Ashtray Blog: An Electronic Cigarette Blog

As we mentioned before, we interviewed Murray Laugeson on the electronic cigarette a few days ago. (Click here to read the full e-cigarette interview.)Here is a brief summary of what he told us:

The Risks of Smoking the Electronic Cigarette

The electronic cigarette he has tested is between 2-3 magnitudes safer than that of smoking real cigarettes i.e. between 100 and 1000 times safer than a regular cigarette.

Further Testing Needed Prior to Sale

The electronic cigarette is “safe, efficacious, and possibly effective in stopping smoking.” As it is so much safer than its alternative, regular cigarettes, the doctor argued that further testing prior to the sale should not be needed.

On Delivery of Nicotine to the Lungs

“We find that the e-cigarette nicotine is more likely absorbed in the upper airways rather than in the lungs.”

On Health Benefits

“E-cigarette users should switch completely … as even a single cigarette daily greatly increases the risk of a heart attack.”

“Propylene glycol, the main ingredient of e-cigarette mist, is known to kill airborne flu virus and bacteria, and tends to protect those exposed to it in inhaled air, whereas in contrast smoking tobacco doubles the risk of death in a flu epidemic.”

On E Cigarette Bans

“Most regulators would privately agree the system is absurd.”

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Ready to switch? Visit the E-Cigarette store.

Worried about swine flu? The answer could just be to reach for an electronic cigarette.

The issue has been discussed on the past on an e-cigarette forum, with some users reporting a fall in the frequency and severity of getting flu.

There has even been a poll held, with over 50% of users reporting a fall in the frequency of colds and flu. This is compared to 35% who didn’t notice a thing, and just 2% who noticed an increase in the illness. (See difference in cold and flu frequency on the E-Cigarette forum.)

The effect could be due to switching from the cigarettes that contain thousands of chemicals and tens of carcinogens. However, a second possible cause is that of the Propylene Glycol that forms the main ingredient of the electronic cigarette.

In an interview with us today, Murry said:

“Propylene glycol, the main ingredient of e-cigarette mist, is known to kill airborne flu virus and bacteria, and tends to protect those exposed to it in inhaled air, whereas in contrast smoking tobacco doubles the risk of death in a flu epidemic.”

Unfortunately, we have no solid evidence to back the potential of e-cigarettes in preventing flu and cold.

“… we don’t have any data as to the extent that propylene glycol inhaled intermittently from an e-cigarette might prevent inhalation of live bacteria and viruses,” the doctor said, before adding: “This merits research.”

There is, however, proof of propylene glycol’s ability to kill germs.

In one experiment, sick children in a convelescent’s home were subjected to bacterial levels of propylene glycol. During the first year of the experiment, children in the control wards (i.e. those with no propylene glycol) suffered 100 infections. Children in the wards with propylene glycol suffered just five.(See Murray Laugeson’s original report on the electronic cigarette.)

I know one thing. Next time someone is spluttering next to me in an airplane, I’m reaching for my e-cigarette!

Read the full interview with Murray Laudersson.

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Ready to switch? Visit the E-Cigarette store.

Anti-smoking public health groups have combined to create this shocking anti electronic cigarette movie.

Please watch and let us know whether you believe it – or whether it is a fake.

Warning – this is not a movie for sensitive stomachs!

Click here to Watch!

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Ready to switch? Visit the E-Cigarette store.

One of our customers did this review of our e-pipe. You can also read the full review on his blog, Head Rambles – the full post is entitled: Grandad Goes Electric. Thanks Grandad!

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Ready to switch? Visit the E-Cigarette store.

Smokefree Pennsylvania sent the following letter to the Senate regarding the lies being told in order to benefit Philip Morris.

As a letter to the Senate this is open source – please reuse as you wish.

Smokefree Pennsylvania

1926 Monongahela Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15218

412-351-5880

FAX 351-5881

smokefree@compuserve.com

May 20, 2009

Dear Senator

Many inaccurate and misleading claims were made about the least hazardous tobacco products (smokefree) by Senators Merkley, Brown, Harkin, Dodd and others at yesterday’s markup session, which primarily benefits the deadliest tobacco product (cigarettes) and Philip Morris’ Marlboro empire, as would enactment of S. 982 (a deal negotiated by the cigarette giant and CTFK in 2004). We urge you to support the amendments (below) because they would improve public health.

