Electronic Cigarette News

Mike Siegel: FDA Warns Smokers Against Using Electronic Cigarettes Because Unlike Tobacco Cigarettes, Their Risks are Not Precisely Known
Mike Siegel: Further Analysis of FDA Warning on Electronic Cigarettes: What is the Agency Saying to Smokers Who Have Quit Using E-Cigs and Tried NRT Unscuccessfully in the Past?
CTFK, ACS, AHA, ALA policy on e-cigarettes (as of June, 2011) protects cigarette and drug industry markets at expense of truth, human rights, consumer health and public health.
CTFK, ACS, AHA, ALA policy on e-cigarettes (from April, 2010 to June, 2011) advocated banning e-cigarettes to prevent smokers from reducing cigarette disease risks, and opposed banning e-cigarette sales to minors.
Alaska Senate approves legislation (HB 224) banning the selling and giving of any product containing nicotine (including e-cigarettes, eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, cauliflower, green pepper, teas, herbs and spices, but not FDA approved NRT marketed by drug companies) to any minor under 19 years, sent to governor.
The Nicotine Content of Common Vegetables
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199308053290619
Dietary Contributions to Nicotine Body Burden
European Food Safety Authority proposes limits on nicotine in teas, herbs and spices
Kansas legislation (HB 2324) to ban e-cigarette sales to minors amended and approved by Senate, House concurs, sent to governor.
Vermont legislation (H 747) to ban e-cigarette sales to minors and ban use of cigarette rolling machines for commercial purposes approved by Senate, sent to governor.
NY Assembly Codes Committee amends legislation (AB 9044) that would ban e-cigarette sales to minors.
NY Senate Health Committee amends legislation (SB 2926) that would ban e-cigarette sales to minors.
Note that SB 9044 and SB 2926 were identical before being amended, and are identical after being amended.
Mike Siegel: Cohasset (MA) May Ban Vaping in Public Places to Protect Kids from Seeing People Trying to Quit Smoking
Saugus (MA) Board of Health hears about proposed tobacco ban (that would also ban e-cigarette use in workplaces)

http://www.itemlive.com/articles/2012/05/08/news/news19.txt

Are Electronic Cigarettes Harmful?

Good question.  The answer is; there is nothing that is harm free.  Cars are not safe for instance, but they are safer with seat belts and air bags.  Eating fast food can be harmful if you eat it often enough, but it is better if you don’t “super size it”.  So the question of harm with electronic cigarettes comes down to degrees.  And it should not be compared to absolute safety, but rather in comparison to it’s counterpart; tobacco cigarettes.

Burning tobacco creates over 4000 chemicals which are then inhaled into the lungs.  Electronic cigarette vapour consists of propylene glycol, glycerin, water, and flavoring.  If you google propylene glycol you will see various opinions about it’s harmfulness, but the truth is that it is approved for use in food, cosmetics, and prescription and over the counter drugs.  It seems unlikely that Health Canada or the FDA would approve the chemicals found in tobacco smoke for use in food.  Can you imagine if carbon monoxide was approved for use in your toothpaste?

So when deciding what is best for you, do the research and make an informed decision.  And remember, smoking kills about half of it’s users prematurely.  Electronic cigarettes have not killed anyone to date.  This is not a claim to it’s safety or efficacy, but it is a fact.

Lorillard Tobacco Purchases Blu ECigs

It may be the first of many big deals in the e-cigarette world.  Lorillard has acquired Blu ECigs for $135 million.  Tobacco companies are flocking to the e-cigarette in the United States, ever since the FDA lost their court battle with NJoy and the e-cigarette was categorized as a tobacco product (rather than a pharmaceutical which was what the FDA was fighting for). It is a natural fit for already established tobacco companies who will now hopefully entice their customers to the better option; electronic cigarettes.

In Canada, the electronic cigarette is not considered a tobacco product, but rather falls under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of Canada provided it contains nicotine.  And as such, must be sold in pharmacies as other drugs in it’s category are sold.  To date no company has submitted the necessary paperwork and testing to market any electronic cigarettes in Canada that contain nicotine.

Even though Canadians can not get their nicotine via an electronic cigarette, they can still use them.  Many companies, such as this Canadian electronic cigarette company  market their products to smokers.  The vapour production and feeling of smoking does not diminish without nicotine.  And for those smokers bent on the continued use of nicotine, there are many nicotine products available in Canada such as nicotine gum, the patch, and smokeless tobacco.

