American Lung Association against e-cigs

[AgentAnia]

I've lost all respect for and confidence in all the so-called alphabet organizations. Not just the ones that lie about ecigs. All of them. They've all lost my trust and support because of the ANTZ ones. Same goes for government agencies. FDA and CDC have caused me to doubt and mistrust them all. Media? Politicians? I haven't trusted them for years!

ETA: Adding public health agencies to the list of those I no longer trust.

 

[Fizzpop]

The Seven FDA-approved medications proven to be safe by the and effective in helping smokers quit.

1. Varenicline (Chantix)

The FDA on July 1, 2009 added a "black-box" warning for healthcare providers to use caution prescribing Chantix for patients with pre-existing psychiatric conditions, and to monitor all patients using Chantix for psychological symptoms.

2. Bupropion (Zyban or Wellbutrin)

Serious neuropsychiatric events, including but not limited to depression, suicidal ideation,suicide attempt, and completed suicide have been reported in patients taking ZYBAN.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it is requiring manufacturers to put a Boxed Warning on the prescribing information for the smoking cessation drugs Chantix (varenicline) and Zyban (bupropion). The warning will highlight the risk of serious mental health events including changes in behavior, depressed mood, hostility, and suicidal thoughts when taking these drugs.

3. Patch Patches are designed to provide a steady stream of nicotine through your skin.

4. Gum bubble gum with Nicotine in it.

5. Inhaler Patients "puff" small doses of nicotine through this prescription product that looks similar to a cigarette
http://www.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_nicotrol_inhaler.pdf

6. Nasal spray delivers nicotine through your nose
http://www.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_nicotrol.pdf

7. Lozenge candy with nicotine in it.

Numbers 3 threw 7 are ways to give your body Nicotine with out smoking tobacco.

Isn't that what Vaping does?
Why is that Nicotine safe for me in numbers 3 threw 7 but the Nicotine in my juice is Bad and Evil?

My wife and I had a TERRIBLE experience with Wellbutrin. It was fine at first, but it builds up in your body and then the dosage is too much and you suffer from horrific anxiety. Awful, awful, awful experience.

Chantix? I got a prescription once, but after reading about it, didn't open the box. Sounded pretty much like insanity in pill form.

Vaping? We are coming up on one year of not smoking. No awful side effects, breathing better and our doctor approves. I will be the first to say that it is better to not vape at all, but in terms of harm reduction, this is a no brainer.

 

[Baldr]

One thing I will tell you for sure is that at the Help Line, we are 100% committed to helping these people as much as we can.

If that were true, you wouldn't be lying to people to keep them from switching from cigs to vaping.

The two basic questions about e-cigarettes have yet to be scientifically answered, are they safe, and are they effective in helping people quit smoking.

No, the two basic questions about vaping come down to "Is vaping safer than smoking" and "Is it effective". It's clearly effective as evidenced by thousands of us who quit smoking after decades of not being able to quit. And every bit of evidence is that vaping is far, far more safe than the *known* health issues with smoking.

You're wanting us to prove that vaping is 100% safe, and you're discouraging people from vaping until that is proven. For one thing, without people doing it, you'll never have the data to decide how safe it is. And for another thing, nothing in the world is 100% safe. If you demanded 100% safety, you wouldn't have a shower or bathtub in your home, because those are not 100% safe. You damn sure wouldn't drive in an automobile, as those kill thousands of people every year. But for vaping, you demand 100% safe.

And in the meantime, you can't show me a single person who has died of vaping, or gotten cancer from vaping. I believe a couple of people have had some injuries due to battery explosion type of problems, and a very small number of people have allergy issues with PG. And that's about it. But you will try to convince people that vaping isn't safe or effective, knowing that by saying those things they'll keep smoking.

And you do it because cigarette taxes pay your salary.

You should be ashamed.

 

[AgentAnia]

Excellent! Just one nit to pick, cause you underestimated, I think....

....No, the two basic questions about vaping come down to "Is vaping safer than smoking" and "Is it effective". It's clearly effective as evidenced by tens if not hundreds of thousands of us who quit smoking after decades of not being able to quit. And every bit of evidence is that vaping is far, far more safe than the *known* health issues with smoking....

Fixed that for ya...

 

[emus]

If ALA wasn't unethical they could scientifically verify drastic lung function improvement in a simple cheap one year scientific clinical study.

 

[hazarada]

salt is also an effective anti-freeze, lets ban salt because that makes it sound scary

 

[DC2]

salt is also an effective anti-freeze, lets ban salt because that makes it sound scary

Salt is also a insecticide, just ask any snail.

And it's also a poison too!

Just try drinking salt water for a couple of days.
No, actually, don't do that because you'll die.

Scary buzzwords, for those that have nothing else.