Reiterating concerns in my May 7 letter, S. 982 will cause the deaths of millions of more cigarette smokers (primarily Marlboro smokers) unless amended to truthfully inform smokers that cigarettes are 100 times deadlier than smokefree tobacco/nicotine products (including dissolvable tobacco lozenges, snus and electronic cigarettes) and to allow smokers access to these less hazardous products. Switching from cigarettes to smokefree tobacco/nicotine alternatives reduces smoker’s health risks nearly as much as quitting all tobacco/nicotine use, and millions of smokers have already sharply reduced their health risks by switching to smokefree alternatives.

Dissolvable smokefree tobacco lozenges are nearly identical to GlaxoSmithKline’s dissolvable nicotine lozenges (marketed for smoking cessation). While some Senators grandstanded yesterday against tobacco products that comprise less than 1% of the market share and/or are no longer on the market, nobody expressed concerns that GSK http://www.commitlozenge.com/Commit.aspx has been marketing nearly identical nicotine lozenges in Cappuccino, Cherry and Mint flavors.

Claims that tobacco companies still target market to youth ignores the facts that youth tobacco use has declined by 50% to 65% (depending upon product and age group) in the past decade, that the Master Settlement Agreement already prohibits tobacco companies from marketing to youth, and that all 50 states already ban tobacco sales to youth under 18. In contrast to claims that S. 982 would protect youth from tobacco marketing (and Senator Brown’s criticism of a cigarette marketed to his 19 year old daughter), S. 982 would do little to further reduce youth tobacco use primarily because it prohibits the FDA from banning tobacco marketing to high school seniors (age 18). The CBO recently estimated that H.R. 1256 (Rep. Waxman’s similar bill approved by the House) would only reduce youth smoking by 11% and adult smoking by 2% during the next DECADE.

Since 1990, Smokefree Pennsylvania has advocated policies to reduce tobacco smoke pollution indoors, increase cigarette taxes, reduce tobacco marketing to youth, preserve civil justice remedies for tobacco victims, expand smoking cessation services, and inform smokers that smokefree tobacco/nicotine products are far less hazardous alternatives to cigarettes.

Sincerely,

William T. Godshall, MPH

Executive Director

- – -

* Amendments to S. 982 (Kennedy FDA tobacco bill) endorsed by Smokefree Pennsylvania because they would benefit public health.

Amendment Purpose

Burr #1 Complete substitute – new HHS office

* Burr #2 Change “public health” standard to “reduce youth tobacco use” standard

* Burr #3 Smokeless tobacco carveout

* Burr #4 Require reductions in tobacco illness and death

* Coburn #1 Internet sales

Coburn #2 No tobacco program, unless existing FDA products are certified safe

* Coburn #3 Including Native American retailers and manufacturers

* Coburn #4 7 year hard sunset

Coburn #5 E-cigarette carveout

Coburn #6 Medical marijuana

* Coburn #7 GAO study on metrics

Coburn #8 If youth smoking increases 3 years in a row, sunset

* Coburn #9 PACT Act

* Enzi #1 Move tobacco regulation to CDC

* Enzi #2 Higher civil penalties for tobacco companies

* Enzi #3 Menthol and health disparities

* Enzi #4 Imminent hazard authority

* Enzi #5 Strike adverse event reporting and require DSMB

Enzi #6 Premium incentive for cessation

Enzi #7 Reissue 1996 rule

* Enzi #8 Indexing user fees in outyears

Enzi #9 Strike findings

* Hagan #1 To ensure that performance standards are based on achievable technology

Hagan #2 No FDA on the farm

Hagan #3 Roll your own

Hagan #4 Definition of small manufacturer

Hagan #5 Testing only in US labs

Hagan #6 Definition of characterizing flavor

Hatch #1 No effect of Act unless FDA gets sufficient funding for major functions

Hatch #2 No effect of Act unless FDA gets sufficient funding for device review

Hatch #3 No effect of Act unless FDA gets sufficient funding for biologics review

Hatch #4 No effect of Act unless FDA gets sufficient funding for the Office of Generic Drugs

Hatch #5 No effect of Act unless FDA gets sufficient funding for drug evaluation and review

Hatch #6 HHS certification for tobacco importation

* Hatch #7 Standard for reduced risk products

Hatch #8 Appropriations trigger – all FDA

Hatch #9 Appropriations trigger – food safety

* Hatch #10 Performance and financial reports

* Hatch #11 Report on impact of program on SCHIP

McCain #1 No use of military TSP as pay for

Merkley/Brown #1 Dissolvable tobacco products

* Murkowski #1 Track and trace for tobacco

Kennedy #1 No implied seal, repeat Enzi warning labels

Kennedy #2 No implied seal of approval

- – -

Phone and fax numbers for Senate HELP Cmte members, and an e-mail address to contact all members of the committee.

