Evidence suggests e-cigs safer than cigarettes, researcher claims

[phleshdef]

The review, which will be published online ahead of print this month in the Journal of Public Health Policy, is the first to comprehensively examine scientific evidence about the safety and effectiveness of electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, said Michael Siegel, professor of community health sciences at BUSPH. The battery-powered devices provide tobacco-less doses of nicotine in a vaporized solution.

"Few, if any, chemicals at levels detected in electronic cigarettes raise serious health concerns," the authors said. "Although the existing research does not warrant a conclusion that electronic cigarettes are safe in absolute terms and further clinical studies are needed to comprehensively assess the safety of electronic cigarettes, a preponderance of the available evidence shows them to be much safer than tobacco cigarettes and comparable in toxicity to conventional nicotine replacement products."

The report reviewed 16 laboratory studies that identified the components in electronic cigarette liquid and vapor. The authors found that carcinogen levels in electronic cigarettes are up to 1,000 times lower than in tobacco cigarettes.

"The FDA and major anti-smoking groups keep saying that we don't know anything about what is in electronic cigarettes," Siegel said. "The truth is, we know a lot more about what is in electronic cigarettes than regular cigarettes."

http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-12-evidence-e-cigs-safer-cigarettes.html

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Holy crap! I have a MAD magazine book from the 60s with a section on

healthier alternatives to smoking and they actually suggested something like this.

[FLPanhandle]

2. Hell, driving drunk while having unprotected sex with a prostitute is safer than cigarettes

The list of things safer than cigarettes wouldn't fit on my hard drive.

[rug]

8. Thanks. I've been looking for an alternative to smoking.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Rolf!!!!!!

[DirkGently]

3. Unsurprising, given they contain no smoke or tobacco. And yet some are already trying to ban them.

[Warpy]

4. Of course they're safer than inhaling smoke deeply into the lungs

but they still deliver nicotine, a toxic and addictive drug that causes arteries to spasm, bad news for people with atherosclerosis and a tiny clot in just the wrong spot.

Some people are so horribly addicted they can't quit unless they're locked up in a prison where tobacco products are banned. For them, these things are perfect alternatives to inhaling all that tar and particulate matter.

Ban them? They need to subsidize them.

[phleshdef]

11. Yea, any stimulant can do stuff like that if overdone. You can get them nicotine free as well.

[OregonBlue]

5. It only stands to reason that a device which delivers only nicotine and not the tar and 1000s of

other chemicals found in cigarettes would be safer. In fact, smoking just straight tobacco is much safer than smoking commercial cigarettes because of all of the additives.

I'm sure it is the tobacco lobby who is fighting these things tooth and nail.

[The Straight Story]

6. King County bans public e-cigarette smoking - fear of eroding "social norms."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x23789

[The Straight Story]

7. Court ruling: FDA can not ban E-cigarettes

Court ruling: FDA can not ban E-cigarettes

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9748712

[Abq_Sarah]

12. Excellent news

I broke a 30 year old habit 11 months ago by switching to ecigs.

The so-called experts from the American Heart Association, etc.. who are trying to say ecigs are just as dangerous as regular cigarettes are completely delusional and I have to wonder why they are so hostile to a much safer alternative to smoking. What's in it for them? Money?

[blogslut]

10. Thanks for the link to this article

As well, there was a Federal Appeals Court ruling deciding that e-cigs should be regulated as a tobacco product as opposed to regulation/classification as drug delivery devices:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40553730/40554599