New from Steve K's Vaping World:
Ah, the new year is now in full swing, and so are the e-cigarette news stories. There’s a veritable torrent of e-cigarette news flowing these days. There’s a whole spectrum of stories to be had here from the silly to the serious. So, get comfy and let’s check out the e-cigarette news.
Big Pharma eCig Conspiracy - What Financial Pundits Have to Say
It turns out that the notion of Big Pharma pulling the political strings against e-cigarettes isn’t just for a small niche of people any longer. As the e-cigarette debate heats up, more mainstream analysts are also beginning to follow the money trail. That money trail starts at Big Pharma and ends with the people charged with protecting the public’s health.
In addition, big pharma is highly active in the nicotine-replacement therapy, or NRT, market. NRT includes such items as nicotine gum, lozenges, and patches, and GlaxoSmithKline is the leading marketer of these products within the United States. Obviously, if smokers who are in the process of quitting turn to e-cigs rather than NRT, Glaxo will lose revenue.
Unfortunately, it would also seem as if Glaxo has support from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; in particular, Mitch Zeller, a former anti-tobacco lobbyist who was appointed head of the FDA’s center for tobacco products earlier this year. Now, Zeller should not be taking sides in this argument, but according to an article published in The Wall Street Journal back in 2009, Zeller disclosed that he “…provides consulting support to GlaxoSmithKline consumer health through Pinney Associates on an exclusive basis on issues related to tobacco dependence treatment.”
This pharmaceutical consultancy has regulatory authority over competing products, including e-cigs.
via Electronic Cigarettes Have a Rich and Powerful Enemy – DailyFinance.
It’s about time this ugly little secret starts to get exposed to the light of day. The question is if it’s too late to do much for the e-cigarette industry.
South San Francisco Holds off on Ban, But Enacts Moratorium
The city of South San Francisco recently held a city council meeting in which they were going to consider not issuing permits for e-cigarette lounges. As a compromise measure, they decided to have a 45 day halt to new permits while they try to figure out what to do.
“We can’t legislate morality,” said Garbarino. “We tried it with Prohibition. Giant failure. We all saw what happened there. We’ve in my opinion lost the war on drugs.”
Several proponents spoke in favor of e-cigarettes Wednesday, telling the council it helped them stop smoking actual cigarettes. For Asia Gato, manager of the city’s lone e-cigarette retailer, the Vaping Buddha on West Orange Avenue, e-cigarettes are a less dangerous way to consume nicotine. She quit smoking last year after discovering vaping.
via South San Francisco enacts moratorium on e-cigarette lounges – Vallejo Times Herald.
Interestingly, there’s no such restrictions for “retailers” just lounges. I’m not exactly sure what the difference is. I guess hide the couches and flat screen TVs and you’re good.
Will the NY Vaping Ban Face a Court Challenge?
The New York Times recently posted a long piece on e-cigarettes after NYC passed its infamous vaping ban. The piece profiled Henley e-cigarettes (shameless plug, here’s a review). The reporter also interviewed a civil liberties lawyer who let it drop that legal action isn’t out of the question.
“The word ‘cigarette’ is what’s confusing everybody,” Mr. Denholtz said. Norman Siegel, the longtime civil liberties lawyer, agreed. The day after the vote in favor of the ban, he said his law firm was strongly considering challenging it in court.
“They clearly are equating cigarettes with e-cigarettes,” he said. “What it is still is an open question, but it’s clearly not a cigarette, and yet that was the rationale.”
via E-Cigarette Shops Open Even as City Cracks Down – NYTimes.com.
Another interesting piece to come out of the review: vape shops like Henley will be exempted from the ban, so I imagine if the ban holds up, NYC vape shops are going to become popular hangouts.
UK Ad Regulator Didn't Buy Paranoid Prohibitionist Theories
The ASA, the advertising standards body for the UK recently denied a complaint against Vype e-cigarettes (the BAT owned e-cigarette). The complaint stated that the newspaper ad could lure kids and former smokers into using e-cigarettes.
We noted that the ad was headlined “A BIG DEAL FOR SMOKERS” and considered that clearly addressed the ad at current smokers. We also considered that the ad made clear that the ad was for an e-cigarette and that it therefore disassociated the product from a traditional tobacco cigarette. We noted that the ad featured images of the e-cigarette and of packets of Vype, but did not consider that those packets closely resembled the style or design of a traditional tobacco cigarette packet. Although we acknowledged that the claim ” … truly realistic experience and a smooth, satisfying taste” highlighted the similarities between e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, we considered that consumers were likely to understand that claim to refer to the appeal of the e-cigarette as an alternative to traditional cigarettes, and not to the benefits of tobacco products. We did not consider that it would appeal to those who did not already have a nicotine habit.
via ASA Adjudication on CN Creative Ltd – Advertising Standards Authority.
Despite the ASA’s continued battle with VIP e-cigarettes (or is that the other way around), it turns out that e-cigarette companies can actually advertise without running afoul of the rules. Too bad it had to be a Big Tobacco-owned company that blazed the trail.
One Hipster Bemoans Rise of e-Cigarettes
Which is worse, the rambling opinion piece that doesn’t seem to have an actual point, or the e-cigarette news authority that decides to post a commentary about it? You be the judge as you peruse this clip from an opinion piece clearly written by a hipster who wants, well, um… who the hell knows what these people want anyway?