 

[Kemosabe]

I think if you follow the money you'll find the reason for the ALA position. I think they care more about their funding than they do about truth.

True. They ought change their name to the American Money Association. They clearly don't care about lungs.

 

[Kemosabe]

The Seven FDA-approved medications proven to be safe by the and effective in helping smokers quit.

1. Varenicline (Chantix)

The FDA on July 1, 2009 added a "black-box" warning for healthcare providers to use caution prescribing Chantix for patients with pre-existing psychiatric conditions, and to monitor all patients using Chantix for psychological symptoms.

2. Bupropion (Zyban or Wellbutrin)

Serious neuropsychiatric events, including but not limited to depression, suicidal ideation,suicide attempt, and completed suicide have been reported in patients taking ZYBAN.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it is requiring manufacturers to put a Boxed Warning on the prescribing information for the smoking cessation drugs Chantix (varenicline) and Zyban (bupropion). The warning will highlight the risk of serious mental health events including changes in behavior, depressed mood, hostility, and suicidal thoughts when taking these drugs.

3. Patch Patches are designed to provide a steady stream of nicotine through your skin.

4. Gum bubble gum with Nicotine in it.

5. Inhaler Patients "puff" small doses of nicotine through this prescription product that looks similar to a cigarette
http://www.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_nicotrol_inhaler.pdf

6. Nasal spray delivers nicotine through your nose
http://www.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_nicotrol.pdf

7. Lozenge candy with nicotine in it.

Numbers 3 threw 7 are ways to give your body Nicotine with out smoking tobacco.

Isn't that what Vaping does?
Why is that Nicotine safe for me in numbers 3 threw 7 but the Nicotine in my juice is Bad and Evil?

Yes. And wouldn't gum and candy be more appealing to kids than a metal tube vaporizer? The answer is yes.

 

[emus]

Wonder if any ALA funded researcher has considered the possibility that tar and particulates coats the lungs and causes COPD.
It's like they don't even know water runs down hill.
They do know money runs freely to their pockets.

 

[edyle]

The Seven FDA-approved medications proven to be safe by the and effective in helping smokers quit.

1. Varenicline (Chantix)

The FDA on July 1, 2009 added a "black-box" warning for healthcare providers to use caution prescribing Chantix for patients with pre-existing psychiatric conditions, and to monitor all patients using Chantix for psychological symptoms.

2. Bupropion (Zyban or Wellbutrin)

Serious neuropsychiatric events, including but not limited to depression, suicidal ideation,suicide attempt, and completed suicide have been reported in patients taking ZYBAN.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it is requiring manufacturers to put a Boxed Warning on the prescribing information for the smoking cessation drugs Chantix (varenicline) and Zyban (bupropion). The warning will highlight the risk of serious mental health events including changes in behavior, depressed mood, hostility, and suicidal thoughts when taking these drugs.

3. Patch Patches are designed to provide a steady stream of nicotine through your skin.

4. Gum bubble gum with Nicotine in it.

5. Inhaler Patients "puff" small doses of nicotine through this prescription product that looks similar to a cigarette
http://www.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_nicotrol_inhaler.pdf

6. Nasal spray delivers nicotine through your nose
http://www.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_nicotrol.pdf

7. Lozenge candy with nicotine in it.

Numbers 3 threw 7 are ways to give your body Nicotine with out smoking tobacco.

Isn't that what Vaping does?
Why is that Nicotine safe for me in numbers 3 threw 7 but the Nicotine in my juice is Bad and Evil?

No it is not.

 

[edyle]

Oh yea, the Seven FDA approved medications, Your insurance company may cover these medications...

If we could get the insurance companies to back Vaping no one could touch us.

I mean if you were a insurance company would you want to see your customers take Chantix or Zyban and go on a psychiatric suicidal killing spree or Vape?

That's a good point; the Life Insurance and Medical Insurance Industries would be very interested in ecigs for reducing the costs of medical payouts.

 

[edyle]

I am at a loss when trying to create a rebuttal argument to what they are saying, as I have no facts to back up my claims. We are 4 years past that data, and given the amount of stupid spending the government does, you would think there would be a little more up to date information.

There has to be a way for someone to provide concrete proof of what exists in e-liquids today. Does anyone have access to a lab that can start collecting the data? We should really start rallying behind concrete proof and use that as a talking point.

I know each liquid is different, but we need to start somewhere.

For starters you'd want to know whether they are talking about ecigs and if so, what definition are they using for ecig.

If they use the wide range of items discussed here on the ecig forum as ecigs, then there's a problem: they'd have to test all those devices.

I suspect any first serious attempt to assess 'ecigs' might restict itself to cigalikes, and not even attempt to look at tanks.
Another more likely approach would be to ignore the devices completly and look only at eliquids.

