Vaping has come of age it seems – at least according to the Oxford Dictionaries. The word “vape”, which is synonymous with electronic cigarette use, has been selected as the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year 2014.
So what is vaping, and what are the health risks? Vaping does after all mimic cigarette smoking, and in many cases involves the harmful substance tobacco.
Risk Bites covers the basics with this short video on electronic cigarettes and health:
Further information on e-cigarettes and health:
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cigarette
A Harmful Cigarette: MTSG, March 19 2013. http://www.mindthesciencegap.org/2013/03/19/a-harmless-cigarette/
e-Cigarettes. JAMA, January 8 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.279164
Health Impacts of Vaping
FDA web page on electronic cigarettes: http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/publichealthfocus/ucm172906.htm
FDA Evaluation of E-Cigarettes (May 4 2009). http://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/scienceresearch/ucm173250.pdf
WebMD: E-Cigarettes: Expert Q&A With the CDC. http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20131112/e-cigarettes-cdc
WebMD: E-Cigarettes: Separating Fiction From Fact. Jan 3 2014. http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20140103/e-cigarettes-separating-fiction-from-fact
Washinton Post (March 24 2014) Do e-cigarettes help people quit smoking? New study raises doubts http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/03/24/do-e-cigarettes-help-people-quit-smoking-new-study-raises-doubts/
Notes from the Field: Electronic Cigarette Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011–2012. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6235a6.htm?s_cid=mm6235a6_w
Secondary Exposure to E-cigarette Emission Might be Harmful to Health. FDA Advisory No. 2013-015. June 26 2013. http://www.fda.gov.ph/advisories/food/80233-fda-advisory-no-2013-015
Secondhand vapor from e-cigarettes contains nicotine but not other toxins: study. Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/03/us-e-cigarette-idUSBREA020K820140103
Metal and Silicate Particles Including Nanoparticles Are Present in Electronic Cigarette Cartomizer Fluid and Aerosol. Williams et al. PloS One March 20 2013. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057987 http://dx.doi.org/1 0.1371/journal.pone.0057987
Nicotine Side Effects. Drugs.com. http://www.drugs.com/sfx/nicotine-side-effects.html
How Toxic is Nicotine? Think Big October 18 2013. http://bigthink.com/experts-corner/nicotine-is-not-as-toxic-as-we-think
Evaluating the harm caused by nicotine products. Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs. http://drugscience.org.uk/external-resources/nicotine-mcda-briefing/
Regulation of Vaping and e-Cigarettes
Proposed new regulations from FDA:
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm394667.htm
New York Times (April 24 2014) F.D.A. Will Propose New Regulations for E-Cigarettes http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/health/fda-will-propose-new-regulations-for-e-cigarettes.html?_r=0
Regulations expected soon on e-cigarettes. Sacramento Bee, January 10 2014. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/10/6062228/regulations-expected-soon-on-e.html
Awaiting FDA, states pursue their own e-cigarette rules. Washington Post, October 19 2013. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/10/29/awaiting-fda-states-pursue-their-own-e-cigarette-rules/
The E-Cigarette Industry, Waiting to Exhale. New York Times, October 26 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/27/business/the-e-cigarette-industry-waiting-to-exhale.html
In One Of His Last Acts As Mayor Of New York City, Michael Bloomberg Bans E-Cigarettes In Public. Business Insider December 31 2013. http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-city-e-cigarette-ban-2013-12
Forward about three minutes in to hear from Prof. Peter Hajek, who needs no introduction to those involved in smoking research.
Regulation is a solution in search of a problem and nothing more. The fact is that despite numerous attempts to bash e-cigs they have not been found to be harmful. What has been found and no the jury isn’t still out, is that they do in fact help people stop smoking. So are they a problem? Nope they are a solution! So instead of treating them as a problem and looking for a solution why not treat them as the solution to a major problem?
People will ask, why not regulate? Well because there is no problem and regulations will add costs and make it more difficult for people to make the switch to a healthy alternative to cigs. Yes they are healthy. How do I know? Because they have helped my health. From two packs of cancer sticks a day to ZERO smoking. Tell me that isn’t healthy. Also none of the studies have shown anything that isn’t healthy about them. The flavorings and the liquid used have all been tested and found safe. Is nicotine a toxin? Sure just as caffeine is. Given a high enough dose they can kill you. Can you OD from an e-cig? Nope you can’t. And recent studies have not shown that nicotine on it’s own is addictive or dangerous in the doses that you get from e-cigs.
No we don’t need regulations, there is no problem here, only a solution!