More positive information is coming to light regarding the long-term benefits of vaping upon the health of electronic cigarette users. A recent study sought to compare the gut bacteria of smokers, vapers and non-smokers. The study discovered that smokers had more “bad” bacteria in the fecal, saliva and mouth samples taken by the Newcastle University researchers. Such bad bacteria predisposes smokers to obesity, Crohn’s disease and colon cancer (among other diseases). Vapers had gut bacteria which was similar to what was found in the gut of non-smokers. These findings provide an additional reason for smokers to switch to e-cigarettes in order to reduce the public health impact of combustible cigarettes. Read the full story and learn more about this new discovery on the benefits of vaping.
Month: April 2018
How Much Will It Cost You to Switch to Vaping?
Many people who are thinking about switching to vaping instead of (or in addition to) smoking traditional cigarettes wonder about the cost implications of that decision (never mind that health reasons should be the overriding motivator). Ivan Srsen writes a detailed article which explains that it isn’t easy to give a rough estimate of what one will spend each year since the final cost will depend on several personal factors. For example, he explains how the grade of the e-juice which you decide to consume affects your costs. Premium e-juice is costlier than regular e-juice. This is similar to how driving a Ferrari can have a different ongoing cost as compared to driving an ordinary family car. Similarly, the quantity which you consume each day has a bearing on the total volume of e-liquid which you buy each year. As seasoned vapers may already know, the daily consumption can vary as widely as your mood varies from day to day. Read the entire article and learn the math behind each of the factors which will impact your vaping budget.
Why You Should Invest in Vape Stocks
Many people who invested in tobacco company stocks didn’t want their investment to be known because of the ethical dilemma presented by profiting from a product which kills more than half of its consumers. In contrast, no one should shy away from investing in companies which make electronic cigarettes and their accessories. A recent article discusses several compelling reasons why one would be well advised to put their money in vape stocks. These reasons include the potentially life-saving impact of those products as well as the positive business outlook for the products whose market is growing rapidly. Read the entire article and find out whether vape stocks would be a good addition to your investment portfolio.
Why Vaping Should Be Studied As a Way to Stop Smoking
Manufacturers and distributors of e-cigarettes have refrained from stating that vaping can help one to stop smoking because such a claim would make the products to be regulated as a drug. However, evidence is emerging that vaping can indeed help individuals to quit smoking combustible cigarettes. Meanwhile, the medical community isn’t yet sure whether it should recommend e-cigs as a tool to help people to quit smoking. Could the reluctance of the major players in the vape industry be denying communities a vital cessation tool just because of fears about regulation? Stanton A. Glantz, PhD has submitted a comment to a steering committee of the FDA calling on the agency to develop investigational new drug applications (IND) aimed at testing whether e-cigs can help one to quit smoking and how that can happen. Such guidelines would help to address all the roadblocks which currently exist regarding such research. For example, academics who can conduct unbiased research often lack the finances to undertake such studies. Read the entire comment sent to the committee and find out whether or not it would help to end some of the polarity on the matter of what e-cigs can or cannot do.
Study Finds Some Flavors Can Reduce Free Radicals During Vaping
The scientific community agrees that electronic cigarettes are safer (95% less harmful) than tobacco cigarettes. The remaining 5% potential for harm is what has researchers and regulators divided on whether to promote vaping or ban it outright. Now new research has shown that something can be done to reduce some of the harm which can be caused by vaping. Researchers have discovered that some flavorings, such as vanilla, can reduce the volume of free radicals (reactive molecules which may damage normal cells) which are formed when e-liquid is aerosolized during the process of vaping. Such findings show that a lot of public health benefits can be achieved if concerted effort is directed towards helping the relatively young electronic cigarette industry to reach its full potential. Read the full article and discover what else the researchers found during the study.
Issue #7
Issue #7 – So if you are catching this issue, chances are you realize we missed a month. April and May were rough and we spent much of the time out of the office. We’re catching up now and the May issue will be out in May…. And as always – if you think we’ve missed something, drop us a line on our Submission Page.
Battery Safety Information and Warnings on E-Cigarette Packages and Online
Published: 2018-01-01
The isolated accidents involving e-cigarette batteries have been overhyped by some alarmist print and electronic media outlets to the extent to portraying electronic cigarettes as unsafe. However, some of those incidents could be traced to improper device use by some vapers. New research has been published lending more credence to the fact that some vapers arenât using their devices, especially the e-cig batteries, correctly. The researchers were interested in finding out how much information about correct battery use was provided on e-cig devices, packaging and manufacturer websites. The general trend of the findings points to the reality that more needs to be done to educate vapers about correct battery usage. For example, the research found that very few of the products sampled provided information advising vapers to desist from excessively long draws on their devices since the battery could overheat. The 9-page report provides invaluable insights into the information gaps which need to be addressed by regulators and e-cig manufacturers. Donât assume that you know how to use the battery on your device. Look for product-specific information so that you donât make a mistake which can expose you to an avoidable risk.