 

[BillyWJ]

american lung association

one can only assume there's no money in a country full of healthy lungs. thus a lung association would likely be non-existent due to lack of funds if all of our lungs were healthy.

i could see the motivation.

i could also see where diethylene glycol could easily be the cause for the alarm or the easy scapegoat masking the motivation to cause alarm.

i tend to think there is dishonesty somewhere among the ranks, but that at least 70% to 80% of people involved in the propaganda are unknowing puppets spreading the propaganda. even the smart, educated ones.

After losing a parent to lung cancer, and my experience with the ALA, let's just say I don't really care what they support and what they don't.

 

[BillyWJ]

And you do it because cigarette taxes pay your salary.

You should be ashamed.

*jumping up from my seat and applauding wildly*

 

[BillyWJ]

salt is also an effective anti-freeze, lets ban salt because that makes it sound scary

Well, they are banning salt in some areas because of it's effect on wildlife, and rotting cars.

 

[edyle]

I know, it's a sad state of affairs. When a medical doctor stumbles upon a potential cancer solution, the FDA and donation funded cancer research organizations fight it tooth and nail; instead of testing it's effectiveness with their massive cash falls.

Same as they fight e-cigs which has extreme potential to prevent thousands of COPD deaths and likely cancer deaths too.

wow! wait a minute; do you actually know what "CBD" is?

 

[footbag]

I wonder... If you were to call the hotline and say you quit smoking using e-cigs. But tell them your are concerned that they may contain PG or other 'dangerous' chemicals. Would they advise going back to cigarettes? Or do they consider e-cigs safer?

 

[edyle]

I am a respiratory therapist with the American Lung Association Help Line.

I do not set policy for our organization, but I do stand behind the position statement on the e-cigarette products. I am so happy to hear that you were able to quit smoking. I am sure you know more than most just how difficult this is to do. We talk to people every day who are disparate to quit smoking. Many have lung disease or lung cancer, and have tried many times to quit. Some people we talk to have had some success with e-cigarette products, and some have not.

One thing I will tell you for sure is that at the Help Line, we are 100% committed to helping these people as much as we can. The two basic questions about e-cigarettes have yet to be scientifically answered, are they safe, and are they effective in helping people quit smoking. All FDA approved products for smoking cessation have had this testing. The very reason there is a “black box” warning on some of these products is because of FDA oversight, and clinical trials. Without this, we would not know about these new warnings. Because of this oversight, physicians now know what patients are able to safely use these products, and what patients should try other approved methods. I have been a respiratory therapist for about 30 years. It wasn’t until 1992 when we had the first stop smoking aid to recommend, nicotine patches. At that time, they were available only by prescription, but because of the continued studies, they became available over the counter a few years later.

There are over 200 companies that make the e-cigarette. Since there are currently NO regulations on these products, no one can vouch for every single product, and what they contain. Add to that the fact that every single American Tobacco Company also has their own brand, I think anyone should be leary to trust this industry! Your notes on pharmaceutical grade propylene glycol and their safety history fails to mention one very important fact. NONE of the products you mention are to be inhaled directly into the lungs. This is a very different way to deliver any chemicals. There are several products that can cause a great deal of harm by intentionally inhaling them into the lungs (huffing).

The bottom line is that you were able to quit, and we think this is by far the most important thing, and we congratulate you on your success. We have a responsibility to only recommend products that have been proven to be both safe and effective, and we rely on the Food and Drug Administration to approve these products.
None of the over 200 e-cigarette products have made application to the FDA for approval to help people quit smoking. If and when they do, we would love to have another tool in the toolbox to help people quit tobacco. Thanks for contacting us.

An excellent post that gets to the meat of the matter:
1: You can't just generalise about "ecigarettes" when it comes to safety because there are hundreds of companies producing the stuff, and there's also the eliquids.
2: Instead of the ALA or the FDA approving or denouncing a generality, the onus is really on the manufacturers to design and SEEK OUT APPROVAL from the FDA or ALA.

Wouldn't YOU if given the choice opt for the brand that was stamped "FDA APPROVED"?

 

[BillyWJ]

An excellent post that gets to the meat of the matter:
1: You can't just generalise about "ecigarettes" when it comes to safety because there are hundreds of companies producing the stuff, and there's also the eliquids.
2: Instead of the ALA or the FDA approving or denouncing a generality, the onus is really on the manufacturers to design and SEEK OUT APPROVAL from the FDA or ALA.

Wouldn't YOU if given the choice opt for the brand that was stamped "FDA APPROVED"?

No.

The FDA is corrupt. Their recommendations are driven by bribes and lobbying, especially Big Pharma.

Sorry, but if the government says something, I don't put a whole lot of faith on it being accurate or reliable.