What would you ask a doctor in regards to ECIGS?

[freddo]

I'm planning on interviewing various professors, doctors and specialists about e cigarettes in the next week.

Please put the questions you would like answering on this page and i will hopefully come back in 2 weeks with some answers. They can be as in depth/complex or simple as you like, if you have anything you want unearthing please post your questions here!
Cheers

[CES]

I'd like to know whether they are already familiar with e-cigs, whether they've done any reading about them- or are willing to do it? Are they familiar with the literature on nicotine, as well as the literature on smoking? Do they keep up with the literature in their field? For me, it's important to know if they have enough info to provide an informed response. Just having an MD or DO isn't enough if they aren't willing to provide a considered informed answer- either pro or con. I know this sounds defensive, (it probably is- i don't much like most docs) but anyone have knee-jerk reactions if they don't take the time to consider the questions.

[dawhoo]

What are your general feelings about X?
Do you think X is healthy for the average person?
Are there any contraindications patients should be concerned with about X?
What are the benefits of X?
What are the risks of X?

X = Chantix, Nicotine patches and ecigs (call them NIDs nicotine inhalation devices, it makes them sound prescribed and more official)


Ask about Chantix, then nicotine patches and then ask about NIDs. Asking only about ecigs isn't enough information. You need a control group or as much of a control group as you can get. The Chantix question should be interesting as it is going to have a lot varied answers as MDs are usually polarized in their reactions to it. The Nicotine patch is a 'safe' alternative or perceived as safe my most of the medical community, safe for a smoker that is.

You should be sure and ask random people as well as medical professionals.

[CoffNoMoJo]

I'd ask physicians (esp. pulmonary and internal med) if they have any patients with serious lung issues that have switched to ecigs, and if they're following them closely so as to document changes in their condition. Most docs have an inquisitive streak about new stuff. I'd expect them to be cautiously optimistic. And want to see some studies, of course. And ask them when they last paid attention to all the warnings at the end of a Chantix commercial!

[Ajaxus]

I'll just put this in here to give you an idea of some reactions.

My dad is an ER doctor, and he only found out that I smoked a few months ago (I was pretty good at keeping it a secret..which enabled me to keep going)..to put it simply, negative reaction at that time.

Yesterday I brought it up briefly with him that I had switched to an e-cig..didn't go into details on what it was, he didn't seem to want them. All he had to say was that even if it is safer for me, it is still an addiction and the only way to deal with an addiction is to get rid of it. To him, the vaping is still enabling a bad addiction, it isn't "good" by any means.

My summary of the discussion is that doctors will acknowledge it is safer for you, but they will also still let you know that as long as vaping keeps you hooked on nicotine, you are still able to slip back to analogs.

[CaptJay]

Well if youre an addict you can't stop BEING one, just stop DOING. You're going to be an addict to nicotine for life, you just wont be a smoker (or an e-vaper either if you decide not to be).
I don't expect any doc to say these are SAFE but safER would be good.

As for questions to ask a doctor - kinda hard as theres been little research on vaporizing and inhaling things as much/often as most e-vapers do. Right now Id be asking them to guess, albeit an educated guess, and tahts not really fair.
I think CES has the right idea; would they be OPEN to looking into them as an alternative to smoking for smokers who WON'T quit. Most of us probably could quit but we dont want to (either overtly or subconciously) so if we try we fail; thats what makes the PV such a draw, you can sort of do both.