Are you going to be interviewed about E-cigarettes?

[Vocalek]

CASAA is often contacted by people who are going to be interviewed by a local newspaper or television station. Here, for handy reference is a list of the "homework" we assign:

CASAA would be happy to work with you. We suggest that you contact the journalist to find out what his or her approach is going to be. What gave him or her the idea to do a story? How does this story fit in with other stories s/he is doing or has done? Bottom line is that journalists usually have some kind of preconceived idea about where they are going with a story. What kind of questions might be asked?

If the reporter does not know about the concept of Tobacco Harm Reduction, you might need to provide that background. E-cigarettes are just one of the tools that can be used to reduce the harm caused by smoking. Modern smokeless tobacco products such as snus and dissolvable tobacco products (orbs, strips, sticks, etc.) are another tool, as is long-term use of pharmaceutical nicotine (patches, gum, lozenges, etc.) The methodology employed in Tobacco Harm Reduction is to switch to long-term replacement of nicotine from a safer source than inhaling smoke.

See these pages about Tobacco Harm Reduction:
Understanding Harm Reduction
Smoking Alternatives
Nicotine Effects

Also, the FAQs on the Tobacco Harm Reduction organization’s site. (see links on the left side of the Home page): Tobaccoharmreduction.org

Researchers who at the time worked at the University of Alberta conducted a survey of e-cigarette users and there is some extremely useful demographic information on who uses e-cigarettes and for what purposes. It is posted online here: http://tobaccoharmreduction.org/wpapers/011v1.pdf

As far as specific facts about e-cigarettes, you might download the following documents from the CASAA web site:
Medical Infograph: http://casaa.org/uploads/CASAA_Medical_infograph.pdf
Tri-Fold Brochure, The Facts About Electronic Cigarettes: http://casaa.org/uploads/CASAA-Ecig-...d-Brochure.pdf
Myths about E-cigarettes: http://casaa.org/uploads/8_Biggest_E...ette_Myths.pdf
E-Cigarette Fact Sheet – 1 page Handout: http://casaa.org/uploads/CASAA_FAQs.pdf
Legislative Packet - http://casaa.org/uploads/CASAA_Legis...r_Bans_Web.pdf

The most important thing you can share with the reporter is your own personal experience. How long did you smoke? Did you experience any ill effects from smoking? What happened after you switched to using an e-cigarette?

The reporter might be looking into the legal aspects of e-cigarettes in Canada and/or the U.S. Are you familiar with the court case that is being chronicled on ECF in the thread SE, NJoy vs FDA -- Discussion? The really short version of the story is in this 2-response thread: Smoking Everywhere v FDA -- What is this Case all about, why do we need to watch it, and how to get up to speed on it

Health Canada recommended against the use of e-cigarettes shortly after the FDA held its infamous press conference in July 2009, claiming that there are carcinogens and toxins in e-cigarettes. The FDA report is debunked in several of the CASAA documents that are cited above. Several foreign countries banned the sale of e-cigarettes, citing the FDA's "health concerns." Ironically, the FDA has been unable to ban sales in the US!

Contact CASAA if you have specific questions or concerns not addressed in the above documentation. Good luck with your interview!

P.S. When the interview is published, please post a link in this forum.

[mwa102464]

That answers the guys post from today , I recommended he write in to you and I'm really glad to see you took your time to post this Volcalek thank you !!!!

[Vocalek]

An after thought: Don't try to memorize all this. Read through it to get a feel for the subjet. You can't become an expert overnight. If you are asked a question that you don't know the answer to (or know but can't recall) it is OK to say, "I don't know, but I would be happy to find out for you." The odds are good that the reporter will find something else to ask you instead. But you can always follow up later by sending an email providing the information that you didn't not have on the tip of your tongue.

[TomCatt]

As usual, Thanks V!! [putting a shortcut on my desktop to this thread; just in case ]

[markfm]

Unfortunately, the body of your original post is hard to read using the Blackend motif -- it's dark blue on black background (the links show as orange, readable).

[Vocalek]

Unfortunately, the body of your original post is hard to read using the Blackend motif -- it's dark blue on black background (the links show as orange, readable).

Actually, the links are the most important part of the post. If you're really curious about what I have to say about the links, you might want to print a copy of the post--or copy and paste the text into a document of your own and change the font color to whatever suits. Another approach is to turn on the screen reader. In the computer biz, we call these work-arounds.

