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Question About E-Cigarettes
06-11-2010, 09:47 PM
I've recently seen an upswing in the popularity of these things and I'm all for them. Anything that improves public health gets a vote in my book.
Although I do wonder about them. Is the vapor that these things produce really safe? And do the 'No Nicotine' cartridges really live up to their name?
If what they say is true, then I'll probably wind up investing in a kit myself. I've recognized that on a psychological level I have a certain attraction to smoking. Probably because all the men in my Mother's family smoked. Something like that imprints on you, ya know, and it'd be great to satisfy that craving without endangering my health.
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Well, Wikipedia has a decent article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cigarette
Pay special attention to the Health Issues section. In summary: we don't know yet what long-term effects are; they still contain nicotine, but no tar; and a toxin has been discovered in at least two brands (Google reveals this isn't a wikipedia-only statement) that may be from unintended side effects of manufacture, but is still potentially deadly (diethylene glycol).
The FDA has not yet approved them fully, and not all manufacturers pass what standards there are in their rush to get products to market.
In shorter summary: if health is a concern, chew on toothpicks instead. 
Edit, meant to include this originally but hit post by mistake: Google also reveals that there is considerable shouting on both sides of the fence on this one. So, y'know. Do your research and decide based on that. If you use a nicotine-containing flavorant, the only thing that is 'better' than regular smoking is the lack of, well, smoke (and associated nastiness).
--sofaspud
-- "Listening to your kid is the audio equivalent of a Salvador Dali painting, Spud." --OpMegs
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I read an article on e-cigarettes a few days ago. It indicated that they were addictive, some contain carcinogens and they can come in child friendly flavors such as cherry and cola.
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Shepherd Wrote:I read an article on e-cigarettes a few days ago. It indicated that they were addictive, some contain carcinogens and they can come in child friendly flavors such as cherry and cola.
And retails for about $150. Hardly a gateway drug for preteens.
Ebony the Black Dragon
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(I was deliberately trying to avoid the "won't someone think of the children!" bit with my original post.  )
I know four people who use these, myself. I can't deny that kissing one of them has become much nicer since she switched over. A downside I -have- noticed, however, is that she, uh, 'vaporizes'? a lot more now than she used to smoke.
And she's complaining a lot more about the cost, which I don't have figures on but that I imagine is higher than regular packs.
--sofaspud
-- "Listening to your kid is the audio equivalent of a Salvador Dali painting, Spud." --OpMegs
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Thanks everyone. I have indeed been looking around and I have seen shouting on both sides of the fence.
As to the nicotine content, I have seen that they offer a No Nicotine option, just so that people can maintain the oral habit. (Some have actually reported a reversal of the weight gain associated with anxiety from quitting the smokes and not having something to put in their mouth.)
Some of the guys on my ship have noticed that they go through cartridges pretty quickly, but I would chalk that up to being able to vaporize a lot more frequently than they can smoke. After all, the vapor dissipates almost as soon as is leaves your lips, so it can be done indoors, in crowds, and they even say that you can do it where flammability hazards exist (but I wouldn't test that myself).
Sofa, if your girl's puttin' away the cartridges like they're going outta style, then I'd suggest to her to use it in the same moderation as she would a regular cigarette.
EDIT: Oh, and as to the toxicity levels... It wouldn't surprise me if that is only in brands imported from China. We all know how their quality control tends to slip. :p
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Quote:Is the vapor that these things produce really safe?
They're designed to put something other than air into a person's lungs. You tell me how safe that is. (More people die from smoke inhalation than from burning to death...)
Quote:EDIT: Oh, and as to the toxicity levels... It wouldn't surprise me if that is only in brands imported from China. We all know how their quality control tends to slip. :p
The Chinese have quality control?
Anyway... I see that they're illegal in Canada. Not a problem for me - I'm allergic to the stuff - but there has to be some reason why Health Canada won't allow them even if the FDA has given them a partial green-light. Anybody have any idea what that reason might be?
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Quote:The Chinese have quality control?
They gotta be doin' something' to keep it that low.
-- Bob
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Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
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robkelk Wrote:Quote:EDIT: Oh, and as to the toxicity levels... It wouldn't surprise me if that is only in brands imported from China. We all know how their quality control tends to slip. :p
The Chinese have quality control?
Anyway... I see that they're illegal in Canada. Not a problem for me - I'm allergic to the stuff - but there has to be some reason why Health Canada won't allow them even if the FDA has given them a partial green-light. Anybody have any idea what that reason might be? I think it may have something to do with curbing overindulgence. From what I've seen it's pretty easy to give yourself a nicotine overdose just because you can go nuts with them.
As for dangers in inhaling vapor... there's all kinds of things in the air. Hell, just the stuff that's floating around Los Angeles is probably a lot more toxic than what may be in these cartridges.
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