E-cigs are the "healthy" way to smoke
Anne Beck
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Daily Titan - E-cigs are the "healthy" way to smoke
Published: Thursday, March 12, 2009
Updated: Thursday, March 12, 2009
Get ready for the new digital age of smoking folks, thanks to electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigs.
Fans of smoking e-cigs are giving rave reviews on the Internet to this new device.
They give the appearance of real cigarettes without the harmful chemicals, or so product marketers say. Some online sites claim "it is the healthy way to smoke!"
Exactly how that healthy smoking concept works, baffles me. It leads me to believe this is just another one of those schemes to try to wean smokers off cigarettes, but at a higher price. Its like quitting smoking without actually quitting and getting the same nicotine fix, but paying more to get it.
Nicotine is an addictive drug. It causes changes in the brain, which make it hard to break free.
It is a stimulant that messes with your natural brain chemicals. It focuses on dopamine, which is responsible for the pleasant feelings, and breaks down the bodys natural enzyme that regulates dopamine, allowing the brain to be more immersed in it, giving the smoker pleasurable feelings that are short-lived.
They soon crave another nicotine-filled cigarette. Smokers have a hard time quitting because they need the nicotine fix to keep their brain dopamine levels high.
According to the American Heart Association, nicotine addiction is historically one of the hardest addictions to break. Electronic cigarettes deliver the same addictive nicotine levels as a cigarette.
The National Institute of Health says a regular cigarette contains around 10 milligrams of nicotine. An e-cigarette, however, can carry nicotine levels ranging from zero (flavored mist) to up to 16 milligrams, a higher nicotine level than any regular cigarette.
The electronic cigarette "looks and feels" just like a regular cigarette, says Gamucci, one of the many manufacturers of Electronic Smoking Alternatives, and consists of three parts; a nicotine cartridge, an atomization chamber, and a smart chip with a lithium battery.
The nicotine solution is vaporized with propylene glycol (a colorless, clear liquid found in hand sanitizers, coolants, cosmetics and other products), and released to the smoker.
These e-cigs cater to the smokers who are trying to quit, but the different flavors offered, as well as trying to put a healthy spin on smoking, claiming it is the "future" of smoking, seems questionable.
Companies are marketing in such a way that they undermine smoking prevention efforts. Health officials worry it may give off the wrong message and also lure non-smokers as well as children.
It is confusing, and because it is fairly new, people may think it is now okay to smoke because its electronic and not real.
Wrong.
News flash! It is the same addictive substance. It will suck even more money and energy out of smokers, and have them begging for more because nicotine acts very much like ...... and ........ Health authorities are questioning these electronic cigarettes.
The World Health Organization warns there is no workable evidence to back up the assertion that e-cigarettes are a safe substitute for smoking, or a way to help smokers quit.
Unlike other nicotine proxies such as patches, gum, candy or pills that deliver regulated and even doses, e-cigarettes havent been fully tested. The lack of convincing research and information about e-cigarette contents and the long-term health effects is a growing concern for the Food and Drug Administration and WHO.
Most of the sales are done over the Internet, so it is neither as regulated nor as convenient of as going to the local store to get one. The FDA has "detained and refused" numerous brands of e-cigarettes because they were unapproved new drugs and could not be marketed legally in the U.S.
The price is another factor that may deter you from looking into it.
The e-cigarette prices range anywhere from $60 to $240 depending on the company, label name and type of kit consumers decide to purchase. A few refill cartridges alone equal the cost of a pack of cigarettes.
Why would a smoker want to pay more money for e-cigs to quit when there are other methods more suitable and kind to the wallet?
Many people trying to quit use the patch, gum, candy or other rituals and few may now use electronic cigarettes, but in the end it all boils down to self-discipline and motivation. These two principles (self-discipline and motivation) will ultimately decide if a smoker will quit or not.
It is a constant battle, but with a little help from family, friends, support groups and former smokers, people can emerge as quitters.
No matter what product smokers use to quit, they will continue to crave from time to time, and have a dependence on nicotine. Why would they bother buying an unregulated, untested e-cigarette?
People should use the products that have been thoroughly tested and are known to work.
Comments
4 comments
Wanda
Thu Mar 12 2009 17:33
I quit after 23 years but not after spending money buying different brands. I personally like the one that looks like the real cigarette because it makes it less obvious. The e-liquid to refill the cartridges is essential for saving money. be-smoke-free.com. is who I use and they are about half price than any other company.
Dirty Dingo
Thu Mar 12 2009 17:04
Yes nicotine is addictive, so is alcohol. But if I'm going to get my 'fix' thanks for denying me the right to opt out of tar and cancer causing carcinogens!
