World Health Organization recommends continued smoking

[Vocalek]

Received this helpful communique from the public health folks in Mauritius, a beautiful island nation located in the Indian sea.

Such a clear document ends any correspondance with the promoters of e-cigarettes that are illegal in Mauritius- and rightly so.
Véronique Le Clézio
President of ViSa
Mauritius
　
Pls also refer to this link:
http://www.who.int/tobacco/global_interaction/tobreg/publications/tsr_955/en/index.html
That's the latest publication of the WHO Study Group on tobacco Product Regulation (TobReg) and one of the chapters is on electronic cigarettes.
_______________________________________________________________
WHO Consumer Information Communications – Electronic Smoking Products[trw1] Electronic smoking products comprise a group of products that includes electronic cigarettes (also known as
e-cigarettes) that are becoming increasingly known to the public. The majority of these products are shaped to look like their conventional (tobacco) counterparts (e.g., cigarette, cigar, cigarillo, pipe, hookah/shisha). They are also sometimes made to look like everyday items such as pens and USB memory sticks, for people who wish to use the product without others noticing. Electronic smoking products consist of a electronic delivery system that vaporizes and delivers a chemical mixture to the user[trw2] which is typically composed of nicotine, propylene glycol, and other chemicals although some of these products do not contain nicotine. Electronic smoking products typically produce a vapour that resembles smoke, and several of them produce a glow that resembles burning tobacco. A number of electronic smoking products are offered in flavours that can be particularly attractive to teenagers.
Since electronic smoking products do not generate the smoke that is associated with the combustion of tobacco, it is commonly believed by consumers that their use is safer than smoking tobacco. This apparent "greater safety" associated with the use of electronic smoking products can be enticing to consumers. However, until the safety, efficacy, or quality of electronic smoking products has been scientifically demonstrated, the potential risks they pose remain unclear.

Electronic smoking products are often touted as tobacco smoking replacement, smoking alternative or smoking cessation aid products. The implied health benefits associated with these claims are unsubstantiated or may be based on inaccurate or misleading information. The quality of their manufacturing is also unknown. Most electronic smoking products contain a large concentration of propylene glycol which is a known irritant when inhaled. The testing of some of these products also suggests the presence of other toxic chemicals, aside from nicotine.

A number of electronic smoking products contain nicotine in various concentrations. Nicotine is a highly toxic and addictive substance. These products can pose a risk of nicotine poisoning and a risk of addiction to non-smokers of tobacco products. Either by inhalation, ingestion or direct contact with the skin, nicotine can be particularly hazardous to the health and safety of certain segments of the population such as children, youth, pregnant women, nursing mothers, individuals with heart conditions, and the elderly. Electronic smoking products, including their nicotine cartridges or refill accessories, must be kept out of the reach of young children at all times given the risk of choking or nicotine poisoning they pose.

To date, no regulatory agency has granted market authorization for any electronic smoking product. In several countries, the importation and sale of electronic smoking products is illegal. To obtain market authorization, a sponsor would be required to submit evidence of safety, efficacy and quality from clinical trials data and toxicity studies as per the requirements of the applicable regulatory framework as is the case for any other therapeutic product. Electronic smoking products that contain nicotine would be subject to the same level of drug review as currently-approved smoking cessation aid products such as nicotine gum, transdermal patches, nicotine inhalers and lozenges. In addition, the operation of the electronic delivery device itself is of a concern as its malfunctioning could cause excessive or erratic dosage. Oversight is therefore required to ensure that the delivery system operates safely as intended.


Given the chemicals they contain, electronic smoking products without nicotine also pose potential risks to health. The quality of these chemicals and their safety for inhalation are unknown. For this reason, market authorization for electronic smoking products that do not contain nicotine is also required in a number of countries.

Until such time that a given electronic smoking product is authorized for sale, consumers are strongly advised not to purchase or to use any of these products.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So now I am beginning to rethink my fateful decision. I used to lie in my bed at night, kept awake by my noisy wheezing. Every night I prayed that God would send me some way to be able to stop inhaling smoke without having to give up the nicotine that helps me to concentration, remember, and pay attention.

