Scare #2 Continued

What the FDA’s report did not find, and further verifies, that e-cigs are a more logical option when compared to traditional tobacco products. The FDA’s report did not find ANY of the 66 other CARCINOGENS OR TAR that are found in traditional tobacco products, nor stated any other new dangers or findings that would conclude that the electronic cigarette is dangerous. The FDA and anti-smoking groups are comparing electronic cigarettes to a solution of spring-fresh Maine mountain stream water. What they need to compare electronic cigarettes to is something known as a Marlboro cigarette

“As with all reports of toxins and carcinogens, “the dose makes the poison” reports Dr. Brad Rodu of the University of Louisville who is the Endowed Chair of Tobacco Harm Reduction Research. For the past 15 years Dr. Rodu has been involved in research and policy development regarding products and programs to mitigate tobacco’s harm and is a staunch proponent of the e-cig in mitigating tobacco’s harm. Dr. Rodu says about the FDA’s own study, “Unfortunately, the agency did not report TSNA levels. Instead, it reported that TSNAs were either “Detected” or “Not Detected,” which is entirely inadequate. For hundreds of years, one of the basic tenets of medicine has been “the dose makes the poison.” Mere detection of a contaminant is meaningless; the critical question is: At what concentration is it present?

Data derived from sciences abilities to cull trace amounts of chemicals from any substance are becoming more widely available and are often considered newsworthy. However, this data is often presented without proper context, which can lead people to the mistaken conclusion that the low levels or trace amounts such as were found in e-cigs and sensationalized by the FDA of chemicals found, is generally harmful, simply because a chemical is present. Many factors need to be considered before it is possible to determine if the detected levels of a chemical might pose a human health hazard. Reporting data without context can frequently generate confusion and unnecessary anxiety which is what the FDA did and governmental agencies are now using to ban the first product ever that tobacco users are choosing to use to stay off of the one product we know will kill them: tobacco.

Recent research conducted by Dr. Murray Laugesen and Health New Zealand, LTD. reveals that the toxic emissions score for electronic cigarettes is much lower than that of conventional cigarettes. The toxic emissions score - which is a score based on the levels of 59 priority toxicants was zero for electronic cigarettes. In contrast, it was 126 for Marlboro and it was no lower than 100 for any brand of conventional cigarette tested.”

In addressing the FDAs sensationalistic line: “chemicals such as diethylene glycol, an ingredient used in antifreeze (were found)” trace levels of diethylene glycol (DEG) is a natural by-product of propylene and polyethylene glycol (used to make the e-cig vapor) and independent studies find its levels in e-cigs to be well below the allowable levels set forth by the FDA as per below. It is important to note that in subsequent independent lab testing NO DEGs were found in inLife and nJoys products. Propylene and polyethylene glycols (which are used in e-cigs to create the vapor) are the same chemicals and approved by the FDA for use in foodstuff as seen below:

FDA Approved consumer products containing “antifreeze” or DEGs As a solvent in many pharmaceuticals, including oral, injectable and topical formulations. Notably, diazepam, which is insoluble in water, uses propylene glycol as its solvent in its clinical, injectable form.[5] As a moisturizer in medicines, cosmetics, food, toothpaste, mouth wash, and tobacco products As a solvent for food colors and flavorings As a humectant food additive, labeled as E number E1520 As a cooling agent for beer and wine glycol jacketed fermentation tanks As a carrier in fragrance oils As an ingredient in massage oils In smoke machines to make artificial smoke for use in firefighters' training and theatrical productions In hand sanitizers, antibacterial lotions, and saline solutions

Propylene glycol is also found as an active ingredient in FDA approved inhaler drugs such as Sudafed (tm). In its press release of its May 4, 2009 test it did of two e-cig brands the FDA curiously did not report the actual levels it found, but did go on to state that “diethylene glycol showed up in just one out of 18 cartridges and that five cartridges contained tobacco-specific nitrosamines at very low levels." The report does not say exactly how low, and it provides no evidence that these trace amounts pose any measurable health risk for the agency to make a claim that the electronic cigarette is indeed dangerous.