The nicotine absorption contradiction

[rolygate]

@EddardinWinter
Eissenberg 1, which is how we refer to the study you mentioned, was conducted with new vapers using minis that were incorrectly set up for beginners, and they were not given the right advice on how to use the equipment. As a result, little or no nicotine was delivered - and this could be expected to be the norm under that particular set of circumstances.

Dr Tom Eissenberg is a member here, and it was pointed out to him how the study parameters could be improved, assuming that efficient nicotine delivery was the goal. He then re-ran the study with results we refer to as Eissenberg 2 (these studies are in the medical literature as Vansickel, Eissenberg). The new results were completely different and showed that significant amounts of nicotine were delivered. As a result of this, Dr E. adjusted his view.


Nicotine or cigarette equivalency via e-liquid nic strength
It is worth pointing out that there is no possible way of determining any form of equivalency to cigarettes by using any form of numerical comparison involving the nicotine content of e-liquid. There is a massive logic error here which is pointed out in this article:
Nicotine equivalency of e-cigarettes vs cigarettes

You can compare tobacco and e-liquid (the pre-conversion phase), and you can compare cigarette smoke and vapor (the gas/vapor phase) - but you can't compare tobacco and vapor, or e-liquid and smoke, as that is about as relevant as comparing the Golden Gate bridge and a peanut.

It should also be pointed out that 1ml of e-liquid is about 6 cigarettes (at most) in terms of time/session equivalence (the nicotine issue is a separate one):
The number of cigarettes in a carto

A 20-a-day smoker would use about 3 cartos a day, assuming they got the nicotine strength right. This is because a regular carto contains about 1ml, which is about 22 drops, and most experienced vapers say that a 'cigarette equivalent session' is around 3 or 4 drops.


Vapor research
No real research has been conducted into the amount of nicotine in ecig vapor. Some numbers have been quoted as a by-product of research that was examining other issues. The three sets of numbers published that we have are not sufficient to base any factual statements on, as (a) they were not the main subject of the study, which addressed other issues, and (b) the numbers have not been repeated or are not repeatable.

1. Ecig vapor contains about 10% of the nicotine in cigarette smoke, per unit volume (i.e. per litre).
2. The total vapor produced by an ecig from a carto contains about 50% of the nicotine that was in the carto originally.
3. There is very little nicotine in exhaled vapor, and this amount can be described as 'not present' or 'detectable but of non-significant quantity'.

1: From a Laugesen, NZ study of a Ruyan V8 penstyle, using an average/low strength carto. For various reasons it is likely that this number could easily be increased to 50%.
2: Ref not known. However we do know that not everything in the e-liquid is converted into vapor; and it is also not reasonable to assume that the vapor contents directly reflect the liquid content, as this would not align with other results. For example we know that in cases where a small amount of contaminants have been found in the liquid (such as DEG), those were not detectable in the vapor: they weren't converted, or were inefficiently converted. The FDA among others have shown us this.
3: From the FA/Clearstream study, which showed the nicotine content of exhaled vapor in parts per trillion and thus insignificant by most standards. Far more nicotine would be consumed by drinking a quarter of a cup of tea than breathing air with nicotine at this concentration. Compared to the amount of nicotine in the normal diet, it does not even register.

If it is suggested that no nicotine at all should ideally be present in exhaled vapor, in order to fully satisfy a 'no-injury' requirement for bystanders, then it needs to be understood that the amount of nicotine in the normal diet is millions of times higher, which is why everyone tests positive for nicotine, even if non-smokers. And, should the usual 'what about the children' propaganda favourite be brought up, it can be addressed by this: if you feed your baby on the usual baby food of mashed-up vegetables, or make the same puree yourself - you can be assured that you are feeding your baby far more nicotine than is available in a smoky environment, never mind one with a little exhaled e-cigarette vapor. (Example: one portion of aubergine/eggplant contains the same amount of nicotine as absorbed by a person spending 30 hours in a smoky room.)