In March of 2009, I believed that my prayers had been answered, as I was finally able to set aside 19 unsmoked packs of cigarettes and throw away numerous lighters, having switched to an e-cigarette.

It must be sheer coincidence that within a few months my night-time wheezing stopped, that I no longer coughed up a nasty gob of phlegm every morning, and that I was finally able to laugh out loud without going into a coughing jag.

For my own safety, I should have continued lighting up those American Spirits. The aforementioned improvements in lung health would have happened anyway, even had I continued smoking. They were, after all, a coincidence, right?

All I accomplished by switching to an e-cigarette was expose myself to a cesspool of chemicals, from which I will very likely drop dead any minute now. Surely, continuing to inhale tar, CO, particulates, and hundreds of chemicals from smoke along with my nicotine and PG would not have inflicted any further damage to my lungs and cardiovascular system.

I am so sorry I gave up smoking instead of following the World Health Organization advice.

All those scientists who are conducting actual research with real human beings and electronic cigarettes should not be believed. After all data and facts are not required to formulate an "expert opinion." If you are the World Health Organization, conjecture will suffice.

 

[sqirl1]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the WHO* can go suck a fat one. They pull health conclusions out of their asses, and in more areas than just tobacco. they say cellphone signal exposure increases your risk of cancer by like 50% or some other crazy number... they TOTALLY made those statistics up. They're on the top of my list because of this; it's like "hey! know what, screw using half-truth statistics that somewhat exist.... we'll just make them up, but we're automatically right because, well... we're the world health organization! everything we say is right!"

* NOT the band The Who, the band is cool.

btw you smoked American Spirits when you smoked analogs? you just went up on my "you're awesome" list even more! occasionally I'll mix their perique RYO with some cavendish and smoke it out of a pipe, good stuff, though I don't do it on a regular basis.

 

[renstyle]

Elaine, all I can think of right now are....

<facepalm>

and

<bang head here>

Nothing more to say, other than you really should go out and buy a pack of smoke...... <sigh>

makes you wonder how we ever got out of caves

 

[DC2]

makes you wonder how we ever got out of caves

Or how long before we are back in them.

 

[Vocalek]

Or how long before we are back in them.

Let me hear you say, "Amen!"

 

[Hiryu]

So shameful...

How could I have started vaping? I have endangered myself, my family and three pandas. Never again. Thank you, WHO, for making us see the light, and may all vapers stop before their unsafe habit causes a nuclear holocaust.

 

[Samm]

So shameful...

How could I have started vaping? I have endangered myself, my family and three pandas. Never again. Thank you, WHO, for making us see the light, and may all vapers stop before their unsafe habit causes a nuclear holocaust.

That's how I'm feeling right now and I haven't even started vaping yet - hope to get my first kit this week (insert big Hurray here). I'm in Canada and I can buy a carton of analogs but I can't buy e-juice or any type of electronic device that may have nicotine in it. Thank heavens I found this site and the wonderful members who have more information than both the WHO and Health Canada put together!
I'm a terrible person because I want to stop inhaling and exhaling tar, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and benzene but I still want nicotine.

I also don't like paying $10 for a pack of cigarettes - at least 80% of which is taxes. Why would they want me to stop smoking and start vaping?
I feel like I'm at the bang my head against the wall because it feels so good when I stop school of masochism in this wonderful country of mine.
Very Shameful!
Sorry about the rant - got started and couldn't stop

 

[count dragula]

Welcome to the 21st Century. No doctor anywhere in the world will commit to the safety of sitting in a padded room without 400 studies and a disclaimer from his lawyer.

Virtually every medical organization has come out saying that they're not going to commit to anything.

Oddly enough, when PG and VG vapor was being evaluated as a disinfectant, the studies (in the '50s) pretty much declared the stuff harmless.