 

Vaping In Public

Electronic cigarettes have become so popular among smokers from different walks of life. The companies manufacturing these cigarettes claim that people can smoke anywhere and everywhere and especially, in non smoking areas. The question is, is this true? In principle, it is true because electronic cigarettes are not known to produce any smoke but rather vapor which is not harmful to individuals in close proximity to the smoker. Consequently, unless the local government or the state where one comes from has specific laws that prohibit electronic smoking, you can enjoy it at your own leisure. From a legal perspective though, this should not be the case.

Restaurant and bar owners though have the right to ask patrons not to use these cigarettes within the premises of their building and this is because a large number do not understand what an electronic cigarette is. As such, they assume that it has the same effects as tobacco smoking which not only creates smoke, haze, nasty smell and other effects.

For the purpose of avoiding conflict therefore, when in non smoking areas, it is advisable to consult with the management first. Before attempting to use the electronic cigarettes, it is advisable to talk with the manager. If they don’t understand the features, explain it to them and how it works. Let them know that you do not run the risk of polluting the air with harmful toxins. Whether or not they give you the go ahead to smoke, you will have educated them on the electronic cigarette technology.

The other option for using your electronic cigarette in non smoking areas is using it without the knowledge of the management. In this case, you can hide the cigarette in one hand and blow vapor down the shirt. Use it as sparingly as possible in order to avoid detection. The only setback to this technique is once discovered you run the risk of getting thrown out of the establishment.

2 for 1 On eGo-T E-Cigarette Kits!

We came across a fantastic deal on eGo-T kits for Canadians.  The eGo-T is a great model of e-cigarette.  It has a larger capacity battery that will last most users about 2 days.  Rather than a cartridge it uses a tank system to hold the e-liquid.  This helps evenly feed the e-liquid to the atomizer producing large amounts of consistent vapour.  And to further help with vapour production, the eGo-T uses push button activation which allows the user to hold the button down longer for more vapour.

ego-T e-cigarette

2 eGo-T E-Cigarettes

The eGo-T kit comes with 2 full e-cigarette; 2 batteries and 2 atomizers, as well as a charger and 5 filled tank cartridges.  The current deal we found gives you 2 full kits for the price of one.  Just visit deal on eGo-T  e-cigarettes for more details!

Exploding E-Cigarette Battery

In a recent news story on NBC, it was reported that an electronic cigarette battery exploded while being used.  It caused serious injury’s to the man and started a fire in the man’s home.  The question is; are electronic cigarettes safe and how often does this happen?

Consider that there are millions and millions of e-cigarette users worldwide.  That translates to billions of individual uses over the past approximately 7 years since the e-cigarette hit the market.  In that time this is the first case of personal injury reported.  Those are pretty good stats.  So what happened to cause this particular battery to explode?  The answer appears to be mods.  Mods or modifications are home made changes to the electronic cigarette.  Some users attempt to get more power, longer battery life, and more vapor production by changing the stock batteries out with bigger and stronger batteries.  Although it is not confirmed that this is what happened, the evidence so far points to that very conclusion.

E-Cigarette Mod

E-Cigarette Mod

The other potential cause of e-cigarette battery explosions is from using batteries with chargers that are not necessarily meant to work together.  Chargers and batteries can have different voltages and outputs which can cause issues.

So to avoid having issues with your hardware, follow these tips:

1) Don’t mod anything.  Use as directed with the parts provided by your supplier

2) Don’t mix and match different parts from different suppliers.  They may seem compatible, but may cause problems.

3) Don’t leave your e-cigarette battery on the charger any longer than needed.  When it’s charged, take it off.

4) Keep your batteries away from extreme temperatures.

If you follow these simple rules, you should have anything to worry about.

And remember, smoking tobacco cigarettes has about a 40% chance of eventually killing the user.  Using a e-cigarette mod apparently carries a one in a few million chance of causing injury.

Electronic Cigarette Without Nicotine

Many smokers believe they are addicted to nicotine. However when they attempt to quit smoking using such nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine gum or the patch, they fail. If it was only the nicotine they were addicted to then quitting smokiner with an alternative source of nicotine would be a breeze; but it isn’t. So why?

Most experts agree that smoking addiction is a combination of chemical, physical, and mental addiction. So only addressing the nicotine issue is commonly unsuccessful.

Although neither the FDA in the United States or Health Canada support the notion that e-cigarettes help people quit smoking it is hard to deny that electronic cigarettes closely mimics the physical action of smoking. This is of great comfort to many smokers who want that hand to mouth sensation. With or without nicotine the e-cigarette works the same way.

What is interesting is that a study by Dr. Eissenburg on the electronic cigarette found:

“In spite of delivering no measurable nicotine, both electronic cigarettes tested in this study reduced ratings of “craving a cigarette” and “urge to smoke” and increased subjective ratings of product acceptability (e.g., “satisfying,” “taste good,” “pleasant”). These results are consistent with anecdotal reports from long-term electronic cigarette users and support the notion that electronic cigarettes may provide an alternative, perhaps a substitute, to cigarette smoking in some cases.”