There is nothing inherently 'wrong' or 'toxic' about nicotine - it is a normal part of the diet, and it would be unhealthy to try and exclude it (partly because it is co-located with nicotinic acid, aka vitamin B3 or niacin).


Exactly what nic strength is needed?
Human tolerance to nicotine varies so much that we have seen enough evidence for a factor-10 difference: some cannot vape 6mg (6mg/ml or 0.6% nicotine) extensively without symptoms of over-consumption, and 12mg (12mg/ml or 1.2% nicotine) is too strong for them; and there are a small number of people who vape 60mg (60mg/ml or 6% nicotine) in order to achieve satisfaction, and with no signs of over-consumption.

In addition we know that beginners have poor technique, and often use equipment with less than optimal performance (in terms of nicotine delivery). For that reason (and others, such as the fact they are recent smokers or even dual-users, used to the much more efficient nicotine delivery of cigarettes), it is logical to think that beginners might need a higher nic strength initially.

This has been demonstrated to be correct in at least three clinical trials (three published, and at least one more not published: the Intellicig trials). For this reason Intellicig have introduced a new, higher strength of retail liquid. Previously, the highest-strength retail e-liquid has been 36mg (36mg/ml or 3.6% nicotine), but they have brought in a new 45mg strength (45mg/ml or 4.5% nicotine) to redress the 'beginner no-nic' issue. Since they have run clinical trials on this, and will almost certainly receive a pharmaceutical license to sell this strength, they have presumably shown it to be effective and acceptably safe.

It remains to be seen how advisable that is for experienced users with high-performance equipment. People know when they have had too much, of course, so it seems reasonably safe, in those terms. Perhaps what is needed are studies that show the long-term effects of high-level pure nicotine consumption. It will be twenty years before we have those. The Snus data tells us the risks are very low, although, logically, consumption of a whole-tobacco product is not the same as consumption of a single extracted ingredient.

 

[fuzzione]

Very informative, thanks Roly.

 

[TheCommuter]

Rolygate - Awesome post. Thank you!!

I'm very new to vaping, but have done quite a bit of research. I've never come across (reputable) data that convinces me one way or the other on low vs high absorption rate. There are too many variables to be able to say XX% is absorbed when inhaled. How much vapor is inhaled in one drag? How deep did you inhale? How long did you hold it in? Are your lungs still filled with tar from cigarettes? All of these things would affect how much nicotine is absorbed, and it will vary greatly from person to person.

When I decided switch to vaping I purchased e-liquid in may different nicotine levels (ranging from 6mg to 24mg). I started off with the lowest and slowly moved up until my nicotine cravings were satisfied. I found that 12-18mg generally satisfies my cravings, so I generally stick to that. However, there are times where I need 24mg to get the same satisfaction. I don't know if it is because my body wanted more nicotine, or if my vaping style is different (shorter drags, lower charged battery, etc) that day.

I guess the "TLDR" is: I personally find the topic of absorption rate interesting, but at the end of the day it means very little to how / what I vape. Use as low of a nicotine level as possible to satisfy your cravings - your body will tell you if it isn't enough (or too much).

EDIT: I want to add in a quick disclaimer - I'm a complete noob. I've only been vaping for two weeks and this post is just my OPINION and shouldn't be interpreted as factual information

 

[myxomatosis]

Thanks for the explanation Roly. So.... theoretically, if I was a PAD analog smoker, and I vape 1.5ml/day currently - it's very possible that not only have I reduced the amount of harmful chemicals present in an inhale, I've also reduced the amount of nicotine that I absorb in an average day based on the current short-term research that has been done?

(smoking ultralight analogs VS 0.6% nic)

 

[Miira]

I honestly don't care. E-cigs helped me quit smoking and I plan to reduce the nic in my juices down to zero anyway. I've already stepped down from 24mg to 18mg and plan to go down to 12 when I re-order.

 

[rolygate]

It is very likely that a person's vaping, when stable and adjusted to their preferred level, will deliver less nicotine (and possibly substantially less) compared to the amount they received when smoking. This probably holds good even if the person vapes 50% or 100% more than they smoked (as many of us do).

