- Apr 2, 2009
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I generated several comments criticizing the National Academies report's research methods and conclusions in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Evidence on health effects of e-cigarettes is mixed, expert panel says
Evidence on health effects of e-cigarettes is mixed, expert panel says
Excerpt
A longtime critic of research that labels e-cigarettes and vaping a gateway to tobacco smoking for young people, Bill Godshall, executive director of Smokefree Pennsylvania, attacked the committee’s report, saying, “This is a repeat of all the junk science that’s been done already.”
A proponent of vaping as a path to quit tobacco smoking, Mr. Godshall said, “There are a thousand times more people who have quit smoking using vaping products than people going from vapers to cigarettes.”
He added that studies have not asked young people if they had smoked before vaping, only if they had smoked a cigarette at least once after previously vaping.
He suggested the findings might have been different if there was a harm-reduction expert on the committee. He also said randomized, controlled trials, while accepted as the highest quality in testing medical treatments, can’t reproduce the experience of vaping.
“There are over 3 million e-cigarette products registered with the FDA,” he said.
“The average vaper has switched from dozens of vaper products since they’ve quit smoking,” he said. Surveys show the success of vaping, he said, adding that surveys show most teens aren’t vaping with nicotine.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Evidence on health effects of e-cigarettes is mixed, expert panel says
Evidence on health effects of e-cigarettes is mixed, expert panel says
Excerpt
A longtime critic of research that labels e-cigarettes and vaping a gateway to tobacco smoking for young people, Bill Godshall, executive director of Smokefree Pennsylvania, attacked the committee’s report, saying, “This is a repeat of all the junk science that’s been done already.”
A proponent of vaping as a path to quit tobacco smoking, Mr. Godshall said, “There are a thousand times more people who have quit smoking using vaping products than people going from vapers to cigarettes.”
He added that studies have not asked young people if they had smoked before vaping, only if they had smoked a cigarette at least once after previously vaping.
He suggested the findings might have been different if there was a harm-reduction expert on the committee. He also said randomized, controlled trials, while accepted as the highest quality in testing medical treatments, can’t reproduce the experience of vaping.
“There are over 3 million e-cigarette products registered with the FDA,” he said.
“The average vaper has switched from dozens of vaper products since they’ve quit smoking,” he said. Surveys show the success of vaping, he said, adding that surveys show most teens aren’t vaping with nicotine.
