Post is giving you this platform to speak from is a sign that liberals are breaking the divide and welcome opposing views.

Cronkite who?

[kareemachan]

In case it doesn't show up from your above posting, who do YOU work for, anyway?

[Sar-Sar]

I can assure you that I don't work for tobacco or FDA or any organization that may have even remote interest in these things.

But I do have to admit that my motivation of posting here is self-interest and desire to survive. I have been a smoker for many years and tried many different ways to stop smoking. The only thing that worked for me was the electronic cigarette. I am well-educated, I am an adult, and I feel that I am competent enough to pick what is better for me: electronic cigarette or tobacco cigarette. I do not want the government to make this choice for me.

[BigJimW]

Karen, the FDA lied to the American people and it counted on reporters like you to spread that. Make no mistake, the FDA held on that "report" about electronic cigarettes for over 2 months before making it public. And the only reason it did so was because of a pending decision regarding a lawsuit that NJoy/Smoking Everywhere vs the FDA has going on in Federal Court.

A study in New Zealand last year did not come up with any of the trace elements of carcinogens that this so called FDA "report" came out with.

It is so obvious as to what the FDA is trying to accomplish (remove e-cigs and get people back to smoking the real things) that even the NON smokers I've talked with see through it. Eventually it will backfire and destroy the FDAs reputation and credibility (not like they had much to begin with).

When you sit back and think about how much $$$ was lost to these things, you will have an understanding as to WHY they want to remove electronic cigarettes from the market altogether. And smear the reputation.

I too feel your pain in losing a loved one to cancer. I lost my dad to it back in '95. For me I am in the hurt locker as a smoker. If there is something in these things that are bad for me, my body has yet to alert me to it. That is saying something.

[gimbler]

I can see that you've participated in the comments below and I think that's commendable. I can understand where you're coming from emotionally. But, it looks to me like you first wrote from your "gut" without getting all the facts. I hope you'll write a follow up to this article from a more informed perspective.

E-cigarettes are not a "big tobacco" product, there is no "plastic tube" and they're not marketed to children or even non-smoking adults. As someone who has smoked for 36 years this product has been a miracle for me. I have no desire for a tobacco cigarette. I do not feel deprived or nervous. If it weren't available I have no doubt that I would return to traditional cigarettes. For some of us the ritual of smoking has as much if not more of a hold on us than the nicotine itself. If willpower and nicotine replacement were enough for every smoker why would anyone still smoke?

Adults enjoy flavors. How many flavored alcohols are there? As for the device itself - I don't see how it's any more of a "medical delivery device" than my Mr. Coffee. I can choose to brew caffienated coffee or decaf. I can choose to use nicotine or no-nicotine with my e-cigarette. I don't need a prescription to buy Marlboros. I shouldn't need one to buy an e-cigarette.

Electronic cigarettes may be banned. Traditional cigarettes will still be legal. Big Tobacco wins. We lose.

[kareemachan]

Would you use a bubble-gum flavored one?

[bewzer]

i wouldnt, but i do have watermellon, grape, blueberry etc

[gimbler]

My current favorite is butterscotch. I've always been a fan of butterscotch. I've never been a big bubble gum fan - even as a child. I imagine the reverse is true for some other adults. My seven year old grand-daughter would turn her nose up at both butterscotch and bubblegum - - - in CANDY form. Should I freak out if someone comes up with a grilled portabella flavored cartridge juice?

How ridiculous is it that this discussion is now down to "flavors"?