(07/29/2010)
It goes by many names whether it's an ecig, ecigarette, electronic cigarette or personal vaporizer. It is gaining major popularity and smokers across the ...
VaporFox News(07/29/2010)
A new study published online ahead of print in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research finds that electronic cigarettes require higher intensity puffing than conventional cigarettes and concludes that this may result in adverse health effects.
According to the study: "Except for one brand, higher vacuums were required to smoke e-cigarettes than conventional brands. Smoke/aerosol density was stable for conventional brands and for e-cigarettes over the first 10 puffs; however, aerosol density of e-cigarettes dropped during subsequent smoking, and higher vacuums were required to produce aerosol as the puff number increased." The study concludes: "Generally, (07/29/2010)
The researchers used a smoking machine to compare the smoking properties of eight conventional cigarettes with five e-cigarette brands. ...
(07/28/2010)
This is the follow up paper to the clinical trial done by Dr. Eissenberg on the electronic cigarette. This new research article was completed by Andrea R Vansickel, Caroline O. Cobb, Michael, F. Weaver, and Thomas E. Eissenberg. They evaluated the electronic cigarette for the amount of nicotine it delivered (16 to 18 mg/ml cartridges [...]
(07/28/2010)
Not long ago, an NIH expert panel released a 2008 update of the clinical practice guideline regarding the treatment of tobacco use and dependence (see: Fiore MC, Jaén CR, Baker TB, et al. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update. Clinical Practice Guideline. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service. May 2008).
The guideline recommends that every patient who wishes to quit be treated with pharmaceuticals, unless medically contraindicated. The guideline also recommends the use of Chantix, despite concerns about its potential (07/27/2010)
According to an article in the Louisville Journal-Courier, Kentucky's main crop - burley tobacco - could be devastated by regulations being proposed by a working group of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
How could this be? Well, the story is a bit convoluted, but here it is: On May 15, the Working Group on Articles 9 and 10 of FCTC issued draft recommendations for implementation of the treaty's provisions related to the regulation of tobacco product ingredients. The basis of these recommendations is that tobacco companies should not be allowed to add (07/27/2010)
"It was these few bad eggs that made all e-cigarette's receive the scrutiny they get now, but what about the hundreds of brands tested that didn't contain ...
(07/26/2010)
http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/
Now, I've linked to this blog on those I'm following, but this one deserves special attention, simply because Dr. Mike Siegel wrote a potent statement (below). When a product on the market is benefiting many people and leading to marked health improvement, the burden of proof is on those who want it removed from the market to demonstrate that the product is causing harm. This is why we err on the side of leaving products on the market until they are shown to be harmful. Since electronic cigarettes are already on (07/26/2010)
A new research study published online ahead of print in the journal Annals of Pharmacotherapy concludes that the drug Chantix (varenicline) is most likely causally associated with thoughts and acts of aggression and violence (see: Moore TJ, Glenmullen J, Furberg CD. Thoughts and acts of aggression/violence toward others reported in association with varenicline. Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2010).
The authors identified 26 cases of FDA-reported adverse drug events associated with varenicline that included acts and thoughts of aggression and violence toward others and met the WHO criteria for possible, likely, or certain association with the  (07/24/2010)
Electronic cigarettes (also known as e-cigarettes and electric cigarettes)are the newest product on the market. They are designed to look and feel like real ...
(07/23/2010)
In a USA Today story on June 7th, 2010 titled CDC: U.S. cigarettes contain more cancer-causing chemicals, CDC researchers announced that “the amount of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) in U.S. brands is about triple that of brands from Australia, Canada or the United Kingdom”. It seems this should be of more concern to the FDA, who [...]
(07/23/2010)
The University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas will no longer hire smokers, according to an article in the El Paso Times. According to the article: "'Smokers need not apply,' Jim Valenti, UMC's chief executive officer, said in an interview. 'We care about our associates and their families, and we want to do everything possible to help them have a healthy life. We want to be setting an example.'"
According to hospital spokeswoman Margaret Althoff-Olivas, University Medical Center has a total of 2,310 employees and about 220 - or 9.5% (07/22/2010)
NORTHAMPTON, Mass (WWLP) - The Northampton Board of Health held a hearing on a proposal to add so-called "e-cigarettes" to their No Smoking in Public Places ...
(07/22/2010)
The World Trade Organization will consider the issue of whether the ban on clove cigarettes enacted by the U.S. in 2009 violates international trade agreements by discriminating against imported flavored cigarettes (i.e., clove cigarettes) in favor of domestic flavored cigarettes (i.e., menthol cigarettes). The complaint was brought forward by Indonesia, which used to export approximately $15 million of clove cigarettes each year to the U.S.