The ecig delivery of nicotine is far less efficient than a cigarette, and in addition, the bioavailability of the nicotine delivered is probably substantially lower than that of cigarette smoke. Indeed, you might need to vape perhaps four times as much to get the same amount of nicotine. Nevertheless people are satisfied by their ecig, so it looks as if less nicotine is acceptable when using an electronic cigarette.

Here are some numbers to support that opinion:
- Laugesen tells us that a small ecig delivers 10% of the nicotine in the equivalent amount of tobacco smoke. But do users of minis vape 10 times as much as they smoked? Unlikely.

For various reasons it would almost certainly be possible to multiply his figure by 5, giving us a figure of 50% of the equivalent in smoke (by using a more efficient delivery system, and by using a higher strength of e-liquid, and by using a more appropriate inhalation protocol for ecigs, for example). Even so it's only half the nic in smoke.

- The bioavailability of nicotine in ecig vapor is likely to be lower than that in smoke, where about 85% of the nicotine present is bioavailable: usable by the human body. This is a highly efficient delivery system. In contrast, nicotine in vapor is less usable due to the large particle size and the PG lock-in effect:

- Smoke has a particle size of 1 micron or so, and the tar droplets that comprise this particulate matter carry the nicotine very deep into the lung's microscopic passageways. The nicotine is also buffered to adjust its PH and therefore increase its bioavailability and effectiveness.
- Vapor is a water-based mist and has a large particle size of about 10 microns (up to 10 ten times larger than smoke particles). As a result it does not travel as deeply into the lungs. In addition the nicotine is locked-in by the PG and/or VG excipient and cannot be released or utilised as easily. In cigarette engineering it is known that the more PG that is added to tobacco, the less nicotine is available for use. PG and VG-based e-liquid can be poured on the skin without significant effect, except in the case of those individuals with low tolerance to nicotine. Pure nicotine, or nicotine diluted with water, would have a very different effect.
- As a result, it is thought that at least as much nicotine is absorbed in the mouth and nose as is absorbed in the lungs, during use of an e-cigarette. This is why the inhalation routine is critical if maximum nicotine delivery is required: inhale softly and lightly for about 6 seconds (less if the equipment is high-performance) in order to avoid overloading the atomiser - hold the vapor in the mouth for 2 seconds - inhale and hold in the lungs for 2 seconds - exhale very slowly through the nose. Needless to say it is much easier to just get a higher strength nicotine liquid; but if forced to use low-strength liquid in a low-performance device, this is what you would need to do in order to receive a reasonable amount of nicotine.

Cigarette smoking is variously said to produce a measurable brain response in 7 to 10 seconds, which incidentally is far faster than can be achieved by injecting the nicotine (inhalation is highly efficient). Injection produces a result in about 30 seconds; ingestion (delivery via the stomach in specially-made capsules that avoid triggering the nicotine vomit reflex) takes about 1 hour to show.

Vaping is said to have shown a 'hit' in 30 seconds in the Intellicig clinical trials, one of the very few sources of information on such details, though unpublished.

Smokers measure with a blood plasma level of about 12ng/ml to 30ng/ml of nicotine, with an average of about 18ng (these figures were far higher in the past, because cigarettes have become progressively weaker). The background level from dietary nicotine is about 1 or 2ng/ml (everyone tests positive for nicotine). Vapers usually test from 2ng to 20ng, with the average at this time (with comparatively few test results to go on) at about 12ng. They seem to be happy with less nicotine than when they smoked.

So on balance we could generally say that an ecig 'session' is about two to three times as long as a cigarette lasts for (if you use the ecig in the same way as a tobacco cigarette, which many don't); that if your cigarette lasts for 12 puffs then your ecig session will have about 24 - 36 puffs; and that although satisfied by this (after experience has taught you how to adjust all the hardware and liquid parameters to suit you precisely), it is unlikely that your blood plasma nicotine level will be as high as it was when smoking.

