What a load of crap from the FDA - I'd be so much more impressed if they just came out and said - look, we don't know how to tax these yet, so until we get that angle covered, we're going to jump on them.

If they were SO concerned, they'd stop cigarette sales as well. They're afraid they'll lose too much in tax revenue though.

I'm all for a ban on e-cigarettes. While we're at it ban real cigarettes as well.

No other item causes so much harm with no actual benefit as cigarettes. Why they are legal is dumbfounding. Why people use them is even more so.

I can safely say, that the FDA has purposely failed to reveal that the same exact same toxins and carcinogens are also found in current forms of FDA Approved NRT products. Hmmm.... I call BS on the FDA?

Please don't believe the hype and lies people...

It’s sickening that the FDA allows drugs like chantrix to be sold to stop smoking.It’s already proven itself to be a dangerous substance,people have become suicidal on that drug.
That same agency wants to stop me from harming myself according to them by stopping my use of a personal fog machine mixed with nicotone,flavorings and propelene glycol.
If this gets taken away from me I’ll just go back to smoking regular cigarettes.
Surely with the 400 plus chemicals in those including MAOI inhibitors,arsenic and tar I’m not harming myself.
The FDA could care less about me,they just want more power to tell me what I can or can’t put in my body.

Regarding Diethylene Glycol:

Looking at the Health New Zealand study1, the presence of Diethylene Glycol was not tested for. They seem to have based their tests on manufacturer ingredient lists and known tobacco carcinogens.
So what is Diethylene Glycol? The MSDS2 shows that chronic exposure to Diethylene Glycol can cause lesions on the liver and kidneys, as well as damage to the same organs. In the case of inhalation, the only first aid recommended is removal from the source to fresh air. The toxicalogical information is as follows:

Quote:
Oral rat LD50: 12565 mg/kg. Skin rabbit LD50: 11.89 g/kg Irritation: eye rabbit, standard Draize: 50 mg mild. Investigated as a tumorigen and reproductive effector.
���\Cancer Lists\������������������
�NTP Carcinogen�
Ingredient Known Anticipated IARC Category
������������ �� ���� ����-
Diethylene Glycol (111-46-6) No No None

This shows that Diethylene Glycol is not a known carcinogen, nor is it expected to be found as one in the future. In addition, the dose required to kill half of the sample of rats tested is 12.565 g/kg and 11.89 g/kg for rabbits. Assuming this can be extended to humans, an average adult male would have to ingest 855.925 g to receive a lethal dose.
Is Diethylene Glycol the main ingredient in antifreeze? The EPA3 has this to say about antifreeze variations:

Quote:
Antifreeze typically contains ethylene glycol as its active ingredient, but some manufacturers market propylene glycol-based antifreeze, which is less toxic to humans and pets. The acute, or short-term, toxicity of propylene glycol, especially in humans, is substantially lower than that of ethylene glycol. Regardless of which active ingredient the spent antifreeze contains, heavy metals contaminate the antifreeze during service. When contaminated, particularly with lead, used antifreeze can be considered hazardous and should be reused, recycled, or disposed of properly.
Ethylene Glycol is the main ingredient in antifreeze. While straight antifreeze is toxic, the main hazard is from used antifreeze, which absorbs heavy metals.

http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/antifree.htm#alternate

This is a prime example of how easy it is to someone out. You know these move to hurt the tobacco industry and for that someone in the FDA made alot of money to discredit it. The ingredient in most Ecigs is propolyne glycal, which is found in Ice cream for crying out loud. I don't doupt how ever that one company used diethylene glycol but I wouldn't rule out they made one to through in there so they can make that statement. The fact is we are being bought out as American's and can no longer call this the land of the free. If you are going to but a stop to Ecigs then put a stop to the real cause of Evil and death in out country and ban tobacco cigarette. It wont happen, to many people high up have their hand deep in the tobacco industries wallet. I am personally writing a letter to my local congressmen to call BS on the FDA's ethics. I recommend everyone do the same, we can't let them pull the wool over out eye's anymore, big business is trying to tell you, what you can and can't do and it his nothing to do with our health.

The reasoning that cigarettes, cigars, alcohol and other items are not banned is due to the United States Constitution. No law will be written that inhibits the freedoms of a person unless it is proven to inhibit another right to do the same.

Now the arguement that smoking can inhibit someone else's health has some valid points but a ban is not necessary if regulations and restrictions can have the same effect.

I myself feel our government has taken too many steps into banning rather than regulating 'for our own good'. But that is a discussion for another area. In regards to the retriction by the FDA of e-cigarettes, my opinion is that it is valid IF their reasoning is so that the items can be tested and properly marked prior to thier marketing in the states. The real question is if that is their true reason.