Sounds like someone is not happy with the fact they did not come up with it or can't make money from it other than flogging their opinion everywhere!
pbergen
Thu Mar 12 2009 10:39
Though there are reasonable concerns about quality with all the versions of this product (though a few of the majors have tested quite thoroughly and should be considered fairly safe), you seem to be concerned that people are not getting ahead because they are still addicted.
If there is no harm, why should you care? How do you feel about caffiene then?
What is wonderful about e-cigarettes is that not only do they have the potential to get smokers away from a very risky product but they will let people get the benefit from nicotine, whether they use it like caffeiene to make their brains work better, or use it to counter stress, or whether they simply get pleasure from it. Lets lose the worry about someone else enjoying something we might not, and get back to concentrating on the health effects.
People smoke because one way or another it benefits them, not because they want to get away with something.
Josh
Thu Mar 12 2009 09:40
Hi Anne,
I know this is an "opinion" piece, but it seems more like "fiction" than anything else. I've been following these devices closely since I saw them at CES a couple months ago. I think you are right in many areas. Cigarettes are dangerous and the FDA hasn't done enough about it. Nicotine is a highly addictive stimulant. Smoking tobacco causes cancer. It contains tar, carbon monoxide, and second hand smoke. Also enough research hasn't been on electronic cigarettes yet.
Now my version of the facts, nicotine was first synthesized in 1904, and it is nicotine (without the tobacco, fire, or smoke) that enables smokers to meet their physical cravings without the dangers of smoking traditional cigarettes. Many people try to quit smoking cigarettes but fail because their addiction is more than just the physical craving of nicotine. These electronic cigarettes allow these smokers to meet their nicotine cravings in a format that is more similar to smoking, without the dangers of traditional cigarettes.
Regarding your comments, when you look at the equivalents to packs of traditional cigarettes, these are cheaper than cigarettes, the gum, or the patch. Regarding your comments about the nicotine levels, the 16mg of nicotine is per gram of fluid, there are 20 e-cigarettes per 16mg of nicotine, or 0.8mg per cigarette equivalent.
Now you talk about these devices undermining smoking prevention efforts? Take a look at what our government has in store us. It's called the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, and it's been nicknamed the Altria Earnings Protection Act on Wall Street. This is from a Fortune article: "For starters, the bill prevents the FDA from ever banning cigarettes. Just as important, the wording makes it extremely unlikely that the FDA will ever approve a new cigarette product, because the new entrant would have to be deemed "appropriate for the protection of the public health."
By the way I think your advice on quitting is great, self-discipline and motivation... I'm sure the millions of people addicted to cigarettes appreciate it too.
Anne Beck
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Daily Titan - E-cigs are the "healthy" way to smoke
Published: Thursday, March 12, 2009
Updated: Thursday, March 12, 2009
Get ready for the new digital age of smoking folks, thanks to electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigs.
Fans of smoking e-cigs are giving rave reviews on the Internet to this new device.
They give the appearance of real cigarettes without the harmful chemicals, or so product marketers say. Some online sites claim "it is the healthy way to smoke!"
Exactly how that healthy smoking concept works, baffles me. It leads me to believe this is just another one of those schemes to try to wean smokers off cigarettes, but at a higher price. Its like quitting smoking without actually quitting and getting the same nicotine fix, but paying more to get it.
Nicotine is an addictive drug. It causes changes in the brain, which make it hard to break free.
It is a stimulant that messes with your natural brain chemicals. It focuses on dopamine, which is responsible for the pleasant feelings, and breaks down the bodys natural enzyme that regulates dopamine, allowing the brain to be more immersed in it, giving the smoker pleasurable feelings that are short-lived.
They soon crave another nicotine-filled cigarette. Smokers have a hard time quitting because they need the nicotine fix to keep their brain dopamine levels high.
According to the American Heart Association, nicotine addiction is historically one of the hardest addictions to break. Electronic cigarettes deliver the same addictive nicotine levels as a cigarette.
The National Institute of Health says a regular cigarette contains around 10 milligrams of nicotine. An e-cigarette, however, can carry nicotine levels ranging from zero (flavored mist) to up to 16 milligrams, a higher nicotine level than any regular cigarette.
The electronic cigarette "looks and feels" just like a regular cigarette, says Gamucci, one of the many manufacturers of Electronic Smoking Alternatives, and consists of three parts; a nicotine cartridge, an atomization chamber, and a smart chip with a lithium battery.
The nicotine solution is vaporized with propylene glycol (a colorless, clear liquid found in hand sanitizers, coolants, cosmetics and other products), and released to the smoker.
These e-cigs cater to the smokers who are trying to quit, but the different flavors offered, as well as trying to put a healthy spin on smoking, claiming it is the "future" of smoking, seems questionable.
Companies are marketing in such a way that they undermine smoking prevention efforts. Health officials worry it may give off the wrong message and also lure non-smokers as well as children.
It is confusing, and because it is fairly new, people may think it is now okay to smoke because its electronic and not real.
Wrong.