[edit - this para added for interest value]
There are some interesting but hard to reconcile points about nic:
- Vapers generally test about 40% lower than smokers for nic plasma levels
- Vapers are equally satisfied with the result (or they would vape more, or raise their nic strength)
- Few or none ever report they could smoke themselves dizzy
- Many vapers report they can easily overvape and start to experience symptoms of over-consumption

It's hard to work out exactly what is going on here...

A certain percentage of people who have switched to vaping are unsatisfied no matter how efficient the hardware is or how strong the nicotine is. There is debate about this percentage but numbers anywhere between 10% and 75% have been claimed, showing there is disagreement. A figure of 25% seems a good starting point. It has been well-demonstrated that adding back in the other tobacco alkaloids (that we call WTAs) fixes this problem for most: some people need the other components as well as nicotine. These other alkaloids are important for some although many do get over their need for them: nornicotine, anabasine, anatabine, and myosmine for example. So we have a situation where it seems almost all vapers need less nicotine than smoking delivered, although they can overvape without too much trouble; and some need the other tobacco alkaloids just as much. These vapers may benefit from WTA e-liquid, or additional use of Snus. Some don't realise they can access those materials, and may return to smoking.

There is a growing body of anecdotal evidence that it is easier to quit vaping (or reduce to zero nic) than it is to quit smoking.

 

[Kemosabe]

i know im getting more nicotine from vaping than i did from smoking. when i smoked, i would try not to smoke. i wasnt very good at curbing cravings, but i certainly didnt smoke as much as i wanted to. now that i vape, i see no reason not to just puff away. i can feel the effects of the nicotine more than i ever did when i smoked. i dont know how much more nicotine im getting, but it is certainly more. that fact is abundantly clear.

 

[myxomatosis]

i know im getting more nicotine from vaping than i did from smoking. when i smoked, i would try not to smoke. i wasnt very good at curbing cravings, but i certainly didnt smoke as much as i wanted to. now that i vape, i see no reason not to just puff away. i can feel the effects of the nicotine more than i ever did when i smoked. i dont know how much more nicotine im getting, but it is certainly more. that fact is abundantly clear.

Hmm.. that's interesting. I would say the opposite personally, based off my overall experience (so far) and current setup - but it's not reduced enough to make me want to smoke (at least not regularly). What mg do you smoke now, and what cigs did you smoke before?

 

[rolygate]

Another anomaly is that although it is easier to get more nicotine from vaping than from smoking - by using the ecig for longer; by raising the nicotine strength of the e-liquid; by using high-performance equipment - and as a result, people do experience the sensation of having taken in more nicotine; this is not reflected in blood plasma nicotine tests.

As yet no vapers have ever tested as high as smokers, as far as we know. People have reported how they chain-vaped 36mg on an APV before their test, and still only achieved a 30ng level or similar, compared to the frequently-seen 50ng highs in smokers, and the occasional 60ng/ml. So it looks as if a lower level of nic from vaping 'feels' a lot higher, somehow.

There are several anomalies - interesting contradictions - that deserve investigation, when funds become available for useful research instead of the spurious twaddle and junk science in this area that gets priority now.

One pharma-backed researcher got $850,000 to do a study based on watching YouTube videos of vapers, in order to measure their inhale times, and try to show that vaping is 'harmful' because they inhale for so long. Normally it might be said that such rubbish is a criminal waste of taxpayer's money - but here it's more like a rubbish waste of criminal's money...

 

[kingcobra]

It's interesting that vapers don't test as high for plasma nic as smokers, in spite of subjective experiences to the contrary. As those of us who have vaped the higher concentrations, 36 mg for instance, there's no doubt that we can experience what seems at least to be a stronger amount of nicotine this way than with smoking any cigarette.

A lot of the science here seems to be flawed, for instance giving beginners gas station PVs and measuring that, but it's hard to imagine getting this blood concentration stuff too far wrong. So the only reason I can think of to explain the discrepancy between what we feel and what the blood tests show is that cigarettes have other components which make the subjective experience of nicotine less.