[rothenbj]

LOL and still LOL but need 10 characters!

[fuzznut]

Unfortunately, the body of your original post is hard to read using the Blackend motif -- it's dark blue on black background (the links show as orange, readable).

CRTL+A might work

[kristin]

Also, CASAA tries to be available a "brainstorming" session with an interviewee via Skype - just ask! We met with Aaron and Jacinda prior to their radio interview in Utah, to help prepare them for possible questions they may not have considered and answers which would best represent the goals of the vaping community.

One good strategy is to have common questions and claims on index cards with a prepared response, so you aren't caught off-guard. CASAA can help you determine those questions and answers ahead of time!

[Vocalek]

The followng might serve as a crash-course on e-cigarettes.

What are Electronic Cigarettes?
E-cigarettes are battery operated devices that vaporize a liquid solution consisting of 89-90% propylene glycol, water, flavoring, and optionally a small amount of nicotine. E-cigarette use mimics smoking; but, there nothing is burned, so the user inhales vapor, not smoke.

What is their purpose?
Even after watching his father die of smoking-related lung cancer, Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik was unable to stop smoking. He knew the tar, carbon monoxide, particulates, and thousands of chemicals in smoke cause 99% of tobacco-related diseases. He invented the electronic cigarette as a safer way of delivering nicotine by eliminating exposure to the harmful elements in smoke. E-cigarettes are a replacement for smoking.

How well do they work?
Surveys show that between 31% and 82% (depending on the timescale measured or the market sector questioned) of consumers are using electronic cigarettes as a complete replacement for smoked cigarettes. This compares quite favorably with the average 7% success rate (at the 6-month mark) of FDA-approved nicotine products.

Who uses electronic cigarettes?
Concerns that electronic cigarettes are marketed to children have proved to be unfounded. One survey found that 55% of users were between the ages of 31 and 50, and 32% were older than 50. All were previous smokers. Of the 90% who had tried to stop smoking before, 67% tried more than 4 times and 21% tried 10 times or more.

Why are flavors offered?
Most consumers initially choose a tobacco-like flavor when they first begin using an e-cigarette. However, within a short time, they begin to find the taste of tobacco unpalatable. This factor may explain why so many e-cigarette users report that they have lost all urges to smoke. Only 16.7% of regular users report that they have never tried a fruit, beverage and/or candy flavored liquid. Only 0.1% state they were drawn to e-cigarettes due to the tasty flavors available.

Is there second-hand vapor that might be harmful to bystanders?
The e-cigarette generates no side-stream smoke from its tip. The exhaled vapor of the e-cigarette is composed of propylene glycol, and contains almost no nicotine; and no carbon monoxide. Dr. Murray Laugesen of Health New Zealand tested one brand of e-cigarettes for over 50 smoke toxicants and none were found. Dr. Laugesen stated, “Lacking any active ingredient or any gaseous products of combustion, the PG mist or ‘smoke’ is not harmful to bystanders.”

Are e-cigarettes approved by the FDA?
In April 2009, Smoking Everywhere filed suit against the FDA seeking an injunction against FDA product seizures. Sottera, Inc. (dba NJOY) joined as an intervener plaintiff. In July 2009, the FDA held a press conference to announce results of testing the products of the two plaintiffs. The FDA used partial truths and inflammatory language to falsely portray electronic cigarettes as more dangerous than tobacco cigarette smoking.

The FDA’s press release stated that the electronic cigarettes it tested contained “carcinogens.” But the FDA did not mention that the 8 nanograms of Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) detected in the “high” cartridges are no more likely to be carcinogenic than the 8 nanograms of TSNAs in an FDA-approved nicotine patch. The FDA also failed to point out that the 0.01 ml of diethylene glycol (DEG) found in one of the 18 cartridges is thousands of times below the toxic level. The FDA’s press release described DEG as “an ingredient in antifreeze,” presumably because antifreeze is more likely to evoke feelings of fear than some of the more common uses of the chemical such as solvent, lubricant, or humectant. No DEG was found in the vapor of the cartridges tested by FDA, and no other lab has ever detected DEG in e-cigarettes.

