New DHHS website repeats FDA's false and misleading fear mongering claims about e-cigarettes, touts drug industry products

[Bill Godshall]

The US DHHS created a new website today Be tobacco Free at http://betobaccofree.hhs.gov/?source=govdelivery

The website includes a webpage that repeats many of FDA's false and misleading fear mongering claims about e-cigarettes, and promotes drug industry products as the only effective way to quit smoking.
Electronic Cigarettes | BeTobaccoFree.gov

E-Cigarettes may contain ingredients that are known to be toxic to humans. Because clinical studies about the safety of e-cigarettes have not been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you have no way of knowing:

• If they are safe
• Which chemicals they contain
• How much nicotine you are inhaling

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance. Additionally, these products may be attractive to kids. Using e-cigarettes may lead kids to try other tobacco products—including conventional cigarettes—which are known to cause disease and lead to premature death.
Although e-cigarettes may be marketed as a tool to help smokers quit, they have not been submitted for FDA evaluation or approval and there is no evidence to support those claims. There are, however, a number of FDA-approved quit-aids available to smokers, including:

• Nicotine gum
• Nicotine skin patches
• Nicotine lozenges
• Nicotine oral inhaled products
• Nicotine nasal spray
• Zyban
• Chantix

Get more information about quitting.

The new DHHS website also includes a webpage that deceives readers to believe smokeless tobacco is just as hazardous as cigarettes, and is being target marketed to children.
Smokeless Tobacco Products | BeTobaccoFree.gov

A new generation of smokeless tobacco products is widely available in a number of flavors and forms, including snus (a small pouch of moist snuff) and dissolvable products-such as lozenges, orbs, sticks, and strips. Because these products do not require spitting, they can be used discreetly, making them more attractive to young people.

No tobacco product is safe. Smokeless tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. Learn more about the health effects of smokeless tobacco.

The new DHHS website also has a page titled Tobacco and Nicotine that deceives readers about the health risks of tobacco use and nicotine at
Tobacco and Nicotine | BeTobaccoFree.gov

Tobacco is an addictive substance because it contains the chemical nicotine. Like ...... or ......., nicotine changes the way your brain works and causes you to crave more and more nicotine. This addiction to nicotine is what makes it so difficult to quit smoking and other tobacco. Learn more about nicotine addiction.

I urge folks to go to these webpages and post comments criticizing them (as they have a survey on each webpage inquiring about the helpfullnes of the webpage).

 

[Bill Godshall]

Another webpage on DHHS' new website "Smoked Tobacco Products" at
Smoked Tobacco Products | BeTobaccoFree.gov
falsely lists e-cigarettes as a smoked tobacco product.

Smoked Tobacco Products

Cigarettes
Light Cigarettes
Menthol cigarettes
Electronic cigarettes
Cigars and pipes
Bidis and Kreteks (Clove Cigarettes)
Hookahs

I've posted comments on all of these webpages telling the CDC to correct it false and misleading claims about tobacco and nictoine use, e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, and urge others to do the same.

 

[Vocalek]

I have left comments too. I suggested a rewording for the Smokeless tobacco page.

While no tobacco product is 100% safe, switching to a smokeless form of tobacco eliminates smoking-related risks of lung disease and reduces risks of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

 

[VapApe]

At the bottom there is a Was this page helpful yes or no box .
I checked no and checked info out dated.
And in other I wrote full of lies and haft truths.

 

[NorthOfAtlanta]

Checked no and outdated, commented that the so called "safe" products above contain the same amount of cancer causing chemicals as ecigs and unlike chantix and zyban eigs have caused 0 deaths.

I've got a fair idea how much good it will do when BPs minions read the comments.

 

[DC2]

Regarding the smoked tobacco products I checked no, saying it was confusing, and left this comment...

Electronic cigarettes needs to be removed from the list of smoked tobacco products, given the fact that they do not produce any smoke whatsoever, which is the entire point of using them.

Regarding the smokeless tobacco page I check no, saying there was not enough information, and left this comment...

You can remove the following highly misleading and potentially deadly statement: "Smokeless tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes." Then you can add a statement indicating that many forms of smokeless tobacco are immensely safer than cigarettes, and if you can not or will not quit smoking, then switching to one of these much safer products has a good chance of saving your life.

 

[mwplefty]

Yes, because we all know that children will go from vaping tasty flavors like fruit to nasty tobacco or, at best, menthol analog cigarettes. The gateway argument is so ridiculous.