This is a load of hooey. The FDA used a nicotrol inhaler as the test control. If they compared an e-cig with a normal cig, the results would've been totally different.

I smoked for more than 10 years and now I’ve completely stopped smoking normal cigarettes. I can breathe easier and no longer cough. I’ve tried patches, nicotine gum, you name it! This is the best invention since sliced bread and I’m glad that I purchased a good unit. I started with disposable units that were cheap but they provided no throat hit, I thought, is that it? So I did my research.

After researching online for various companies and prices, I found Freshsmoking[.]com They’ve got the best prices, their starter kits start at only $48 dollars and the rest of their accessories are much cheaper than anywhere else I’ve seen. The best part about it is that their units provide a strong throat hit and a great battery and cartridge life. I’ve had my unit now for more than a month and it’s still going strong! Their customer service was great and their shipping was lightening fast.

I really wish that some of the people that support electronic cigarettes didnt sound like the generic pothead supporting why hemp is great and pot should be legal. I dont know if you realise this or not but you're actually not helping your cause, your making it worse.

Its obvious that the FDA is being pressured by the tobacco companies in one way or another, if anyone thinks that is incorrect they're ignorant and should spend some time googling the ingredients in these things: propylene glycol (food grade, if anyone is using anything but in their mixtures they're morons, this stuff is cheap as it is) flavorings (typically candy flavoring from loranns and other hobby shops, only non-oil based and non-dye containing flavors) and nicotine.

The only portion of the electronic cigarette that should be considered something worth taking a closer look at is possibly the method of nicotine extraction, which can result in plenty of bad chemicals. If the FDA wants to stop generalizing everything and focus on the real issues like pushing for a more effective method of age verification online, and the components and regulation of the liquid itself.

Im tired of seeing this generalized to "electronic cigarette". Does the battery cause cancer? Is the atomizer toxic? What they should really be saying is that they want to regulate the liquid and who can get this. Personally, i think there are too many loosly based reports being taken as fact here.

The e-cig industry is out in force today.

Don't believe for a second that these seemingly ad-hoc, personal recommendations are from anyone real, other than personnel from the companies recommended. They appear magically on _every_ e-cig article's message board across the country.

Message boards are cheap advertising.

What is really sad is that everybody that our world is terrible, we smoke ,were over weight,on and on and on. Take a look at our world about 50 to80 years ago, people berely made it to 40 or 50 years old. Now people are living much longer!! So it's not so bad!! But if you really want to know what's really bad and nobody wants to talk about it!! Diapers every young mother today takes the crap wraps it up and throws it in the garbage, Anybody check to see how many babies are out there oh forgot depends to. All in the garbage, nasty!!No wonder our soil is no good!! I used cloth diapers, its very easy to walk to the toilet flush the waste and then wash!! Nobody knows how to do that today!! I cut an article out of the newspaper about 20 years ago, they said these diapers and waste in them, would attract many deseases that we fights hard to get rid of ! Does anyone have any reason we don't take care of this? I don't want waste in my dirt!

FDA news release claims that electronic cigarette products are potentially poisonous, but the real story is that the evidence is skewed and twisted in favor of the FDA’s original, unproven stance on e-cigarettes. Learn why here.

FDA Says…

Electronic cigarettes may be dangerous to the health of those who use them. Diethylene glycol is deadly poisonous.

The Truth:

The FDA found one chemical, diethylene glycol, in only 1 of the 18 cartridges that they tested and it was at a concentration of 1%.

Diethylene glycol is used as a humectant in tobacco products such as cigarettes and the 1% concentration found in that single cartridge is no more dangerous than a cigarette.

FDA Says…

Electronic cigarettes are not known to be safer than tobacco cigarettes.

The Truth:

The CDC has associated tobacco smoke with over 4,000 toxic chemicals, many of them known to be carcinogenic. A short list of the toxic chemicals (some of them may be known to you) found in tobacco smoke:

· Acetone (fingernail polish remover)

· Cadmium (used in batteries)

· Carbon Monoxide (car exhaust)

· Hydrogen Cyanide (poison)

· Arsenic (poison)

· DDT/Dieldrin (pesticide banned in the 1970’s)

· Ethanol (alcohol)

· Butane (lighter fluid)

· Ammonia

· Methane

· Polonium 210 (poison, radioactive)

Dr. Peter Zimmerman at the New York Times stated in 2006 that Polonium 210 is “surprisingly common… polonium sources with about 10% of a lethal dose are readily available – even in a product sold on Amazon.com.” in a commentary on the poisoning of a former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko.

