Columnist Opinion Article on eCigs in Sarasota Herald-Tribune

[OutWest]

It's an older article (published May 24, 2009) but dont remember seeing it here and based on the lack of comments I'd say it probably wasnt posted yet.

China gives us e-cigs | HeraldTribune.com | Sarasota Florida | Southwest Florida's Information Leader

from the article

From what I have read — and I could not read very much — e-cigarettes contain no tobacco and give off no smoke. They are dubbed “nicotine delivery devices,” which sounds vaguely healthy if you’re one of those people who has trouble differentiating nicotine from, say, oxygen.

The author goes on to essentially say that if you cant quit you should die from cancer (as God intended). I also find it interesting that the author says that he has, "successfully kicked the smoking habit five or six times". Doesnt sound very successful to me.

While it's clearly an opinion piece, I find it interesting (and annoying) that the paper has it listed under "news" rather than their opinion section.

 

[TropicalBob]

Outwest: That was my delivered paper until they stopped delivery to my zone. David Grimes is the HUMOR columnist for the paper. He does not present news, just picks stuff to poke fun at.

 

[LaceyUnderall]

He does raise a very good point: Why is it that the only addiction they feel can be treated with the addiction is nicotine addiction? (Yes... this question is rhetorical as we all know the answer... nicotine is a great money maker for the pharmaceutical companies.)

Does treatment for alcoholism include a step down method for one less drink a day? Shopping addicts are usually encouraged to stay away from the mall, not go in it and "window shop". Heavy drug users are not given a ration of drugs to use as they see fit until they feel they can go it alone. It has always seemed odd to me that nicotine addiction is treated with the cause of the addiction.

It is kind of like trying to define a word by using the word in the definition.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Plenty of drugs are treated with a step-down approach. It's highly questionable whether it works, but it is used in addiction therapy for other drugs than Nicotine.

As I said in another thread, we all need to stop fooling ourselves when it comes to PVs. We haven't gotten the monkey off our backs and most of us probably never will. The vast majority of us are just as addicted to nicotine as we were before switching off of analogues. Our risk level may be drastically reduced, but that doesn't mean we're not still dependent on the drug.

 

[a2dcovert]

As I said in another thread, we all need to stop fooling ourselves when it comes to PVs. We haven't gotten the monkey off our backs and most of us probably never will. The vast majority of us are just as addicted to nicotine as we were before switching off of analogues. Our risk level may be drastically reduced, but that doesn't mean we're not still dependent on the drug.

I am not fooling myself at all. I knew from the start that this was just an alternative to smoking. I have already seen a great improvement in breathing. I was boarder-line COPD while smoking. Now all evidence of the lung issues have completely gone away. Nicotine is no saint but it is better than smoking period.

Kevin

 

[Wally]

He does raise a very good point: Why is it that the only addiction they feel can be treated with the addiction is nicotine addiction? (Yes... this question is rhetorical as we all know the answer... nicotine is a great money maker for the pharmaceutical companies.)

Does treatment for alcoholism include a step down method for one less drink a day? Shopping addicts are usually encouraged to stay away from the mall, not go in it and "window shop". Heavy drug users are not given a ration of drugs to use as they see fit until they feel they can go it alone. It has always seemed odd to me that nicotine addiction is treated with the cause of the addiction.

It is kind of like trying to define a word by using the word in the definition.

Lacey,

I think the answer is that we are treating cigarette smoking, not nicotine addiction. The FDA has approved "smoking cessation" products for smoking cessation. The reason that NRT is an acceptable approach is that smoking is dangerous and nicotine is not. Vapers need to clearly make the point that the problem is not nicotine, it is smoking, combustion, etc.

Wally

 

[LaceyUnderall]

Lacey,

I think the answer is that we are treating cigarette smoking, not nicotine addiction. The FDA has approved "smoking cessation" products for smoking cessation. The reason that NRT is an acceptable approach is that smoking is dangerous and nicotine is not. Vapers need to clearly make the point that the problem is not nicotine, it is smoking, combustion, etc.

Wally

Wally,

I couldn't agree more that nicotine is not the problem, it is the combustion. This is definitely a case of "guilt by association". Nicotine has very similar qualities/affects, if not identical, to caffeine, albeit maybe a bit more addictive.

Question(s): In claiming it treats cigarette smoking, is that not in itself curing or mitigating a disease? Can an action such as smoking be classified as a disease or is the addiction to nicotine the disease, if even a disease at all? Is caffeine addiction classified as a disease by the CDC?

 

[jimvinny]

I think the best part is where he says that he has "successfully kicked the habit 5 or 6 times." Successfully, huh?

 

[tikva]

As I said in another thread, we all need to stop fooling ourselves when it comes to PVs. We haven't gotten the monkey off our backs and most of us probably never will. The vast majority of us are just as addicted to nicotine as we were before switching off of analogues. Our risk level may be drastically reduced, but that doesn't mean we're not still dependent on the drug.

I'm NOT "fooling myself". My goal from day one was to get off cigarettes.

I never wanted to get off nicotine. I like it. I don't considerate it a "monkey on my back". I like caffeine too.

I have attained my goal. To get the nicotine--and the pleasure of 'smoking' without the harm of actual smoke and all the carcinogens.

Mission accomplished.

 

[titanflyer]

I am actually lowering my nicotine content of the juice I smoke, but for one reason only.... and that is to vape more without fear of OD'ing. Simply put, I like the action of smoking, the nictoine habit is a bad side effect of that, but the ACT of smoking while drinking, driving, working, after sex...etc... all of it is what I love. The more vapor I can exhale the better.. if there is nicotine in it, then thats because I am addicted to it.. but I went from 2 packs a day, to vaping 24mg juice, to cutting 50/50 down to 10-12 mg juice and VG... all in the matter of 2 weeks. I will never put the PV down.. in fact, i am starting a collection. If it costs me 3 times as much as smoking, I could care less. Its time I start being honest with myself... I love smoking/vaping... more than anything. So if I can vape 0mg and do it all day on an array of expensive devices.. so be it.