E-Cigarette Forum Discussion Thread

[kristin]

I have to thank Dutch on QSMB for causing me to find this article: Is a 14% Chantix success rate worth risking death?

Which led me to these articles, which - even though it's a "cold turkey" site and anti-nicotine - has a goldmine of info that supports claims also made by THR advocates:

GlaxoSmithKline Continues Defrauding Smokers

On October 28, 2010, the day following an announcement that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) had agreed to pay a $750 million fine in a fraud case, GSK's Consumer Healthcare division issued a press release asserting that, "NRT products offer a step-down therapy that doubles a smoker's chances of quitting versus cold turkey."

It's time to stop being afraid and simply say it. Through and through, GSK's statement is a fraudulent marketing misrepresentation.

Truth is, NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) has failed to prevail over cold turkey quitters in nearly every long-term quitting method survey conducted to date. GSK knows that just last year cold turkey quitters defeated NRT quitters in a survey conducted by four GSK consultants.

Little communication in failed war against smoking

Pharmaceutical industry influence continues its stranglehold over Smokefree.gov's primary creator, the Tobacco Control Research Branch (TCRB) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Interestingly, the primary author of this just released HHS inter-agency communication study, Scott J. Leischow, PhD, is also listed at SmokeFree.gov as a site developer and advisor. Dr. Leischow disclosed as part of a March 11, 2009 Journal of the American Medical Association article that he is a "paid speaker for Pfizer" (which sells Chantix) and a "consultant for Johnson & Johnson" (which sells replacement nicotine products including Nicorette).

Industry influence has so deeply infected all levels of HHS cessation thinking that there seems little hope of capping the well. How bad is it? During 2007 the NCI co-sponsored a 3 day industry sales conference where the Who's Who of pharmaceutical industry consultants openly advocated use of tobacco industry marketing tactics in order to sell even greater quantities of replacement nicotine.

Smokefree.gov really Buymeds.now

Pharmaceutical industry influence, too thick to cut with a chainsaw, continues its stranglehold over Smokefree.gov's creator, the Tobacco Control Research Branch (TCRB) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NCI remained silent when in June 2000 a panel of experts with strong financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry was allowed to write official U.S. quitting policy. "There are numerous effective medications for tobacco dependence," the panel proclaimed, "and clinicians should encourage their use by all patients attempting to quit smoking."

Smokefree.gov's "Medications to Help You Quit" page states that "medicines can double your chances of quitting for good." Its "Quit Guide" again echoes that "medicines can double your chances of quitting for good." Its "Dispelling Myths about Nicotine Replacement Therapy" page continues the drum roll that, "NRT can double a smoker's chances of quitting smoking." And the chorus reaches crescendo inside the site's Clearing the Air quitting booklet which claims, "Studies show that these medications, compared with trying to quit without them, can double or triple your chances of quitting for good."

TCRB's double "your" chances campaign isn't limited to Smokefree.gov. Dr. Backinger presented a Powerpoint presentation in May 2007 claiming that, "pharmocotherapy can double the smoker's chance of quitting smoking." Why noteworthy? Because Dr. Backinger gave the presentation a year after a National Cancer Institute study found otherwise.

Far from doubling "your" chances, a 2006 NCI study found that those quitting without medications actually had slightly higher long-term success rates than those using medications. Yes, as horrible as this sounds, the NCI's Smokefree.gov website evidences what may be the most deadly government health deception ever.

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Kevin Helliker exposed the depth of pharmaceutical influence over NCI cessation policy in a 2007 front page Wall Street Journal article entitled, "Nicotine Fix - Behind Antismoking Policy, Influence of Drug Industry." The story shared unpublished data from a June 2006 NCI survey of 8,200 quitters.

And there were many more!

Of course, there were also a lot of anti-nicotine claims. This one was my favorite false statement:

Smokers don't smoke because they enjoy it, but because they don't enjoy what happens when they don't smoke. They don't hold or puff on cigarettes because they like to, they do so because they must, because they are true drug addicts in every sense, because their brain has been rewired to function on nicotine, because every two hours their body's nicotine reserves decline by half.

So, none of us enjoyed smoking. That sure explains a lot of the attitudes on QSMB. (Many of them consider whyquit.com the bible for quitting smoking.)