FDA Says…

Electronic cigarettes are appealing to children due to the different flavors cartridges are available in.

The Truth:

Products meant strictly for adult consumption are found all over the United States in gas stations and department stores. Flavored cough syrups, energy drinks, energy shots, personal lubricants, and more products litter gas stations and department stores around the country and there has been no public outcry against them. Nor has there been any outcry concerning novelty cigarette lighters shaped like footballs, guns, and other things that a child would find appealing. These lighters are available at the checkout counters of gas stations nationwide and no one seems to believe they encourage a child to play with fire.

FDA Says…

Approved stop smoking products are safe, electronic cigarettes are not.

The Truth:

Stop smoking aids Chantix and Zyban are known by their manufacturers to cause suicidal tendencies and as many as 100 people are known to have committed suicide while on the drugs. The FDA allows these products to stay on the market while knowing that they have caused people harm and have said in a news release that the numbers should not stop smokers from using the drugs. Chantix has killed 100 people and they refuse to pull it from the market. 1% diethylene glycol in 1 out of 18 cartridges is insignificant, especially when diethylene glycol is used as a humectant in tobacco cigarettes.

FDA Says…

Tobacco-specific impurities, cotinine, anabasine, myosmine, and β-nicotyrine were found in half of the cartridge samples tested.

The Truth:

Cotinine, anabasine, myosmine, and β-nicotyrine are related to nicotine and are found in tobacco cigarettes.

Cotinine is a metabolite of nicotine and is found in tobacco cigarettes. The Foundation for Blood Research states that cotinine itself is not known to be harmful.

http://www.fbr.org/publications/pamphlets/cotinine.html

Anabasine is found in all tobacco products.

According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, “… consumption of nuts and nut products is a new as yet unknown source for human myosmine exposure.”

Some studies have shown that these chemicals may also be present in nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine gums and patches. Tobacco-specific nitrosamines are formed by nicotine itself, so no product containing nicotine is able to be completely free of them. All nicotine formulations, including those in nicotine gums and patches approved by the FDA, will contain traces of the chemicals found in e-cigarettes (cotinine, anabasine, myosmine, and β-nicotyrine).

Additionally, nitrosamines are also commonly found in cosmetics, but are not listed on labels because they are considered “impurities”. Personal care products including mascara, conditioner, baby shampoo, and others may contain nitrosamines.

http://www.safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=293

FDA Says…

Their test results should be proof that electronic cigarettes are unsafe and should not be used by smokers as an alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes or as a stop smoking aid.

The Truth:

The FDA’s test results prove what e-cigarette manufacturers and retailers have been saying all along: they are safer than tobacco cigarettes. The FDA has no intention of banning tobacco cigarettes (which are known to kill 400,000 people in the United States a year and contain 4,000+ chemicals) because the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act specifically prevents the FDA from banning them.

Passage Preventing Cigarette Ban:

‘(3) LIMITATION ON POWER GRANTED TO THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION- Because of the importance of a decision of the Secretary to issue a regulation–

‘(A) banning all cigarettes, all smokeless tobacco products, all little cigars, all cigars other than little cigars, all pipe tobacco, or all roll-your-own tobacco products; or

‘(B) requiring the reduction of nicotine yields of a tobacco product to zero,

the Secretary is prohibited from taking such actions under this Act.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-1256&version=enr&nid=t0%3Aenr%3A384

Cigarettes may not be banned by the FDA nor are they authorized to force tobacco companies to reduce the nicotine levels in their products to zero according to this legislation.

One of the doctors responsible for the test results the FDA released this week, Joshua Sharfstein, the FDA’s principal deputy commissioner was the health policy advisor for Congressman Henry Waxman (the man who originally sponsored the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act which prevents cigarettes from being outlawed).

FDA Says…

In 2007, the FDA admitted that it is burdened with a “plethora of inadequacies” and is currently so underfunded that they are not able to properly do their jobs. As recently as July 20th of this year, the Government Accountability Office states that the FDA still doesn’t have enough money to do everything it needs to do and of the 500,000+ complaints filed against products, the FDA has no clue which complaints have been addressed and which ones have even been read.

The Truth:

That is the truth. The FDA doesn’t have enough money to do their jobs and while they focus their energy on eliminating a product that is safer than tobacco cigarettes and cheaper than the pharmaceutical drug pushers’ Chantix, Zyban, patches, and gums, people continue to die of smoking-related illness.

Before finding traces of melamine in US formula, the FDA had this to say about the melamine-contaminated infant formula in China: “FDA is currently unable to establish any level of melamine and melamine-related compounds in infant formula that does not raise public health concerns.”