But put the same chemicals in a package that is associated with the *word* cigarette, and the Pavlovian reaction kicks in.

So there you have it, folks: the Official Word is that there is no Official Word.
"Medical Opinion" is an oxymoron: the medical industry HAS no opinion that they'll state, anywhere they might be quoted.

 

[Vocalek]

That's how I'm feeling right now and I haven't even started vaping yet - hope to get my first kit this week (insert big Hurray here). I'm in Canada and I can buy a carton of analogs but I can't buy e-juice or any type of electronic device that may have nicotine in it. Thank heavens I found this site and the wonderful members who have more information than both the WHO and Health Canada put together!
I'm a terrible person because I want to stop inhaling and exhaling tar, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and benzene but I still want nicotine.

I also don't like paying $10 for a pack of cigarettes - at least 80% of which is taxes. Why would they want me to stop smoking and start vaping?
I feel like I'm at the bang my head against the wall because it feels so good when I stop school of masochism in this wonderful country of mine.
Very Shameful!
Sorry about the rant - got started and couldn't stop

Feel free to rant any time you feel like it. We understand those feelings here.

Funny you should mention the bang your head against the wall thing. I got to think about that the other day when I heard the umpty-millionth health expert and/or organization state that we should use the "safe and effective" government-approved smoking cessation treatments.

DUH! Why didn't WE think of that!!!

They have to know that we have done that dozens of times and their approved treatments were NOT effective. So they are recommending that we behave stupidly:

Keep doing the same thing, over and over, and expect a different result this time.



Insert Wall Here

 

[Ckitt]

WHO is a massive cluster**** of 193 countries and 2 associate members that can't seem to find their way out of a paper bag. They advocate research, but to hell with doing any of it themselves in order to find the correct answers to the myriad of questions that surround e-cigarettes and the juice that is used within them. Its like they all gather and hold a senate type debate on how they should handle every topic that is presented to them, and then vote on the path of least resistance in order to stay within a favorable light around the world.

Until they are able to use their own research, rather then flawed reports stemming from BP and their FDA bodyguards, they should go stick their heads in the ground like Ostrich's and await the next pandemic virus to hit.

 

[house mouse]

I don't much worry about letting down the WHO with my decision to switch to e-cigs. I'd just as soon moon em as to look at em. However, I am deeply, eternally and whole heartedly ashamed of my failure in this past year to contribute my fair share to the tax man for the poor little deserving children out there. OMG!!! I forgot to think about the children when saving myself. I'm sure I'll burn in hell. But hey, at least I'll get there a little later than I would have if I'd continued to smoke.

 

[rothenbj]

I don't much worry about letting down the WHO with my decision to switch to e-cigs. I'd just as soon moon em as to look at em. However, I am deeply, eternally and whole heartedly ashamed of my failure in this past year to contribute my fair share to the tax man for the poor little deserving children out there. OMG!!! I forgot to think about the children when saving myself. I'm sure I'll burn in hell. But hey, at least I'll get there a little later than I would have if I'd continued to smoke.

While you're not helping those poor deserving children, don't forget to not help with the education of the disabled.

https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/s1403

It's time for some other groups like the FFEofA (Fast Food Eaters of America) to pick up some excise taxes to support this cause. Vote no and let your representatives know your thoughts. Why should we who have elected to use much safer products be taxed as if we were smoking? Fill up that map with nays!

 

[house mouse]

While you're not helping those poor deserving children, don't forget to not help with the education of the disabled.

https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/s1403

It's time for some other groups like the FFEofA (Fast Food Eaters of America) to pick up some excise taxes to support this cause. Vote no and let your representatives know your thoughts. Why should we who have elected to use much safer products be taxed as if we were smoking? Fill up that map with nays!

Now I'm even more consumed with guilt and will commence the self flagellation immediately. Thanks for the link. I voted and I CHANGED the percentage! WOOHOO!!! Now 93% against and 7% for.

 

[Vocalek]

Don't we have ECF (and even CASAA) members who live in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Iowa, NoDak, SoDak, Nebraska, Nevada, Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii? Let's fill up that map!