So don’t believe the hype about the relationship between nicotine and smoking addiction. Try an electronic cigarette without nicotine. And remember, if you find that you are still missing the nicotine, you can always use nicotine gum or the patch in conjunction with your nicotine-free e-cigarette.

Cartridges vs Cartomizers vs Tank E-Cigarettes

The different models of e-cigarettes can sometimes be confusing, especially to new vapers. So here is a basic understanding of the 3 main types of e-liquid delivery that are available on the market today.

Cartridges – This is the oldest design. It uses a reusable atomizer (heating unit) with a detachable mouthpiece. Inside the mouthpiece is a wick made of material that absorbs the e-liquid. This type of e-cigarette is refillable by just dripping e-liquid onto the wick. The average puff count of a cartridge type system is about 3 to 4 cigarettes worth or 30 to 40 puffs.

e-cigarette atomizer

Cartomizers – This system does away with the separate atomizer/cartridge idea and combines the 2 into 1. Rather than the 3 piece e-cigarette (battery, atomizer, cartridge), the cartomizer is a 2 piece (battery and cartomizer). The heating element inside the cartomizer is disposable. Although many vapers do refill them, over time the heating element in the cartomizer can start to burn the wick and produce a nasty taste/smell. This system is easier to use, but can be more expensive since it is not refillable. It does however hold more e-liquid. The average puff count is 15 to 20 cigarettes or 150 to 200 puffs.

e-cigarette cartomizer

Tanks – This is the newest innovation on the e-cigarette market. Like the cartridge system, it uses a reusable atomizer. But rather than a cartridge it employs a mouthpiece that has a small tank on it to hold the e-liquid. There is no wick in this system to hold the e-liquid so the atomizer was redesigned to properly feed in the e-liquid directly from the tank. The average puff count of the tank system is 35 to 40 cigarettes or 350 to 400 puffs.

e-cigarette tank system

Using electronic cigarettes in non smoking areas

Millions of  people are smoking electronic cigarettes across the world but whether you can use them in no-smoking areas remains a question for many people. Most e-cigarettes look like the real ones hence you might face opposition for smoking it in no-smoking zones. Although no smoke or flame is produced there is vapor and that’s what make people think that you are actually smoking.

If you are considering it using it in no-smoking zones such as restaurants and bars then you should know that the owners have the right to ask its patrons to not use their e-cigarettes within their premises. This so happens because a vast majority of people do not have proper idea about this kind of a cigarette. The most common reaction is that people think that it is smoking and it creates the same effects of a tobacco cigarette such as the haze and smell.

If you want to avoid any conflict with the owner of the establishment then before you attempt to use it you can talk to the manager or owner. Explain them what an electronic cigarette is all about and how it works. You should let them know what is in the vapor (propylene glycol, glycerin, water, and flavoring…..and if you use it, nicotine) and that it is not smoke.

To explain it in a better way you can compare it to a fog machine. The vapor comes out only when you take a puff unlike a real cigarette where the smoke comes out continuously. You should let them know that it is not combustion and does not create the same toxins that are found in a cigarette with tobacco. Also, you need to show them that the vapor does not travel very far and it dissolves immediately so it will not irritate the people surrounding you.

This explanation may or may not satisfy the management but you will be satisfied that you have educated one more person about smoking e-cigarettes. Until and unless people are educated about it, using electronic cigarettes in non smoking areas would be difficult. So start spreading the awareness today.

What is the Best Brand of Electronic Cigarette?

Not surprisingly, everyone wants the best. It doesn’t matter if they are shopping for kitchen sinks or e-cigarettes. Of course “best” is subjective as there are many factors to consider; price, quality, value, customer support, return policies, company history, etc. And besides the company, it is important to evaluate what model of e-cigarette you want to make sure the company you pick carries it.

To the point: if you are looking for a good company that stands behind it’s products, we recommend buying from this e-cigarette website. They stand behind their products and are very knowledge about e-cigs in general. They carry the Aurora e-cigarette which is a compatible model with the 510, one of the best and most popular e-cigarettes on the market. They also offer the eGo-T, for those who want a longer battery life, bigger cartridge capacity, and massive vapour but don’t care if their unit looks like a cigarette.

This is not to say there are not other companies that can make you happy, but we have experience with SmokeInstead.ca and have no problem recommending it. If you have had experience with SmokeInstead.ca or any other Canadian electronic cigarette company, please comment on this post to share with others.