Time Magazine Spread on Vaping

[DC2]

What are the opinions here on ECF about nicotine?

Well, here is my opinion...
Nicotine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Technically, nicotine is not significantly addictive, as nicotine administered alone does not produce significant reinforcing properties. However, after coadministration with an MAOI, such as those found in tobacco, nicotine produces significant behavioral sensitization, a measure of addiction potential.

tobacco smoke contains the monoamine oxidase inhibitors harman, norharman, anabasine, anatabine, and nornicotine. These compounds significantly decrease MAO activity in smokers. MAO enzymes break down monoaminergic neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. It is thought that the powerful interaction between the MAOI's and the nicotine is responsible for most of the addictive properties of tobacco smoking.

Here is similar information from a study by an Arizona State professor emeritus...
Professor: Nicotine does not cause cigarette addiction | The State Press - An independent daily serving Arizona State University

And finally, you might want to read this too...
is-nicotine-addictive

Obviously the results of small studies often aren't replicated in larger studies, but at least nicotine certainly looks safe. And we've seen absolutely no withdrawal symptoms. There doesn't seem to be any abuse liability whatsoever in taking nicotine by patch in non-smokers. That's reassuring.”

Then of course you have the collective experience of the people on this forum, such as yourself.
These experiences clearly point to a conclusion that nicotine, for many people, is nowhere near as addictive as we were led to believe.

 

[Petrodus]

There is NO evidence any non-smoker has ever become addicted to nicotine
by vaping an e-cigarette.

 

[pamdis]

I read the TIME articles on e-cigs - and I liked the history part and the information by the shop owner - but had a big question mark very center front when I read this part:
"ALMOST NOTHING, NOT EVEN ...... OR .......[two "heavy-hitter" drugs], is more addictive than nicotine. While other drugs impair, nicotine enables." …..
I went looking for more information on nicotine... found one place where it was similar to caffeine and not as bad as folks tend to think...
Are there studies showing what was reported in the Time article? or is that statement just an opinion of the author's?

I tend not to believe it's that bad, because when I began at 18mg per ml in my juice, and lowered my nicotine level, slowly (3-4mg per batch used for approx. 2 weeks, then the next lower batch, etc.), progressively down to 9-10mg per ml - I did not find the switches that overly hard to acclimate to. I was very surprised by this! Occasionally the first or second day of the new lower level, I'd have a slight craving for a bit more, so I'd take a few puffs on one juice with more (the last batch level), then return to the lower level nicotine in another juice. That seemed to help me get through the switch. I'm heading towards a 0mg per ml nicotine in my juices - but am wondering when I read statements like in that Time article what is true about nicotine, other than what I'm experiencing lowing it.

What are the opinions here on ECF about nicotine?
NancyB

5. Do additives make tobacco more addictive?

And then this company used these truths to advertise their cigarettes and look what happend:

Alternative Cigarettes, Inc. - CMP
Alternative Cigarettes, Inc. - Decision and Order
Alternative Cigarettes, Inc., and Joseph Pandolfino,

They were accused of IMPLYING that their cigarettes were less hazardous than regular cigarettes. They never actually said that, they just stated the truth about additives and that their cigarettes had none.

 

[Psyche]

This made me think of another article I saw
The tobacco additives that keep you hooked - Telegraph

For the first time, scientists have measured the amount of super-addictive "freebase" nicotine cigarettes deliver to the smoker.

A 1997 study led by Prof Pankow linked ammonia additives with increased freebase nicotine levels in cigarettes. He found that on its own, nicotine would not be very potent in the body but ammonia strips away protons from surrounding molecules including nicotine, making it more rapidly absorbed.

Professor Jack Henningfield, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, said: "It appears likely that ingredients used in modern cigarette manufacture, such as ammonia and urea, account for this addiction-enhancing effect."

 

[NancyB]

WOW! so much info shared through the links!! Thank you one and all for sharing these - I need some time to study them all.
Much appreciated!!
Sooo, after a quick look at these, then, I CAN believe what I'm experiencing while vaping (nicotine isn't as bad as some try and make us believe it is) - that is so good to know!

How did all the cigarette companies ever get the point where they were adding up to 500+ chemicals to their smokes and no one blew the whistle on them? Really shows that they are NOT caring about us consumers (healthwise), but ARE caring about what ends up in their pockets (in my eyes anyway)! quite an eye-opener to me! NancyB (69 and still learning!)

 

[Petrodus]

WOW! so much info shared through the links!! Thank you one and all for sharing these - I need some time to study them all.
Much appreciated!!
Sooo, after a quick look at these, then, I CAN believe what I'm experiencing while vaping (nicotine isn't as bad as some try and make us believe it is) - that is so good to know!

How did all the cigarette companies ever get the point where they were adding up to 500+ chemicals to their smokes and no one blew the whistle on them? Really shows that they are NOT caring about us consumers (healthwise), but ARE caring about what ends up in their pockets (in my eyes anyway)! quite an eye-opener to me! NancyB (69 and still learning!)

Old Video ... but it's opened many eyes about cigarettes
How Cigarettes Are Made

 

[Bill Godshall]

Today when I clicked on the third document (below) on Alternative Cigarettes, Inc., and Joseph Pandolfino

And then this company used these truths to advertise their cigarettes and look what happend:

Alternative Cigarettes, Inc. - CMP
Alternative Cigarettes, Inc. - Decision and Order
Alternative Cigarettes, Inc., and Joseph Pandolfino,

They were accused of IMPLYING that their cigarettes were less hazardous than regular cigarettes. They never actually said that, they just stated the truth about additives and that their cigarettes had none.

after being sent to the original website for about 1 second, I was diverted to a new federal government webpage
Unfortunately, the FTC is closed due to the government shutdown.
Wonder how many more federal government websites have been shut down today.

Regarding Alternative Cigarettes, Inc., and Joseph Pandolfino, Joe created a new tobacco company 22nd Century Group at
22nd Century Group, Inc. that is now selling very low nicotine and very high nicotine tobacco and/or cigarettes to the DHHS and NIH for research (er propaganda) purposes.

About a year ago, a 22nd Century Group press release said it had applied to the FDA to approve the marketing its very low nicotine cigarettes as "drugs" to treat "tobacco dependence", and 22nd Century Group has also stated that it plans to apply to the FDA to approve the marketing of its very high nicotine cigarettes as "Modified Risk Tobacco Products".

I met Joe five or six years ago, and over a few drinks, he told me about these same ideas he was planning (to get FDA to approve his very low nicotine cigarettes as "smoking cessation aids" and to approve his very high nicotine cigarettes as "MRTPs"), and I told him that I'd be shocked if FDA would ever approve either of those applications. So far, I've been correct.

 

[pamdis]

Very interesting Bill. I only stumbled on that case when I did a search for the additives. I was shocked at the similarity to what is happening today - that he wasn't even making any risk/health claims in the examples they quoted in the complaint, he was only stating the truth, and they shut him down. I do see he settled, probably fighting would be to much money. I wish someone had enough money to complete and win this fight and have a court issue a ruling with two findings:
a. telling the truth is not misleading advertising
b. it's not illegal if those facts imply something you don't like