The above statement is the single greatest reason why the antis cannot understand why smokers won't quit, even with all of their exaggerated health claims (when the real health risks should be sufficient) and nasty pictures of diseased smokers' bodies. The fact that enjoying "clean" nicotine in a familiar way - one that reflects what we enjoyed about smoking - has been more successful than that exact same nicotine in the form of a gum or a patch shows that there are many aspects of smoking many smokers "enjoyed."

Once they understand that many smokers DO enjoy it as an activity, they'll be able accept that THR is the answer to get those folks to quit.

 

[kristin]

OH! OK, I was a little confused.

I was actually thinking it'd be fun to paste my face in some of them and use them as avatars!

Because I thought you would have fun printing out some of them and cutting them up and sticking them together to make art!

Edit to tell that it was actually that pic you put of the amazing design with the Elizabeth I head that reminded me I had neglected to tell anyone here that the collection even existed!

Thank you for the compliment on my mom's gift. I actually finished it with some changes. The emerald crystals are now sapphires and I found some smaller crystals to surround the portrait, which look more elegant, IMO. I also found and bought some beautiful Swarovsky pearls to use! It's drying right now and I hope to send it out later this week. Mom said she got her Riva kit and cartomizers from Nhaler and my brother has been helping her learn to use them. (She had a 510 over a year ago, but gave it up because it was too much fussing, so I recommended the cartos as less fuss.) She only smokes during the Ren Faire, but better not to smoke at all. Maybe she can convert some of her Ren Faire buddies to e-cigs, too!!

ETA: Oh, and after I finished it, I realized that the stones were all of our birthstones - Mom=pearl, Dad=diamond, Brothers=pearl and garnet and mine=sapphire. Pretty cool!


(Signature ad link removed from these posts because I didn't intend this to be advertising, I'm just proud of my gifts I created and wanted to share!)

 

[renstyle]

Disney went fine yesterday except they took my GRIP at the gate and now are having trouble finding it.

Sallie, please? LOL, please? ;-) -Magnus

I always thought it rained right about 4:00-4:30pm anyplace on the mainland south of Virginia? I took a greyhound bus from Iowa back in 2001 to help my Marine buddy move back home from Camp Lejeune, and the rain was almost like clockwork. Really something for a midwestern boy to experience.

 

[ClayK]

Summer time it's pretty common for rain to roll through here between 1400-1700. Don't know why that is, probably something to do with the mountains to the west and the coastline to the east. Most of our hurricanes roll up from NC, but most of our cold weather comes off the mountains to the west. Odds are, if a storm is hitting Roanoke, it will reach Richmond or Fredericksburg in about 4-5 hours, generally speaking. We use to make a joke at Quantico, "Don't like the weather? Wait till 1500 and it will all be different". Same thing at Camp Lejeune, rain rolled in either real early in the morning staying all day, or it was nice all day and then BLAM! right at formation time, we'd get dumped on.

 

[renstyle]

I don't care WHAT anybody ever says to the contrary, those boxes you create are effing sweet!

My little girls b-day isn't until November (she'll turn 6), and one of these would make a FANTASTIC pencil case for her at school.

 

[renstyle]

Summer time it's pretty common for rain to roll through here between 1400-1700. Don't know why that is, probably something to do with the mountains to the west and the coastline to the east. Most of our hurricanes roll up from NC, but most of our cold weather comes off the mountains to the west. Odds are, if a storm is hitting Roanoke, it will reach Richmond or Fredericksburg in about 4-5 hours, generally speaking. We use to make a joke at Quantico, "Don't like the weather? Wait till 1500 and it will all be different". Same thing at Camp Lejeune, rain rolled in either real early in the morning staying all day, or it was nice all day and then BLAM! right at formation time, we'd get dumped on.

YAY! Marine on the board! Thanks SO VERY MUCH for your service!

 

[kristin]

I don't care WHAT anybody ever says to the contrary, those boxes you create are effing sweet!

My little girls b-day isn't until November (she'll turn 6), and one of these would make a FANTASTIC pencil case for her at school.

Thanks! I really have a lot of fun making custom or personalized cases.

