In recent years, a Chinese company has manufactured an “e-cigarette.†The e-cigarette uses a small battery that atomizes a liquid solution of nicotine, and when an individual inhales the device, a vapor is dispensed, mimicking smoke. It was also designed to mimic the effects of smoking by having a small red light at the tip that lights up with each “drag.†The e-cigarette has been introduced as a product to be used where a smoker cannot smoke and as a product to assist smokers with stopping smoking. Because there is no combustion of tobacco, e-cigarettes are marketed as being less harmful than traditional cigarettes. However, there have been no studies of how much nicotine is delivered by an e-cigarette, to what depths of the lungs the vapor reaches nor what other chemicals or gases are in the vapor. It is not a product that has been approved by the FDA, so at this time, we do not recommend the e-cigarette to our patients as an alternative to smoking or as a method to stop smoking. There are seven medications that have been approved as safe and effective to help smokers stop smoking. Click here to learn more about those seven medications.
Dr. Richard D. Hurt is an internationally recognized expert on tobacco dependence. A native of Murray, Kentucky, he joined Mayo Clinic in 1976 and is now a Professor of Medicine at its College of Medicine. In 1988, he founded the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center and since then its staff has treated over 33,000 patients for tobacco dependence. Send your questions directly to Dr. Hurt at AskTheExpert@becomeanex.org
Dr. Richard D. Hurt is an internationally recognized expert on tobacco dependence. A native of Murray, Kentucky, he joined Mayo Clinic in 1976 and is now a Professor of Medicine at its College of Medicine. In 1988, he founded the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center and since then its staff has treated over 33,000 patients for tobacco dependence. Send your questions directly to Dr. Hurt at AskTheExpert@becomeanex.org
HMMMMM
The new bill giving the FDA authority over cigarettes bars the sale of any new cigarette brand or type of cigarette introduced after such and such a date. That's why Marlboro loves the bill. It's the "outlaw any competition for market-leader Marlboro" bill. I hate e-cigs with a red hot passion, but they are getting a raw deal. There isn't really any conceptual difference between an e-cig and a nicotine inhaler. I look for Marlboro and/or the pharma companies to buy the patents for e-cigs and get FDA approval down the road.
WASHINGTON - Federal health officials said Wednesday they have found cancer-causing ingredients in electronic cigarettes, despite manufacturers' claims the products are safer than tobacco cigarettes.
The Food and Drug Administration said testing of products from two leading electronic cigarette makers turned up several toxic chemicals, including a key ingredient in antifreeze. FDA scientists said they tested 19 varieties of cigarettes, many of which contained fruit and candy flavors.
Public health advocates have complained the products are marketed toward young people and can serve as a "gateway" to tobacco smoking. Because electronic cigarettes are not covered by federal tobacco laws, they are often easier for young people to purchase.
Electronic cigarettes produce a nicotine mist absorbed directly into the lungs. Most can easily pass as a tobacco cigarette with slim white bodies and glowing amber tips. They even emit what look like puffs of white smoke.
Smoke screen?
A Chinese company is marketing its smokeless, electronic cigarettes as a safe alternative to smoking and an effective tool in helping smokers kick the habit. But world health officials say the manufacturer can’t back up those claims.
Manufacturers have touted the products as a healthier alternative to smoking because no burning is involved, and there's no hazardous cocktail of cancer-causing chemicals.
Regulators said they already halted 50 shipments of electronic cigarettes at the border, but those actions have been challenged in federal court by manufacturers. The products are made primarily in China.
The agency did say it's "planning additional activities" to address safety issues with the products, which may include recalling products or issuing criminal sanctions.