Statement on Infant Formula Manufactured in China in October, 2008:

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm070019.htm

The very next month when melamine was found in trace amounts of infant formula made in the United States, the FDA had this to say:

“The levels we are detecting are extremely low. They should not be changing the diet. If they’ve been feeding a particular product, they should continue to feed that product. That’s in the best interest of the baby.”

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/26/world/main4633848.shtml

The companies whose formula contained melamine are Nestle, Mead Johnson, Abbott Laboratories make 90% of the infant formula sold in the United States.

Unfortunately, the point is this: the FDA will say anything if it fits their agenda.

Chemical and bacterial outbreaks have run rampant the past few years, salmonella being found in everything from tomatoes to spinach to peanuts and while they can’t seem to get their first priority under control (which is food), they concentrate on trying to control a product that has the potential to eliminate millions of dollars worth of tax revenue at all levels of government.

Read the FDA’s study results (not news articles about their study results) here:

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ScienceResearch/UCM173250.pdf

Here it is......I lost my mother 14yrs ago to lung cancer. She was 49 yrs old. I have also lost my father in October of last year, lung cancer, age 62! My father stopped smoking 2yrs before he died, and it still killed him. I watched them try everything on the market to stop smoking, and it just didnt work. My father stopped smoking, because he was fixing to have a massive heart attack, and had a stent put in, and the doctors told him stop smoking or its going to kill you.....he stopped, and it still killed him.

The tobacco company is loosing money, and they dont like it! They are putting pressure on the FDA! The tobacco company didnt mind that my mother and father died from smoking their product. If any thing should be banned, it should be the cigarette companies, that glamorized smoking when I was a kid! I'm so tired of this crap! They are killing me, my children, and everyone in the world......but they are still making their money. They dont like the fact that someone found a way to beat their product, and it is helping! I love this e-cig. Where was it 15yrs ago, when I first wanted to stop smoking!!!!
If you are not a smoker, you dont understand. If you are you know exactly how hard it is to just stop smoking.
Who has my best interest in mind.....the tobacco company that is killing me, or the e-cig that is helping me cut out the 100's of chemicals a cig has in it!
I wouldnt be quick to jump on the ban wagon! The FDA needs to do all the research before coming to a conclusion! Stop taking up for the tobacco companies that are killing millions of people, and be greatful that someone has come up w/ an alternitive to smoking. But ofcourse they are not worried about my health, they are worried about how I am not putting money into their product.

It's a no brainer when it come to comparing an Electronic
Cigarette Vaping to Tobacco Smoking.Which is a greater risk to your
health, you ask ? Over 400,000 thousand people die each year in the US from
Tobacoo smoking! Not including worldwide... An Electronic Cigarette has
been around for 5 years worldwide, you ask how many deaths has there been
reported within this 5 years from the use of an electronic cigarettes? My
research shows that 0 reports have been made! The facts are in. Please do
your research and choose a better alternative thats right for you & for others :) I Vape on an Electronic Cigarette

It's interesting that the e-cigarette lobby is so strong, as is evidenced by all the comments here. I've never met anyone who actually used one of these things.

I rarely if ever post comments, but thought I might on this subject. I've been smoking for over 20 years, since I was 14. I recently purchased an e-cig after numerous attempts to stop smoking. Considering the price of the e-cig (now less than a carton of cigarettes), I thought I would try it. I haven't smoked a 'regular' cigarette in 4 days!! WooHoo! I can't wait til my clothes and house no longer smell like smoke.

i have not used these e-cigarettes yet. but ihave used mant of the so called quiting products.( which i just found out that tobaco companys produce some of the quit smoking products as well. talk about getting money on both ends,make money hooking people and then make money on the "cure"). im sure im gonna get alot of crap on this but i feel cigarettes should be illegal. while i do believe in freedom of choice, i just think it is very hipocritical that many drugs are either illegal or perscription only cause they are addictive and dangerous and yet you can walk up to the counter in most stores and buy a pack of cigs. more people die from cigarets than most drugs combined. i know im speaking out my ass becauseim a smoker buti can honestly say that i truly regret the day i smoked my first cigarette at 12 years old. thanks for bearing with me while i rambled on but the cigarette topic really pisses me off! they kil illions and yet thei allowed to continue their drug dealings cause of their major politcal ties cause they purchsed!!!

the tobacco industry have paid lobbyist to fight for them and claim anything to keep the cancer sticks out .. as long as we smoke get sick and die, they make money.

now an alternative to help u quit because not all of the filters on these ecigs have nicotine,,, u can also choose the level to ween your self off of them also.

what has the tobacco industry done to help cure this terrible habit? keep ways for people to not smoke because they wont make a dime!

