A new strategy that the FDA plans to implement in order to reduce that number of people who smoke could boost the electronic cigarette industry. The strategy will see the regulator set caps on how much nicotine tobacco cigarettes can contain. Nicotine levels will be reduced to amounts that are considered non-addictive. Smokers who need more nicotine will therefore have to get it from elsewhere, such as from electronic cigarettes. The rationale behind this strategy is that people die because of harmful substances, such as tar, after getting addicted to the nicotine contained in tobacco cigarettes. Getting a nicotine fix from a less harmful product would therefore yield significant public health benefits (reducing the number of tobacco-related deaths, for example). How the FDA responds to the vehement opposition to this strategy by the tobacco cigarette industry will reveal how committed they are to promoting less harmful alternatives.
Month: December 2017
Issue #3
Issue #3 – Tis’ the Season. We’re all full up on Turkey and heading down the stretch towards New Years. For those celebrating this month, we hope you celebrate safely! For those affected (not effected) by the glitch in our 2nd edition, we hope you have found your way back.
Some e-cigarette flavours might be more harmful than others
Published: 2017-11-28
Not everything that is safe to swallow is safe to inhale. What this means is that certain e-liquids might have more complex chemical compositions in order to achieve flavours such as vanilla, caramel or strawberries. Sweet or fruity flavouring seems to be more dangerous that your average tobacco or menthol flavours, but toxicity is hard to predict – in fact, most manufacturers never list the products that go into achieving a particular flavour, but only list the regular chemical ingredients required to make a vaporizer-adequate e-liquid. Its an intelligent decision since the flavor is often what makes a particular e-liquid manufacturer stand out in the crowded market, but it is also a source of frustration for researchers. Nothing of this means, of course, that inhaling e-liquids are more dangerous than smoking cigarettes, however it would be useful to understand in full what exactly we are consuming to avoid possible health hazards.
Popular e-cigarette liquid flavourings can change, damage heat cells
Published: 2017-11-15
Some of your favourite e-liquids might have troubling side effects concerning your heart muscle cells, indicates a new research from the University of Louisville based on observations of cells in petri dishes interacting with the compounds. Apparently, some of the chemicals present in flavours such as clove, citrus and floral were interacting with the heart muscle itself, which could lead to changes in the way the cells function. These reactions could be quite varied. While the chemicals present in cinnamon e-liquids, for example, could stop cells from moving or contracting, the ones used for the most floral, citrus or clove increased the speed at which those same cells move. Researchers are puzzled by this and they still are not completely sure of whether these effects stay the same while the e-liquids are heated or not, since most of the compounds remain a mystery.
Vaping Could Damage Your Blood Vessels
Published: 2017-09-21
While many people may know that electronic cigarettes are not as harmful as tobacco cigarettes, not many are aware of the specific hazards that they may still face if they use e-cigs. A study has shed some light on the potential harm that vapers may be exposed to as they use e-liquids that contain nicotine. The researchers monitored arterial stiffness in the study subjects who used e-cigarettes that contained nicotine and participants whose e-juice didnt have any nicotine in it. It was discovered that those whose e-liquid had nicotine exhibited arterial stiffness while those without nicotine didnt show any stiffness in their arteries. The stiffness was transient. However, concern was raised that prolonged vaping could trigger permanent blood vessel stiffness in the way that smoking tobacco cigarettes did. Further research is needed to verify that fear. In the meantime, it is advisable to avoid excesses, such as dripping that could worsen any possible adverse effects of vaping.
3 Potential Problems With the FDA’s Planned Vaping Regulations
Published: 2017-07-29
The US Food and Drug Administration made an announcement about how they intend to regulate the tobacco industry in the coming years. That policy direction also encompasses other related products, such as electronic cigarettes. Experts have raised a number of concerns about that policy direction with respect to electronic cigarettes. First, the planned extension of a deadline to submit applications for existing e-cigarette products to August 8th, 2022 only applies to the products that are already on the US market. This limits the sale of new products that could be better and less harmful. Secondly, the planned regulations are likely to make it very difficult for small firms to bring to the market innovations that can improve the e-cig industry. Thirdly, the view that flavors can lure kids into vaping has no scientific backing to it. It is therefore imperative that all concerned people voice their opinions on this matter when the FDA calls for contributions so that the resulting regulations dont have unnecessary adverse effects on the e-cigarette industry that holds a lot of promise for people who want a safer alternative to tobacco cigarettes.