News flash! It is the same addictive substance. It will suck even more money and energy out of smokers, and have them begging for more because nicotine acts very much like ...... and ........ Health authorities are questioning these electronic cigarettes.
The World Health Organization warns there is no workable evidence to back up the assertion that e-cigarettes are a safe substitute for smoking, or a way to help smokers quit.
Unlike other nicotine proxies such as patches, gum, candy or pills that deliver regulated and even doses, e-cigarettes havent been fully tested. The lack of convincing research and information about e-cigarette contents and the long-term health effects is a growing concern for the Food and Drug Administration and WHO.
Most of the sales are done over the Internet, so it is neither as regulated nor as convenient of as going to the local store to get one. The FDA has "detained and refused" numerous brands of e-cigarettes because they were unapproved new drugs and could not be marketed legally in the U.S.
The price is another factor that may deter you from looking into it.
The e-cigarette prices range anywhere from $60 to $240 depending on the company, label name and type of kit consumers decide to purchase. A few refill cartridges alone equal the cost of a pack of cigarettes.
Why would a smoker want to pay more money for e-cigs to quit when there are other methods more suitable and kind to the wallet?
Many people trying to quit use the patch, gum, candy or other rituals and few may now use electronic cigarettes, but in the end it all boils down to self-discipline and motivation. These two principles (self-discipline and motivation) will ultimately decide if a smoker will quit or not.
It is a constant battle, but with a little help from family, friends, support groups and former smokers, people can emerge as quitters.
No matter what product smokers use to quit, they will continue to crave from time to time, and have a dependence on nicotine. Why would they bother buying an unregulated, untested e-cigarette?
People should use the products that have been thoroughly tested and are known to work.
Comments
4 comments
Wanda
Thu Mar 12 2009 17:33
I quit after 23 years but not after spending money buying different brands. I personally like the one that looks like the real cigarette because it makes it less obvious. The e-liquid to refill the cartridges is essential for saving money. be-smoke-free.com. is who I use and they are about half price than any other company.
Dirty Dingo
Thu Mar 12 2009 17:04
Yes nicotine is addictive, so is alcohol. But if I'm going to get my 'fix' thanks for denying me the right to opt out of tar and cancer causing carcinogens!
Sounds like someone is not happy with the fact they did not come up with it or can't make money from it other than flogging their opinion everywhere!
pbergen
Thu Mar 12 2009 10:39
Though there are reasonable concerns about quality with all the versions of this product (though a few of the majors have tested quite thoroughly and should be considered fairly safe), you seem to be concerned that people are not getting ahead because they are still addicted.
If there is no harm, why should you care? How do you feel about caffiene then?
What is wonderful about e-cigarettes is that not only do they have the potential to get smokers away from a very risky product but they will let people get the benefit from nicotine, whether they use it like caffeiene to make their brains work better, or use it to counter stress, or whether they simply get pleasure from it. Lets lose the worry about someone else enjoying something we might not, and get back to concentrating on the health effects.
People smoke because one way or another it benefits them, not because they want to get away with something.
Josh
Thu Mar 12 2009 09:40
Hi Anne,
I know this is an "opinion" piece, but it seems more like "fiction" than anything else. I've been following these devices closely since I saw them at CES a couple months ago. I think you are right in many areas. Cigarettes are dangerous and the FDA hasn't done enough about it. Nicotine is a highly addictive stimulant. Smoking tobacco causes cancer. It contains tar, carbon monoxide, and second hand smoke. Also enough research hasn't been on electronic cigarettes yet.
Now my version of the facts, nicotine was first synthesized in 1904, and it is nicotine (without the tobacco, fire, or smoke) that enables smokers to meet their physical cravings without the dangers of smoking traditional cigarettes. Many people try to quit smoking cigarettes but fail because their addiction is more than just the physical craving of nicotine. These electronic cigarettes allow these smokers to meet their nicotine cravings in a format that is more similar to smoking, without the dangers of traditional cigarettes.
Regarding your comments, when you look at the equivalents to packs of traditional cigarettes, these are cheaper than cigarettes, the gum, or the patch. Regarding your comments about the nicotine levels, the 16mg of nicotine is per gram of fluid, there are 20 e-cigarettes per 16mg of nicotine, or 0.8mg per cigarette equivalent.
Now you talk about these devices undermining smoking prevention efforts? Take a look at what our government has in store us. It's called the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, and it's been nicknamed the Altria Earnings Protection Act on Wall Street. This is from a Fortune article: "For starters, the bill prevents the FDA from ever banning cigarettes. Just as important, the wording makes it extremely unlikely that the FDA will ever approve a new cigarette product, because the new entrant would have to be deemed "appropriate for the protection of the public health."
By the way I think your advice on quitting is great, self-discipline and motivation... I'm sure the millions of people addicted to cigarettes appreciate it too.