Over 400,000 Americans die annually from tobacco smoking or second hand hazardeous chemical smoke inhaling ! So if the FDA really cares about it's citizens then it should take control over conventional Tobacco smoking, before closing it's doors on a Simple device called an electronic cigarette which has not harmed a single human since it was introduced in 2004. I've been a tobacco smoker for 3 years and this simple electronic cigarette device has surely helped me to quit tobacco smoking for good! So I can freely suggest to those who are considering a much better & safer alternative to give an Electronic Cig a try. Please care about your health & the environment!!!

I like my ecig. I don't really mind if they're bad for me anyway. I was smoking over a packet a day without a possibility of stopping in any case. Now I'm purely on these. Hopefully ecigs are a bit better for you. Call me cynical but you have to die of something. I liked smoking too. I'm not really into this whole anti-smoking and anti-ecig thing. It's just childish. People are aware of the risks. So rock climbing is also dangerous and people are hooked on the adrenaline rush. Such is life, calm down people. Get a life. Judging from some of these comments ecigs probably are somewhat better for you. Or the future will tell. They can't be any WORSE than smoking anyway. AS we have been informed smoking is the most terrible, evil, habit ever, so no they can't be any worse. Some people are never happy. Doesn't matter what you smoke. Weed, crack, sage, tobacco. I saw a South American centenarian guy on TV puffing away on his cuban cigar smiling and laughing. His secret: happiness, red wine sex, music, parites, flamenco. Well you know about this whole ecig issue I just don't care. I'm vaping on it for the time being. And I don't give a shit what anybody thinks. You all need to lighten up!

I have not touched a analogue (smoked tobacco cigarette) in 9 weeks tomorrow at 9:15AM. If I have 99.999% less chance of getting cancer than smoking, I'll take that chance!!! Chance taken, nicotine delivered!

System of politics and scientists with motives derived from BIG TABACCO's money averted!!!

Thank you for reading this,
- THE 86'd

im also sick and tired of hearing about cigs dont we have more important things to fuc___ worry about in this god offull society geeze theres far more worse things out there then freakin ciggerrets who cares this world isnt getting any better anyways so grow the fu_ up and start worrying about the crack heads and the meth heads and the pill poppers and the drunk drivers, yes i wish i never started smoking but i did and thats that im gonna die sometime and its not the ciggerrete that decides my fate its god. thanks karla

There are SO many flaws in the FDA's argument. For one, a SAMPLE test proves nothing amongst the every company in the industry. Granted you will always have a brand with traces of carcinogens and so forth, however, its all about the totality of the industry. A POPULATION test would be much more valid in giving the FDA's argument water. Its funny because not only are the E-Cigarettes healthier than standard cigarettes, but that the FDA is comparing this industry to the standard smoking industry which recently has integrated kevlar into multiple companies to prevent fire hazards. The FDA has a say in what is put into and removed from cigarettes. The taxation is so massive that the FDA is on a sea-saw of whether to begin the liquidation of companies in the smoking industry or enjoy the fruits of their production and consumption. This is a rather controversial subject once its broken down.

Let it lastly be known that the FDA were also the origin supporters of the E-Cigarette. The E-Cigs are FDA approved. Once these things began to feel an up-swing, then the FDA began its entrance into the argument of carcinogens and toxins within E-Cigs. Naturally the FDA gets involved both for good and bad reasons. However, since the FDA initially approved these E-Cigarettes, and are now back tracking, what does that say about the FDA. POLITICS POLITICS POLITICS

These E-Cigarettes are a much better secondary to the standard cigarette. The FDA is to be heard, but not entirely taken seriously. Not in my book.

Due to privatization, I believe a lot of the members of the FDA would be benefiting from cigarette companies. Thus, doing whatever they possibly could to stop e-cigarettes.

The press in the US again would fall in the same position.

carol j norton: Ever heard of fertilizer? It's made of POO. And they spread it all over the dirt where your food grows. :O

The problems with disposable diapers (and you're right, they are most definitely a problem) are (1) that the poo is sent to the landfill rather than being recycled back into the ecosystem as nature intended, and (2) EVERY KID swathed in disposables creates a couple of TONS of waste that won't degrade for literally hundreds of years.

Back on the original topic -- it's nice to see people calling out the FDA (and the govt in general?) for their intrusiveness and irrelevance. It's sad how many initiatives start out as a good idea but end up being a refuge for bribe-takers and petty tyrants. It's infuriating to think that we work almost half of every year to pay for such uselessness.

Inhaling "vapor" or fog instead of the smoke is secure ?

smoke != fog