Anyhow they (RJRT and the Goberment FDA) tested the Eclipse and the harm profile, if used correctly, was reduced by an estimated 70%.
So let me get this straight. RJRT creates a heating-tobacco cigarette, the Eclipse (
Eclipse - Tobacco Products), which depending on how it is used can
still burn tobacco, although 70-90% less than an analog. FDA says sure, no problem, its certainly safer than an anaolg, go ahead RJRT!! The smoke from these, although less than an anolog, is still burning tobbacco smoke!
And they are having a fit over PVs, which burn nothing and do not have the carcinogenic chemicals of tobacco smoke.
Clearly, the mistake we are making is that we are not burning tobacco. This whole ridiculous saga with the FDA reminds me of a child caught in a lie, and having to lie again and again to cover his tracks.
I've been buried with research for some days now, but I have something from the heart for DVap:
You, sir, have serious chemistry chops! I totally envy your access to all that orgo glassware and chemicals. You either have an entire lab at home, a very cool boss, or you ARE the boss! You certainly are boss-chemist here.
For those lamenting not having the background to be able to follow this absolutely seminal thread (certainly one of the more important ones), its ok. If you CAN try this at home, that means you have an entire organic chem lab, and also the education to know what to have, how to use it, and why. What he is doing requires many years of advanced, post-graduate knowledge, not just book smarts, but practiced hands. And to make it worse for the novice, he is telling you maybe 10% of the details of what he is actually doing, at most. Unless you are actually a professional organic chemist with years of experience, namely in alkaloid extraction and purification, there is simply NO HOPE for you to do this, and it would lead to almost certain hospitalization, if not death, as in bad awful horrible messy death. I am fairly well trained in this, and I would not want to do what he is doing. For those that are well trained in this, he is actually not doing anything unusual or particularly difficult. Sort of like playing the Bach Unaccompanied Sonatas for cello is not particularly hard for Yo-yo Ma. It really does require that level of expertise.
I do have some general questions and comments. I have some experience with taking a tricyclic MAOI, back in the early '90s for depression. Anyone that takes these, or other antideps, knows that your psychology and physiological response is strongly dose-dependent. A tiny bit too much, and side effects become big. There is also a general danger with MAOIs, in that anything containing tryptamine (I believe) is forbidden. So red wine, hard cheeses, and others I forget. Same could be the case with tobacco MAOIs (TMAOIs). Additionally, MAOIs have fallen out of BP's favor, since they have lots of other side effects (Colon shuts down, weight gain, blurred vision, dry-mouth, sedation), even when used at normal therapeutic levels...which are different for everyone.
The trick is to create a mixture of nic and TMAOIs (and maybe other alkaloids we are not considering) that has the same relative balance as tobacco. Does anyone know the naturally occurring ratio of these alkaloids? Extraction of everything psychoactive is certainly possible, but will it have the same balance, and thus the same relative safety as what is in tobacco? I believe this is an important question, and extraction may not produce said balance, since different substances have different solubility equilibrium constants in a given solvent. You may end up with too much MAOIs compared to nic in the final material, or too much of something that is actually quite active, but we don't know about it yet because in tobacco it is in much lower amounts.
While I am thoroughly impressed by your prowess DVap, I am concerned about your relative safety in giving this final brew a vape. I believe there are too many variables here, and too many unknowns.
I do think all this will lead to excellent learning experiences about tobacco use in general. I just hope they are also forgiving experiences.
There is also the question of why these MAOIs are in tobacco in the first place. It may be that they keep nic from being oxided to cotinine, thus allowing the plant to retain its vital nicotine. Is it known that these MAOIs have dopamine/norepi activity? Or do they just get into us and keep nic from oxidizing to cot, thus allowing us to have the amount of nic needed to maintain the addiction?
Kin, shout out to you too! Excellent literature work and insights! Question: what is the enzyme in your avitar?
) and in the end, well, I think Trogg may have his answer. As to the other methods, that's a good point, but that also makes it obvious that it isn't just the nic that some of us are addicted to. Definitely worth a full read. 