According to a Reuters article: "Indonesia says the United States is abusing health regulations to shut out clove cigarettes, known as kretek and very popular in the southeast (07/21/2010)
A physician who is a member of the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Medical Society and the medical director of the Herrington Recovery Center at Rogers Memorial Hospital in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin has published an op-ed piece in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in which he disseminates blatantly false information about electronic cigarettes.
Not only is the information false, but the true information could easily have been obtained with just about 30 seconds of basic internet searching. Furthermore, not only is the information false, but it results in material misrepresentation of the true risks of electronic  (07/20/2010)
Joe from SmokeOutPost.com thinks that this particular e-cigarette 'puts outs a decent amount of vapor. I'm actually really impressed with it. ...
(07/20/2010)
Yesterday, I argued that the TPSAC, in being asked to evaluate whether or not it made sense to exempt menthol from the ban on cigarette flavorings, must consider the central question of whether menthol enhances the taste, and therefore the appeal of cigarettes, especially to youth. Today, I extend that reasoning by arguing that menthol is not unique and that there are more than a hundred similar flavorings added to cigarettes that enhance the taste and appeal of the product. Based on the reasoning used to ban cigarette flavorings like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, each of these other flavorings must
(07/19/2010)
In an incredible display of wasted time and resources by a federal bureaucracy, the FDA's Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) is asking all the wrong questions about menthol in its deliberations about whether menthol should be included in the federal ban on flavored cigarettes.
The background here is essential: The Congress enacted a ban on flavored cigarettes, but exempted menthol for purely political, not scientific reasons. As a last minute compromise to save the bill because the Congressional Black Caucus was threatening to withdraw support over the menthol exemption, the bill's supporters hastily stuck in a provision that  (07/17/2010)
... electronic cigarttes are very happy with their starter kits and the 5 star feedback on the website is proof positive you will love your new e-cigarette. ...
(07/16/2010)
Got some potentially bad news today in the form of this article:
http://www.wauwatosanow.com/news/98420549.html 'Tosa (which isn't that far away from me) is considering strengthening their smoking policies for City Workers. Well, that's good, to a point, but the way they're going about it has me worried...first, the inconsistencies in their approach. They quote the damage from second-hand smoke (SHS) as their major reason for considering tightening up their policy. Well, first, any anti-smoking ordinance is going to quote the old standby of SHS, the clean air act, and all that rot. The SHS mythos has gotten a lot of (07/15/2010)
In this post, I explain why the anti-smoking groups and policy makers who crafted and supported the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act have dug a hole for themselves by establishing a regulatory scheme that is based not on science, but on politics. In particular, the ban on cigarette flavorings has established as a criterion for judging tobacco ingredients whether or not a particular ingredient enhances the appeal of the product. There is no evidence that flavored cigarettes are more harmful than regular cigarettes. Clearly, the criteria used to ban these cigarette brands was that no additive should enhance
(07/14/2010)
A group of non profit organizations and health advocates have filed an amicus brief with the DC Court of Appeals. The group included The American Council on Science and Health (ACSH), Smokefree Pennsylvania, Consumer Advocates for Smokefree Alternatives Association (CASAA), National Vapers Club, Midwest Vapers Group and Drs. Michael Siegel and Joel Nitzkin. Read the [...]
(07/14/2010)
The town council in Denville, New Jersey is considering an ordinance which would ban smoking in wide-open outdoor areas like parking lots, parks, and adjoining sidewalks. First- and second-time violators would be subject to a fine, but third-time violators could potentially be imprisoned.
According to an article in the Daily Record: Violators of a proposed smoking ban in parks and recreation areas would face a fine or community service and ? in the case of a three-time offender ? risk going to jail under a municipal ordinance introduced Tuesday night. ... The Denville (07/13/2010)
Last week, I reported that Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, Georgia has implemented a policy of refusing to hire smokers. It turns out, however, that the policy is even more extreme than I reported.
The Rest of the Story Actually, the policy precludes not only smokers from employment, but also precludes ex-smokers who are using the nicotine patch, nicotine gum, or any other nicotine replacement product. This would include electronic cigarette users, no matter how long they have remained off cigarettes. Research demonstrates that a substantial proportion of ex-smokers who (07/12/2010)
Two amicus briefs filed late last week support the position that NJOY's electronic cigarettes may not be regulated by the FDA as drug delivery devices because the products are not marketed with any therapeutic claims.
In the first amicus brief, filed by myself along with Bill Godshall, Dr. Joel Nitzkin, the American Council on Science and Health, the National Vapers Club, Midwest Vapers Group, and Consumer Advocates for Smokefree Alternatives Association, we make two major arguments. First, we argue that the FDA may not regulate NJOY's electronic cigarettes as drug delivery devices under the Food, Drug and |