Senate HELP Committee Phone Fax

Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) 202-224-5465 202-224-5128

Chairman

Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT) 202-224-2823 202-224-1083

Tom Harkin (D-IA) 202-224-3254 202-224-9369

Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) 202-224-4654 202-224-8858

Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) 202-224-5521 202-224-2852

Patty Murray (D-WA) 202-224-2621 202-224-0238

Jack Reed (D-RI) 202-224-4642 202-224-4680

Bernie Sanders (I-VT) 202-224-5141 202-228-0776

Sherrod Brown (D-OH) 202-224-2315 202-224-6519

Robert P Casey, Jr (D-PA) 202-224-6324 202-228-0604

Kay Hagan (D-NC) 202-224-6342 202-228-2563

Jeff Merkley (D-OR) 202-224-3753 202-228-3997

Michael Enzi (R-WY) 202-224-5375 202-224-6510

Ranking Member

Judd Gregg (R-NH) 202-224-3324 202-224-4952

Lamar Alexander (R-TN) 202-224-4944 202-228-3398

Richard Burr (R-NC) 202-224-3154 202-228-2981

Johnny Isakson (R-GA) 202-224-3643 202-228-0724

John McCain (R-AZ) 202-224-2235 202-228-2862

Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) 202-224-6665 202-224-5301

Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT) 202-224-5251 202-224-6331

Pat Roberts (R-KS) 202-224-4774 202-224-3514

Tom Coburn (R-OK) 202-224-5754 202-224-6008

We were recently very lucky to interview Michael Siegel, a doctor, professor and the owner of the Tobacco Analysis blog, a blog which aims to expose the myths and mistruths behind the anti-smoking lobby.

In the interview Michael argues that the anti-smoking lobby is driven by ideology rather than by science, and that this could eventually weaken its own cause as its lies are exposed. It is this also, he believes, that is the root behind the opposition to the electronic cigarette.

Michael has paid a personal price in his efforts to expose the lies of the anti-tobacco lobby, enduring character assassination, being expelled from two tobacco discussion groups and even being accused of being a mole for the tobacco industry.

To read the full interview, see An Interview with Michael Siegel.

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We are currently holding an electronic cigarette survey into the smoking of habits of e-smokers prior to taking up the electronic cigarette, as well as their experience with common smoking problems.

We have been fortunate enough to have a lot of help from researcher Paul Bergen from the Tobacco Harm Reduction project at the University of Albama in constructing the survey, and scientists at the University will be analysing the results.

We also plan to share the results with all interested parties.

After completing the survey you will be given a ten percent discount code for us on any of our products, and you could also win a prize. You’ll also have the satisfaction of helping with e-cigarette research!

To participate in the survey, just click here!

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It’s long been a criticism of FDA/American regulation that the FDA’s position is compromised by the fact that it is funded by the very companies it is supposed to regulate.

That looks set to continue, with big tobacco set to pay up to $500 million to the authority a year. (Source: Join Together.)

No wonder electronic cigarettes haven’t got a chance. How can a new industry afford to compete with the accumulated riches of an established industry which has reaped the rewards of years of exploiting its addicted consumers?

No wonder the FDA has come down so hard on an alternative that experts in tobacco harm reduction estimate could save hundreds of thousands of lives.

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Note: Professor Brad Radu’s letter to us, which we quoted in the movie, can be found here: Tobacco Free Kids to Kill Millions. You can also find the full transcript of Joel Nitzkin’s interview with us.

Image credits (Flickr Creative Commons):

Philip Morris Sign: taberandrew

Philip Morris Packaging: efrenefren

Graveyard: Road Less Travelled

More Movies:

Ban the Electronic Cigarette

Public Health Animation on the E-Cigarette

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Some people are taking our You Tube movie “ban the E-cigarette” a little too seriously.

Here is what one commenter said:

“A rubber knife is safer than a real knife, so you mean to tell me that you would rather have smokers keep smoking real cigarettes instead of switching to a healthier alternative. You are FOR banning a harmless alternative just because you think its not necessary. Well let me tell you, it is necessary, This is going to save lives and if they would have come out with this year ago, it would probably have saved millions of lives. If that doesnt mean anything to you then ur an arrogant,ignorant sob.”

Check out the other comments here!

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