 

[JENerationX]

Done...... I can not understand why people insist that an e-cig is "smoking". "Smoking" requires combustion.

 

[Petrodus]

Done...... I can not understand why people insist that an e-cig is "smoking". "Smoking" requires combustion.

The word "Vaping" ... is a term "WE" use to distance e-cigarettes from analogs.
The word PV is another word WE use ... for the same reason.

Vaping is only a "Politically Correct" word used with in our community
Out there in the world ...
"Smoking an Electronic cigarette"

"PVs" and "Vaping" never caught on with the public ... and Never will.
Blu e-cigarette company understands and that's why they say "Smoke a blu"

Interesting ...
I recall two years ago ... I posted and used the term "Electronic Cigarette"
Some members immediately replied saying I should use the term PV.
Fast Forward to Today
Few any longer (even here on the ECF) are preaching we have to use the term PV

Tell a smoker, or anyone in public for that matter, you're "Vaping" and not "smoking" ...
They will look at you like you have 2 heads !!


What I say today to those who are not familiar with E-cigarettes ...
I'm smoking an Electronic cigarette ... "The smoke you see is actually just harmless water vapor".

I remember one of our members posted on the E-cigarette in Public forum ...
"It's a Fake cigarette ... Even the Smoke is Fake

 

[jtpjc]

I remember one of our members posted on the E-cigarette in Public forum ...
"It's a Fake cigarette ... Even the Smoke is Fake

That would have been me... Unfortunately, it didn't catch on at the time. I also said the term Fake cigarette is a discription that non-users immediately understand. No more explanation neccessary.

 

[Petrodus]

That would have been me... Unfortunately, it didn't catch on at the time. I also said the term Fake cigarette is a description that non-users immediately understand. No more explanation necessary.

Hi ...
Yep, you are the one who coined that phrase !!

Actually, I think it's the Very Best 1-liner to give to anyone
questioning e-cigarettes. Like you said ... No more explanations are necessary
and quickly defuses any conformational arguments.

I've used your 1-liner MANY Times ...
It always brings a smile ... and of course ... stops those opposed to smoking dead in their tacks !!

 

[VapApe]

Yes it a fake cigarette, Haven't you heard the real ones will kill you.
I have used this a time or two.

 

[jtpjc]

Now I'm blushing...

 

[Petrodus]

Now I'm blushing...

Yeah, Right !!

 

[NorthOfAtlanta]

Another takeoff on this works with the ANTZ who like to use the fake ack ack cough is "don't worry it's a fake cigarette, just like your cough". Don't remember who posted it but it has come in handy more than once.

 

[Petrodus]

Another takeoff on this works with the ANTZ who like to use the fake ack ack cough is "don't worry it's a fake cigarette, just like your cough". Don't remember who posted it but it has come in handy more than once.

I just love it when (usually women) take out their handkerchiefs and hold it over the mouths
and do the Fake Cough routine. Some just waive their hands in front of their face to shoo it away.

"Its a FAKE cigarette ... Even the smoke is FAKE"

They get that shocked look and their faces and, of course, the fake coughing immediately stops
because they don't want to look anymore stupid than they already are.

 

[Berylanna]

Regarding the smoked tobacco products I checked no, saying it was confusing, and left this comment...

Regarding the smokeless tobacco page I check no, saying there was not enough information, and left this comment...

Is there a page full of useful, up-to-date studies that do NOT have any vape-related strings in the URL? With the ones not commissioned by vendors at the top?

Like the Italian study, other studies?

 

[DC2]

Is there a page full of useful, up-to-date studies that do NOT have any vape-related strings in the URL? With the ones not commissioned by vendors at the top?

Like the Italian study, other studies?

CASAA might have a web page that lists most of the known studies, but vendor commissioned ones are probably mixed in.

 

[rothenbj]

I just love it when (usually women) take out their handkerchiefs and hold it over the mouths
and do the Fake Cough routine. Some just waive their hands in front of their face to shoo it away.

"Its a FAKE cigarette ... Even the smoke is FAKE"

They get that shocked look and their faces and, of course, the fake coughing immediately stops
because they don't want to look anymore stupid than they already are.

I had that happen a couple of times until I went with mods. Now I just get questions about what the heck they are.

 

[VapApe]

Petrodus jtpjc enough blushing, get back to work .Good one liners don't write them self's you know