September-October 2010
Think an e-cigarette will help you quit smoking? Think again!
What is an e-cigarette?
Have you heard about the electronic cigarette, also known as the e-cig? The e-cig is an alternative to smoked tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. It is a battery-powered device that provides inhaled doses of nicotine by delivering it in a vaporized propylene glycol/nicotine solution.
In addition to nicotine delivery, the vapor also provides a flavor and physical sensation similar to that of inhaled tobacco smoke, although no tobacco, smoke, or combustion is involved in its operation.
Misleading information
Manufacturers would like consumers to believe that e-cigs are the answer to the prayers of smokers who wish to still have the physical “high” they get from nicotine without the harmful health effects or chemicals that come along with smoking.
Promotional claims for e-cigs include that they will save smokers money, they’ll eliminate the smell of smoke, they won’t stain a smoker’s teeth, and more. What the manufacturers don’t tell you is that laboratory analysis done by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discovered carcinogens and toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol, an ingredient used in antifreeze, in several brands of e-cigs.
Not to mention the fact that continuing to consume nicotine in any form remains damaging to the human body. Nicotine constricts arteries, and, with repeated exposure, contributes to diseases and conditions such as coronary artery disease and high blood pressure. The e-cigs also do nothing to discourage the addictive behavior that comes with tobacco use.
In September, the FDA issued warning letters to five e-cig distributors for various violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) including unsubstantiated claims and poor manufacturing practices.
The best ways to kick the habitIf you want help to quit smoking, the research-based approaches are still the best. They include using over-the-counter NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapy) such as the nicotine patch, gum and lozenge. There are also very effective prescription medications.
Professional treatment is available to those who want to quit. In Vermont, call the Vermont Quit Network locally at (802) 447-5508 or 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). In New York, call 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487) and in the North Adams, Mass. area, call 413-664-5522.
Source: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm225210.htm
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