E-Cigarette Use Near Schools
Published: 2018-03-08
The phenomenon of electronic cigarettes is raising many questions among regulators and members of the public. One of those questions regards how the proximity of retailers of e-cigs can affect the vaping habits of high school students. Researchers in New Jersey sought to answer that question by conducting a tobacco use survey in 41 high schools in that state. The results showed that there was a link between the existence of retailers nearby and the likelihood that the students had ever vaped. However, the researchers observed that the link wasnât strong enough to lead to the conclusion that the presence of retail outlets for e-cigarettes caused students to vape. More research therefore needs to be done to establish the different factors that may lead high school students to start smoking or vaping.
Dangers of E-Cigarettes and Liquid Nicotine Among Children
Published: 2018-03-08
So much has been said about keeping teens off electronic cigarettes but not enough attention has been directed towards raising awareness about the potential risks of young children accidentally ingesting e-liquids, including those with nicotine in them. A study conducted to evaluate the extent of the injuries to children resulting from their exposure to liquid nicotine found that there has been a marked rise in hospitalizations due to nicotine exposure to children. Many parents havenât woken up to the need to keep their e-cigs and e-liquid bottles out of reach of children. The natural curiosity of kids drives them to put anything they see in their mouth. It is therefore important to take steps to protect your young child from these products. The study suggests several measures, such as not using or refilling your e-cigarette in the presence of kids as well as storing the products in a locked container. The research article is a good read for anyone who vapes and has young children.
Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., On Pivotal Public Health Step to Dramatically Reduce Smoking Rates By Lowering Nicotine in Combustion Cigarettes to Minimally or Non-Addictive Levels
Published: 2018-03-15
The FDA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) calling on the public and other stakeholders to share any information they have which can help the agency to regulate the amount of nicotine in tobacco cigarettes as a way of reducing addiction to smoking. The ANPRM mentions novel nicotine delivery systems, such as electronic cigarettes, as additional products which should be watched in the effort to provide alternatives to smokers without creating new public health risks. The planned rules could largely target tobacco cigarettes while leaving e-cigs untouched for the time being. If that is the case, the e-cigarette industry would get a boost because many smokers may switch to vaping in order to get the higher doses of nicotine which they can no longer get by smoking combustible cigarettes. It remains to be seen what impact the scientific data and information shared by the public will have on the actual rules formulated.
Cancer-Causing Toxins Found in Vaping Teens
Published: 2018-03-15
It is a known fact that electronic cigarettes are safer than combustible cigarettes. However, being safer doesnât mean that e-cigs are harmless. The scientific community is busy trying to find out what the possible long-term effects of vaping could be. One study sought to establish the contents of the urine of teens who vaped as a way of learning what substances are expelled from the body after vaping. Several potentially harmful products were found in the urine of those teens regardless of whether the person used an e-liquid which had nicotine or it didnât have any nicotine in it. Such findings emphasize the need to discourage people from taking up vaping if they arenât trying to quit traditional cigarettes. It is safer for smokers to vape because vaping will reduce the harm to which they are exposed. However, young people who have never smoked or donât smoke should desist, if they can, from vaping since it isnât yet totally clear how vaping may affect their lives and health over the years. Read the detailed findings so that you can know the specifics of the substances which were found in the teensâ urine.
Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D, On Efforts to Reduce Tobacco Use, Especially Among Youth, By Exploring Options to Address the Role of Flavors-Including Menthol- in Tobacco Products
Published: 2018-03-20
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued another advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) last month (March, 2018) calling for information which will help it to come up with regulations to guide how flavors can or cannot be used to manufacture tobacco products, such as tobacco cigarettes and electronic cigarettes (set aside the fact that the FDA is being challenged in court about its categorization of e-cigs as tobacco products). The FDA wants to find ways in which to prevent kids and non-smokers or non-vapers from being attracted to start those habits due to the allure of the flavors used. They also want to find ways to support the use of flavors if such a thing helps smokers to quit or switch to less harmful products. Members of the public have about 90-days within which to avail any data they have on this subject before the agency retreats to digest that information and use it to draft the appropriate regulations/policies. Read the detailed press release so that you can make a contribution towards shaping the regulatory climate around electronic cigarettes and the related products.