 

[sqirl1]

Don't we have ECF (and even CASAA) members who live in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Iowa, NoDak, SoDak, Nebraska, Nevada, Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii? Let's fill up that map!

and let's do it before they inflate it with yes votes! quickly people!

 

[JENerationX]

Woohooo..... changed the map. Actually, Chuck Schumer is a fairly sane type in NY. Although admitting his views to a lot of the press usually gets him in trouble over it.

Why the hell would they tax tobacco products to fund the education of the disabled???? I can understand using tobacco taxes to fund anti tobacco education, but really?

 

[wood duck]

While you're not helping those poor deserving children, don't forget to not help with the education of the disabled.

https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/s1403

It's time for some other groups like the FFEofA (Fast Food Eaters of America) to pick up some excise taxes to support this cause. Vote no and let your representatives know your thoughts. Why should we who have elected to use much safer products be taxed as if we were smoking? Fill up that map with nays!

I wholeheartedly agree . Crappy food should be taxed heavily for the exact same reasons that tobacco is. Now that would make a difference to people's lives as people would switch to healthier alternatives as I dont think crappy food is as addictive as cigarettes are.

 

[D103]

I feel strongly that taxation should NEVER be used illegitimately and inappropriately to coerce, extort, punish or manipulate peoples' freedom to make LEGAL choices.

If ever there would come a day where my money or worse, my sensibilities and preferences, become more important than your freedoms and your rights to make LEGAL choices without unfair and disproportionate penalty, then shoot me dead where I stand - period!!

Taxes are not to be some "whipping stick" and "cash cow ATM" to be wielded by the self-righteous, sanctimonious zealots marching towards some grossly misguided utopian fantasy while pilfering the "less pure" on their way to a delusional "promised land."

 

[Vocalek]

Woohooo..... changed the map. Actually, Chuck Schumer is a fairly sane type in NY. Although admitting his views to a lot of the press usually gets him in trouble over it.

Why the hell would they tax tobacco products to fund the education of the disabled???? I can understand using tobacco taxes to fund anti tobacco education, but really?

Have you ever heard of SCHIP? Do you know what it is?

State Children's Health Insurance Program - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2009 reauthorization

In the wake of President Barack Obama's inauguration and the Democrats' increased majorities in both houses of Congress, legislative leaders moved quickly to break the political stalemate over SCHIP expansion. On January 14, 2009, the House passed H.R. 2 on a vote of 290-138. The bill authorized spending an added $32.8 billion to expand the health coverage program to include about 4 million more children, including coverage of legal immigrants[43] with no waiting period for the first time. A cigarette tax increase of 62 cents—bringing the total tax on a pack of cigarettes to $1.01—an increase of tax on chewing tobacco from $0.195/lb. to $0.50/lb.—as well as tax increases on other tobacco products[44] will fund the program's expansion. On January 29, the Senate passed the house bill by a 66-32 margin, with two amendments.[45] The House accepted the amended version on a vote of 290 to 135,[43] and President Obama signed the bill into law as Pub.L. 111-3 on February 4, 2009.[46]

SCHIP State Childrens Health Insurance Information Center

Very interesting theory of how charity is supposed to work: Take from the poorest segment of society to provide health care for children who live in poor families.

The frightening thing is how the poll has been answered:

SCHIP State Childrens Health Insurance Information Center

Understandable, I guess, when you look at the list of supporting organizations:

SCHIP State Childrens Health Insurance Information Center

 

[txteatime]

Sheesh, assaults from all sides and all over the world. Looks like we're going to have to take personal measures and wider-scale action. Stock up on equipment and liquids, especially the basic ingredients for our favorite juices.

And network, network, network. Keep each other informed and keep on our elected officials. I might be willing to gift some e-cigars and pink e-cigs to some of my state and federal representatives. And I'd def be willing to work on an underground network to buy, sell, and trade supplies if/when they try to restrict or eliminate ours!