In the case of Smoking Everywhere and Sottera (dba NJOY) versus the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, both the lower court and the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia have issued opinions that, as long as vendors make no claims that electronic cigarettes can cure or treat a disease, the FDA cannot regulate the products as a drug or drug-delivery device combination under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act.
http://www.casaa.org/files/SE-vs-FDA-Opinion.pdf
http://www.casaa.org/files/ct%20app%...injunction.pdf

Are e-cigarettes harmful?
The Honorable Richard J. Leon, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia stated that the FDA failed to provide any evidence that the products have harmed anyone. Since that opinion was issued, millions more of the products have been sold; and to date there have been zero reports of any serious adverse event. Side effects reported are no different from those reported with use of FDA-approved nicotine products. Over 90% are reporting health improvements citing improved breathing, less coughing, and better fitness.

Questions have been raised that e-cigarettes might increase nicotine addiction. Dr. Laugesen’s testing determined that each puff of vapor delivers only 10% of the nicotine delivered in a puff of smoke, and this has been verified in clinical trials.

Dr. Michael Siegel of Boston University School of Public Health reviewed the available evidence on the safety and effectiveness of e-cigarettes - including the testing conducted by the FDA - and concluded, “A preponderance of the available evidence shows them to be much safer than tobacco cigarettes and comparable in toxicity to conventional nicotine replacement products.” Journal of Public Health Policy - Electronic cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy for tobacco control: A step forward or a repeat of past mistakes[quest]

Additional information

Harm Reduction: Casaa.org - Harm Reduction
Journal Articles: CASAA.org
Lab Reports on E-cigarettes: CASAA.org

Sources

Bullen, C., McRobbie, H., Thornley, S., Glover, M., Lin, R., & Laugesen, M. (2010). Effect of an electronic nicotine delivery device (e cigarette) on desire to smoke and withdrawal, user preferences and nicotine delivery: randomised cross-over trial. Tobacco Control. 2010 Apr;19(2):98-103. Effect of an electronic nicotine delivery device (... [Tob Control. 2010] - PubMed result

Cahn, Z., & Siegel, M. (2010). Electronic cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy for tobacco control: A step forward or a repeat of past mistakes? Journal of Public Health Policy 32: 16-31. Palgrave Macmillan Journals

Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (2011) CASAA Position Statement on Electronic Cigarettes. http://www.casaa.org/files/Casaa%20P...0Statement.pdf

Etter, JF. (2010) Electronic cigarettes: a survey of users. BMC Public Health. 2010; 10: 231. Electronic cigarettes: a survey of users

Garland, Kavanaugh, & Williams. United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Case: 10-5032 Document: 1281606 Filed: 12/07/2010. http://www.casaa.org/files/ct%20app%...injunction.pdf

Health Canada. (2010). Diethylene glycol; classification with respect to acute toxicity. Date Modified: 2010-09-21. Diethylene glycol; classification with respect to acute toxicity - Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System - Health Canada

Heavner, K., Dunworth, J., Bergen, P., Nissen ,C., & Phillips, CV. (11/26/2009) Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as potential tobacco harm reduction products: Results of an online survey of e-cigarette users. Tobacco Harm Reduction 2010 Yearbook, Chapter 19. THR2010. (tobaccoharmreduction.org)

Laugesen, M. (2008). Safety Report on the Ruyan® e-cigarette Cartridge and Inhaled Aerosol. Health New Zealand. http://www.healthnz.co.nz/RuyanCartr...t30-Oct-08.pdf

Laugesen, M. (2009). Ruyan® E-cigarette Bench-top tests. Poster 5-11 at Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) Dublin, Updated 07 May, 2009. http://www.healthnz.co.nz/DublinEcigBenchtopHandout.pdf

Leon, RJ. United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Order, Civil Case No. 09-771 (RJL). Filed 01/14/2010. http://www.casaa.org/files/SE-vs-FDA-Ruling.pdf

Siegel, M. Letter to Members of the Health Committee of the New York State Assembly regarding Assembly Bill A01468 (01/23/2011). http://www.casaa.org/files/MSiegel-N...8%20letter.doc

Trtchounian A., Williams M., & Talbot, P. (July 19, 2010) Conventional and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have different smoking characteristics. Nicotine & Tobacco Research Advance Access. Doi:10.1093/ntr/ntq114

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (5/4//09). Final Report: Evaluation of e-cigarettes. http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/S.../UCM173250.pdf