So this is why when I chain smoked I didn't feel the nicotine effects anywhere near as much as I can with vaping. It's possible to be in a great deal more discomfort in fact if you vape enough, something I discovered when I quit smoking and overcompensated with the juice.

So whatever the science here, we do have a laboratory of our own, which is of course our own bodies, and we can use that data to determine how much or how little nic we vape In the end, that's what matters, as interesting as this other stuff is

 

[ShogaNinja]

PSA:

I have some serious issues with what has been said here about Nicotine. A simple google search will reveal to you that it causes Pancreatic Cancer. When the Swiss started using Snus to quit smoking they reduced the amount of smokers by drastic amounts but they found that people were still coming down with pancreatic cancer. It's also a known health risk for those who chew gum or use the patch (gum can cause oral cancer as well). Please get it out of your heads that you can vape forever and be ok. The answer is, you can't. This stuff kills you too. The best thing you can do for yourself is to lower your nicotine intake ASAP and then quit vaping when you no longer have a physical withdrawal to contend with.

If you don't believe what I have said here is a nice long article for you to read:
Nicotine | Psychology Today

Google will reveal many more of such articles from reputable sources that will back up what I am telling you. To say that you shouldn't worry about your nicotine intake is foolish, irresponsible, and patently untrue. Now I, for one, would like to see all of you succeed in this endeavor to quit and urge you not to rush it for fear that you may return to smoking which is far far worse, but if you think you're in the safe zone by vaping you've got a lot of learning to do about nicotine. Vaping is a means to an end to quit altogether, not a safe substitute. Any pulmonologist will congratulate you on your efforts to quit but will never condone vaping to a non-smoker because nicotine is a toxin. When I first started coming here I was rather appalled to see a thread that said that smoking is about as bad for you as a caffeine habit. This is simply not true. At the end of the day we are all here because we don't want to get cancer which is epidemic. Please take this post to heart and do all you can to stay off the analogs and get your nicotine down to 0 where you can quit vaping altogether. Many of us have already become complacent in our original mission to quit and I am here to give you a shot of reality. QUIT. All of it. Stay true to the mission you set out to accomplish.

 

[Meltingice]

I used to smoke Marlboro reds. These were tested as having 10% freebase nicotine which is absorbed faster by the brain than regular nicotine and greatly increases addiction and brand loyalty.

The cigarette business is a good one.

My question is, is ejuice made with freebase nicotine? If it isn't, then the higher requirement of nicotine than that which is found in cigarettes is due to the kind of nicotine. I imagine a person who free bases white powder may sniff more Bolivian marching powder than he freebases.

 

[ShogaNinja]

First of all, Meltingice, not to get on your case but it is forbidden to speak of illegal drug abuse on this forum. I realize that is a gigantic contradiction since nicotine itself is a drug, as well as alcohol and caffeine, and yet they are legal.

Second of all to answer your question: whichever is cheapest to make is what you can guarantee is in it.

 

[ShogaNinja]

i know im getting more nicotine from vaping than i did from smoking. when i smoked, i would try not to smoke. i wasnt very good at curbing cravings, but i certainly didnt smoke as much as i wanted to. now that i vape, i see no reason not to just puff away. i can feel the effects of the nicotine more than i ever did when i smoked. i dont know how much more nicotine im getting, but it is certainly more. that fact is abundantly clear.

And this is why I made my post. This very fact is a dangerous one. See the reason not to vape away; pancreatic cancer. Users of nicotine achieve a state of hyperglycemia, high blood sugar. This is why they tend to eat less and also why they tend to gain weight when they quit. Vaping should only be a means to an end, a stepping stone on the path to nicotine addiction recovery, not a safe avenue to do as you please and expect safe results.

 

[ShogaNinja]

How a layman can confirm whether or not there is nicotine in exhaled vapor:

Get a nicotine test kit. I know Wizardlabs sells them pretty cheap. Exhale in a bag a bunch of times, add water, swish it around, and then test the runoff. Voila. Mystery solved. I don't know how accurate those things are but hey if you have money to burn, and a burning desire for knowledge in this matter, here is the path to enlightenment.

