Article: Electronic Cigarettes May Attract Smokers, But How Safe Are They?
Al Tompkins, the author of the above article, seems to have no problem buying into and spreading completely false information about electronic cigarettes. For example:
"These smokes [e-cigarettes] are being promoted as a safer way to quit smoking".
But, the e-cigarette retailer's page Tompkins himself links to easily puts this notion to rest quickly:
"Smoking Everywhere E-Cigarette is not intended as a smoking cessation device. Smoking Everywhere E-Cigarette is simply a healthier alternative to traditional smoking."
In fact, every single e-cigarette retailer I've seen goes out if its way to make sure the consumer understands that e-cigarettes are not a smoking cessation device. Just take a look at the inLife website, the Green Smoke website, the Instead e-Cig website, and the Luci website, to name a few. While it's true that a lot of electronic cigarette smokers find that they're not smoking regular cigarettes as much as they used to, with many others smoking e-cigs exclusively, quitting smoking is not what e-cigs are intended for.
Electronic cigarettes are harmless, and ridiculously safer than smoking regular cigarettes. Each inLife nicotine cartridge contains water, nicotine, flavoring, and propylene glycol (a safe food additive which can be found in everything from ice cream to food coloring). That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. Believe it or not, that's only 1% of the total ingredients in each regular cigarette.
Yeah. Let that sink in. One percent....
Okay, let's talk nicotine for a minute. The nicotine content of one inLife cartridge, which is equivalent to one pack of regular cigarettes (2 packs for Green Smoke, Luci, and Smoke Fifty-One cartridges), is 12 mg on average, with varieties ranging from 0mg to 16mg. Considering the fact that the amount of nicotine your body takes in while smoking one regular cigarette can range between 0.5mg and 2mg, it's pretty obvious that there's virtually zero chance of taking in too high a nicotine dose with these e-cigs. More importantly, with electronic cigarettes there is zero risk of lung cancer because you are only getting the nicotine without the 4000+ chemicals and carcinogens commonly found in regular cigarettes. That means you can finally have your cake and eat it, too (speaking of cake, Green Smoke cartridges come in 5 different flavors: tobacco, menthol, chocolate, vanilla, and coffee).
Researching beyond the surface of this article shows, unequivocally, that e-cigarettes are not harmful to consumers or the people around them, and without a doubt, a much, much safer alternative to smoking for both smokers and the people around them (since e-cigarettes are free of second-hand, and even first-hand smoke). This is an indisputable fact and, with all due respect to Mr. Tompkins, his article is bordering on, if not outright, fear-mongering.
That's the point of the FDA looking into it. They want to be able to put all kinds of taxes on the e-cig so us smokers pay for these bilions in so called stimulus packages. If they don't control them they can't tax them. Also it is bunk that it has to be researched as there is already a prescription nicotine cartridge out there that is called Nicotrol inhaler. I used it once to quit smoking for six months and it works (stupid me I couldn't resist lighting up once and that was all it took)the only thing is the inhaler is short, stubby and ugly. The whole time I used it I thought it would have been great if they would have made the inhaler to look like a cig. It is not covered by Insurance and a month worth cost about $60.00. So the e-cig will be a much cheaper way for me to try and quit this time. Time for some peaceful protesting for our rights to choose what we do with our bodies without the government charging us billions. E
@ Melissa: You make a really good point. That's what this is all about, of course. E-cigs aren't taxed by any level of government here in the States.
Not only could this be a cheaper way to quit, but it's also a cheaper and safer way to continue smoking! That's why I got into e-cigarettes to begin with. I love smoking, but I'm not really a fan of cancer! :)
I Love E-cigarettes. I tried them to save money and immediately gave up tobacco cigarettes after 30 years and don't even miss them. How can we educate our employers that these are not dangerous. My employer fails to grasp the concept that smokeless cigarettes are exactly that smokeless and makes me confine my use to a small room for tobacco smoking employees on break or go outside. Customers of course can smoke tobacco everywhere almost in the complex but the ventilators generally handle that smoke as it is not concentrated like in the employee smoking break room. any thought for helping ease companies fears would be appreciated