I've just blogged my thoughts on the DA/AP issue. I've approached this from a wider and historical perspective.
It's a bit of an essay, but I wanted to get all my thoughts down!
Read it here:
Confused about diacetyl? You should be | Vaping.com
Since I'm not on the same side as what is turning into the majority (of vocal people) and yet am aligned with the conclusion of this piece when it says, "the absolute worst thing vapers can do is panic and feed more panic."
Not sure if any on this thread are panicking, but fairly confident many are feeding more panic.
Anyway, since I'm not on the same page as what I perceive to be the majority, I am inclined to take certain segments of this essay to task. If SJ responds, great, but being on open forum, I just assume it be discussed openly.
From the section on "Why are DA/AP in e-liquids?"
He went to the vaping community and crowdsourced funding for a large test of popular e-liquid brands which he purchased anonymously. Again, what came back shocked him - the vast majority (74%) of the sweet flavored liquids he tested came back with DA/AP, and 47.3% of DA and 41.5% of AP-containing samples exposed consumers to levels higher than the safety limits.
I think it needs to be re-emphasized after this is said what was said just a few paragraphs earlier.
Those manufacturers requested of their flavor suppliers that the flavoring compounds they supply did not contain DA, and most thought that this was the end of the story.
This needs to be stated again / re-emphasized because in essence it is where we are right now and what consumers are clamoring for. For someone else to do the work, and for them to be appeased with literally zero proof, but instead that trust/faith will somehow get concerned vaping consumers where they say they want to go on this issue. But that has already been tried. And Dr. F.'s study would mean a little bit more in historical context if every politically aware vaper simply acknowledged that we have seen industry inform consumers on this issue.
Yet, now we consumers are in that ANTZ-prone position of being able to say they lied to us. Ya know, to scapegoat ourselves from any sense of responsibility in the matter. Furthermore, without that emphasis it seems like industry is the only one playing catch up when reality clearly shows consumers are way way behind on the issue (even most on this thread), science is way behind on the issue (heck just go read the B.O. Wikipedia article for enough maybes/potential type statements to realize science really doesn't know) and that politics is way behind. But right about now, the politics matter more than anything. In the long run, the consumer's interest / health matters most. But unless consumers are asleep at the wheel, it's not like most in industry aren't well aware that their hand could very soon (1 month to no more than 3 years) be forced on this issue, along with umpteen other issues of "potential long term effects."
It is only because of the politics that consumers can dare say "we were lied to." A little dose of honesty matched with tough love would poke holes into that rationalization for irresponsibility in seconds. Maybe nanoseconds.
How vaping community doesn't see this issue as being set up like a bowling pin to be knocked down (to stigmatization level of smokers/smoking) is a bit beyond me. But then again, there are many among us who think "they lied to us" applies solely and only to BT's actions in their choice to be smokers / engage in smoking. So, perhaps it's just par for the course.
As this whole line of thought plays into the concluding section, I just assume quote that in its entirety:
What should the industry be doing?
My personal view is that unless and until the industry can show that DA/AP in e-liquid is safe for vapers, those whose liquids contain it should make it clear to consumers this is the case, either through a labelling convention or something else. This won’t solve everything, but it will at least confer some agency to the consumer to make informed decisions. I think the community really does need to push industry hard for this - even those who have no problem with consuming DA/AP should at least consider those who really do not want to, and have the right to know.
Of course, there are other dynamics at play, such as the media relentlessly causing fear and uncertainty, but I think this idea that informed vapers become more concerned over time should be taken seriously by industry players who want to remain competitive, and it serves vapers well by keeping a perpetual check on the safety of vaping products.
Overlooking consumer responsibility and testing (yet again), I do realize consumers are going to push on industry for this. But they will be doing this with most knowing that ANTZ will be right there with them pushing against the industry. Oh what strange bedfellows that will make.
The FDA will be pushing as well in a quasi scientific / mostly political way. Many who agree with pushing will seemingly resist this (FDA deeming), unless they can get exactly what it is they want. But there's the rub. Let's say 10 vapers in this thread say, "all we are saying is published reports of lab results." Okay, but what if 10 other vapers are saying "that's too much" while 10 more are saying, "that doesn't nearly go far enough." Then what? Clearly vaping community and industry has demonstrated a lack of cohesion and responsibility (completely lacking on personal responsibility), so if I were non vaper, or ANTZ like, or someone that still thought FDA is a good thing, then I'd think the FDA can handle the pushing and you little vapers go hang out in the corner over there while the 'adults' attend to this inevitable push that needs to occur against the industry. I mean, you are all for us pushing (hard) right? Then just support the efforts from those who have a long standing history in such matters and who will be very responsive in dealing with this issue. All we ask is that you don't fight us any more.
And if you can manage to feed the panic when one of your vendors is nailed for high DA/AP, that would be extremely helpful. Who knows, maybe one day when you stop vaping, you can join the team!