I made this one as a Christmas gift for my then-11 year old neice. She's really into zebra prints and peace signs. We also got her a birthstone necklace and earring set and used the case as the giftbox!

(Signature ad link removed from these posts because I didn't intend this to be advertising, I'm just proud of my gifts I created and wanted to share!)

 

[AngelVapor]

I haven't been on in awhile but I did miss you all!! I have not touched a traditional cigarette for about 2 years! I am so excited and I wanted to write and thank you all for your support, encouragement and information as I felt alone and lost in the beginning of this journey. I live in a small rural area and didn't find too many supporters. I love you E-Cigarette Forum!!! You are the best!

 

[MustangSallie]

Sallie, please? LOL, please? ;-) -Magnus

You don't like my dogs?

 

[ClayK]

I want the old avatar back.... ;( (or something in the same general genre)

 

[MustangSallie]

Now that coughing is beginning to subside, and I've reduced the number of tobacco cigarettes I smoke so that my category is technically very heavy smoker, a dramatic downgrade from my starting point of Summon The Mourners and Tell The Second Line To Wet Those Reeds, I've been having a run of really good days.

Yipee!!!

 

[Randyrtx]

I like the dogs... they're just not as purty as you

 

[MustangSallie]

Now I'm doubly miffed. I went outside to brave the rain again and not only was there no mail, but there was NO RAIN and the heat and humidity are back!

MADMAN what have you done!!!

 

[renstyle]

At least you are not alone in your misery. We have no central air either. Last nite the kiddies got an extra night "camping out" on the floor in the den downstairs watching cartoons (YAY for WDTV-LIVE PLUS), while I attempted to find comfort in my wingback chair.

A 2ton 220V window AC unit feels REALLY NICE at 10 paces!

 

[kristin]

I have 3 fans going - one from the ice cold basement to the kitchen, one from the kitchen to the dining room and one from the dining room to the living room! I have only one window open - the one on the far side of the living room opposite the fan, so the hot air can be pushed out of the house. The basement/kitchen fan is catching the cold air on the floor, then the dining room fan is angled on a chair to push the air up and the living room fan is also on a chair. It's actually pretty comfortable in here considering that the heat index outside is 100 - 105 right now! (If we ever were without power in weather like this, I'd move into the basement!)

Luckily it cools down a lot at night. We have some window air conditioners, but those use a lot more energy than fans and this is cooling the whole first floor rather than just one room. If it gets too hot as the day progresses, I may use a window conditioner. I'm about to take the little one out to the kiddie pool!

 

[Randyrtx]

It's downright chilly here today... only 90. (praying for rain!)

 

[kristin]

UGH! It rained this morning just as the tempurature was heating up, so it's nice and muggy here, too! lol

It's downright chilly here today... only 90. (praying for rain!)

 

[MagnusEunson]

You don't like my dogs?

See, let me use Kristin as an example. When I see her smiling face, regardless of how grumpy I am, it causes pause. Your smiling face gave me pause. It just helped improve the mood. -Magnus

 

[lolady]

OH! OK, I was a little confused.

Good! I'm usually very confused, so people who aren't confused are kind of intimidating.

The box is a thing of wondrous beauty! I love the sapphires!

I was actually thinking it'd be fun to paste my face in some of them and use them as avatars!

That's a great idea! You'll think of all kinds of things to do with them, blow up textures and patterns, shrink down whole unlikely groupings, every artist needs a handy paper doll collection.

I hope to get Housing up soon!

...those boxes you create are effing sweet!

+ the following pleasant elephant

 

[lolady]

...Once they understand that many smokers DO enjoy it as an activity, they'll be able to accept...

With all my heart, I hope you're right and I'm wrong, but the more I read "over there" and elsewhere, the more I'm convinced that they do know we enjoy it, but that enjoyment is at variance with their beliefs.

Smoking becomes a triptych of wrongs, (tobacco, nicotine, puffing) each one a complete, independent and standalone work in its own right, whether viewed as addiction, supernatural being or force, (or displeasing to one or more such entities), a gateway pleasure to (insert favorite fun thing here), or just a plain old wrong, with no attendant cultural rainment.

Wiser and smarter people than me will be able to hold forth on the whys, but I reluctantly stand by my previous ravings about the what.