 

[MickeyRat]

How a layman can confirm whether or not there is nicotine in exhaled vapor:

Get a nicotine test kit. I know Wizardlabs sells them pretty cheap. Exhale in a bag a bunch of times, add water, swish it around, and then test the runoff. Voila. Mystery solved. I don't know how accurate those things are but hey if you have money to burn, and a burning desire for knowledge in this matter, here is the path to enlightenment.

I'm pretty sure that you would get too little nicotine to be able to detect it with a home kit. They aren't designed to test nicotine at those levels. They're fine for testing 100mg nic. If it tests out at 97mg or 103mg, it's close enough to say it's probably 100mg. However, for measuring the nic concentration at the level you'd get this way, they are useless.

I agree that we probably aren't 100% safe vaping. That's not the point of doing it. Most people that vape don't feel they have the choice of smoking or not smoking. The only choice available is between smoking and something less dangerous. Vaping remains a better choice.

As far as pancreatic cancer goes, there's a bit of a balancing act here. Alzheimer's kills a lot of people too. Nicotine can prevent it. So, is the trade off worth it? You'll need more research to know.

 

[ShogaNinja]

I'm pretty sure that you would get too little nicotine to be able to detect it with a home kit. They aren't designed to test nicotine at those levels. They're fine for testing 100mg nic. If it tests out at 97mg or 103mg, it's close enough to say it's probably 100mg. However, for measuring the nic concentration at the level you'd get this way, they are useless.

I agree that we probably aren't 100% safe vaping. That's not the point of doing it. Most people that vape don't feel they have the choice of smoking or not smoking. The only choice available is between smoking and something less dangerous. Vaping remains a better choice.

As far as pancreatic cancer goes, there's a bit of a balancing act here. Alzheimer's kills a lot of people too. Nicotine can prevent it. So, is the trade off worth it? You'll need more research to know.

If nothing shows up then you'll know it's safe then, won't you? I am pretty sure it can detect smaller increments. It's made to detect the nicotine in your juice and anything less than say 4mg is pretty negligible for an adult, especially after vaping.

About your other comment, I am going to disagree. At least you don't know what the heck is going on when you have alzheimer's (there are other ways to help prevent that too btw) and it doesn't kill you. If you die of pancreatic cancer you're going to know all about it. My grandma has alzheimer's (and COPD with an oxygen tank strapped to her wheelchair). She thinks it's many decades ago and that her husband is still alive and they are in love. She's in a state of bliss, oblivious to the fact that she lives basically alone (since she doesn't socialize) in a nursing home and none of her offspring ever visit her. Fortunately, we are allowed to take her out of there for family events. She smoked 2 packs of Salems a day, for the record.

 

[Vocalek]

PSA:

I have some serious issues with what has been said here about Nicotine. A simple google search will reveal to you that it causes Pancreatic Cancer. When the Swiss started using Snus to quit smoking they reduced the amount of smokers by drastic amounts but they found that people were still coming down with pancreatic cancer. It's also a known health risk for those who chew gum or use the patch (gum can cause oral cancer as well). Please get it out of your heads that you can vape forever and be ok. The answer is, you can't. This stuff kills you too. The best thing you can do for yourself is to lower your nicotine intake ASAP and then quit vaping when you no longer have a physical withdrawal to contend with.

If you don't believe what I have said here is a nice long article for you to read:
Nicotine | Psychology Today

Google will reveal many more of such articles from reputable sources that will back up what I am telling you. To say that you shouldn't worry about your nicotine intake is foolish, irresponsible, and patently untrue. Now I, for one, would like to see all of you succeed in this endeavor to quit and urge you not to rush it for fear that you may return to smoking which is far far worse, but if you think you're in the safe zone by vaping you've got a lot of learning to do about nicotine. Vaping is a means to an end to quit altogether, not a safe substitute. Any pulmonologist will congratulate you on your efforts to quit but will never condone vaping to a non-smoker because nicotine is a toxin. When I first started coming here I was rather appalled to see a thread that said that smoking is about as bad for you as a caffeine habit. This is simply not true. At the end of the day we are all here because we don't want to get cancer which is epidemic. Please take this post to heart and do all you can to stay off the analogs and get your nicotine down to 0 where you can quit vaping altogether. Many of us have already become complacent in our original mission to quit and I am here to give you a shot of reality. QUIT. All of it. Stay true to the mission you set out to accomplish.

A simple Google search will also show you that e-cigarettes contain carcinogens and numerous toxins. These assertions are demonstrably false, as is the assertion that nicotine causes pancreatic cancer. There was one study that claimed to show higher risk for pancreatic cancer among smokeless tobacco users. However, the author has a reputation for cherry-picking studies.

Dr. Brad Rodu has critiqued the methodology of that study and he recently wrote about a new study.

A new study documents that smokeless tobacco use is not associated with increased risk for pancreatic cancer. The study, from the International Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium and lead author Paolo Bertuccio of Milan, Italy, was published in Annals of Oncology (abstract here). It is a collaborative analysis of 6,000 cases of pancreatic cancer from 11 studies in North America and Europe.

With only 130 pancreatic cancer cases among ever smokeless tobacco users, the odds ratio (OR) is 0.98 (95% Confidence Interval, CI = 0.75 – 1.27). Twenty-three cases among exclusive users of smokeless tobacco produced an OR of 0.62 (CI = 0.37 – 1.04), which was almost significant for a PROTECTIVE EFFECT. Smokeless users who were also cigarette smokers had an OR of 1.36, which was not statistically significant (CI = 0.94 – 1.96) but confirms other studies that showed higher pancreatic cancer risks for smokers.

http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2011/02/new-study-smokeless-tobacco-is-not.html

Psychology Today is not considered a journal of the hard sciencees. The article you linked to does not provide an author's name, nor does it list the scientific references for the assertions made. Although there has been a link shown between smoking and developing diabetis, those who quit develop Type II diabetis at a higher rate than continuing smokers. The MRFIT study was the first to show this effect. Here is a link to the abstract of a more recent study: Annals of Internal Medicine | Smoking, Smoking Cessation, and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cohort Study

Dr. Rodu notes:

Smoking cessation was estimated to be responsible for about one quarter of the increase in prevalence of overweight among men in the U.S. during the 1980s. Because modern smokeless tobacco products deliver nicotine in satisfying doses that permit smokers to quit without gaining weight, they may prevent the development of type II diabetes that is prevalent in smokers who quit by abstaining completely from tobacco.

http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2010/01/quitting-smoking-increases-diabetes.html

 

[Iffy]

Well done, Vocalek!

 

[Buxton74]

There is a company here in the UK that has invested (and continues to do so) huge amounts into Research and Development of their e-fluid. These trials include bood plasma analysis, vapour analysis, HPLC, GCMS etc.

Their research suggests that 45mg/ml nicotine e-fluid (4.5%) is the equivalent of a 15mg nicotine analogue cigarette, 30mg/ml equivalent to 10mg analogue and so on and so forth. They also suggest that at these high strengths, users use less and less often, leading to a decrease in the overall amount of nicotine ingested throughout the course of a day. I imagine their fluid is to be used by analogue-replacers rather than recreational vapers.

My missus (a non-smoker/non-vaper) is a biochemist qualified and experienced in all of their research methods and acknowledges that they are bonefide, or at least appear to be.

Please do check out the R&D sections of their website:

Intellicig USA, Electronic Cigarettes, Cartomizers, E-Liquid | Intellicig USA

Also, note their unusual strength rating system for their e-fluid:

ECOpure E-Liquid 10ml bottle

I would like to point out that, in my personal opinion, their e-cigs are of a very poor design and I wouldn't touch them with a barge-pole. I do, however, buy their liquid as they seem very serious about safety and purity.