Is there a smoker who has totally transitioned from cigarettes to e-cigarettes or who doesn’t feel self-conscious about using e-cigarettes? Are there any underage kids running around with their e-cigarettes or even mention them? Or, are e-cigarettes utterly irrelevant to the current young generation because there is no element of risk in them, no rebellion?
Unlike what e-cigarette makers seem to want the public to believe, e-cigarettes were not created to replace real cigarettes. There will not be a future where all the smokers will be replaced by e-smokers. No, e-cigarettes are the last ditch effort by some companies to cash in on a declining trend by duping some smokers into believing that they can still enjoy their habit in a non-harmful, modern way. Many smokers may try their e-cigarettes, but often revert back to real ones or try to quit smoking.
via E-Cigarettes, Last Chance for Companies to Cash in on Dying Trend.
Visit the above link to see if it makes any sense to you. Apparently, not enough kids are using e-cigarettes for this guys tastes. Maybe he should go work for the CDC.
Nova Scotia Lung Association to Hold Open eCig Forum
I have to admit, this isn’t what I expected to see when I read this news item. In Nova Scotia, the Lung Association is holding a forum about e-cigarettes. I figured this would be some sort of event where the group would share the latest in propaganda and junk science. Well, it turns out they’re going more to an open forum format and are inviting all to attend and speak.
The Lung Association of Nova Scotia is welcoming people to share their perspectives as they explore the topic at an e-cigarette forum. The Lung Association invites current smokers, people who have quit smoking, people impacted by lung disease including lung cancer and COPD, members of the public health community, tobacco manufacturers and sellers, e-cigarette sellers and users, in addition to the general public and media.
via Lung Association planning e-cigarette workshop – Local – The Register/Advertiser.
If you happen to be in the area on January 21st, maybe you can throw your opinion into the ring.
Will Prohibitionists Start Screaming Cancer? "Pre" Study Lacking Real-World Relevance
Get ready for the next frightening study about e-cigarettes to hit the media via prohibitionist. What is called a pre-clinical study found that certain mutated lung cells reacted with a nicotine liquid in a way that could potentially enhance their mutation ability.
Park and colleagues studied human bronchial epithelial cells carrying mutations in the P53 and KRAS genes. The cells were grown in a liquid medium that had been previously exposed for four hours to e-cigarette vapor or tobacco smoke. The investigators predominantly used nicotine levels estimated to be similar to the nicotine levels to which lung airway cells are exposed during e-cigarette smoking.
Using this approach, the P53- and KRAS-mutant, human bronchial epithelial cells showed cancer-like behaviors irrespective of whether the medium had been generated using e-cigarette vapor or tobacco smoke. Among the cancerous behaviors enhanced by growing the cells in the medium was the ability of the cells to become invasive and to exhibit colony formation, which is a process fundamental to the survival and metastasis of cancer cells.
via Preclinical study suggests E-cigarettes may promote lung cancer in high-risk individuals.
I anxiously await Drs. Farsalinos or Siegel to break this down a little further. But, from my layman’s standpoint, it seems that lungs typically aren’t exposed to nicotine in a liquid solution for hours on end. It also seems to me that any sort of inhaled nicotine would have similar effect (I’m looking at you nicotine inhalers.)
Are HR Policies Increasingly Hostile to eCigs?
The Kansas City Star recently ran an article about looming FDA regulations. The idea is that their declaration of e-cigarettes as a tobacco product will have a trickle down effect on local tobacco regulations. The story also looked at policies at local employers, which seem to be coming out against e-cigarettes.
“They certainly have the right to prohibit it on their premises,” Freeman said. “But it also can depend on what city ordinances say, exactly.”
Freeman added that for many employers, the health question shares top billing with the age-old productivity question about smoking: Do smokers spend too much time on breaks?
That question, because of wide variation in individual work habits of both smokers and nonsmokers, has no definitive answer and depends little on whether it’s a tobacco or tobacco-free break.
via FDA intends to clear the air on e-cigarettes – KansasCity.com.
Interestingly, some businesses say that they allow e-cigarettes in smoking areas (duh!) but never see anyone using the devices there. I bet those businesses have really nice smelling bathrooms.
Car Crashes Into e-Cigarette Store
Who said nothing interesting ever happens in Tulsa. A three-car accident sent one of the involved vehicles into the front of a local vape shop. Fortunately there were no injuries reported.
Investigators say the crash occurred before 5:30 p.m. when a truck cut off a silver car just west of East 41st Street and South Memorial Drive.
The truck, which was badly damaged, managed to clip another car in the crash, while the silver car drove hood-first into “Vapor City,” an electronic cigarette store in the shopping center.
The driver of the silver car was taken to a nearby hospital, but is expected to be OK. A child also in the car should be fine as well.
via Car rams into Tulsa e-cigarette store ‘Vapor City’ in 3-car crash, no serious injuries – Story.
And in case you’re wondering, no it wasn’t some deranged prohibitionist that finally lost it and decided to institute their own ban. At least I don’t think it was.
Canadian eCig Retailer Fights Back
Canada’s health authority sent a letter to a Canadian e-cigarette retailer demanding he stop selling nicotine e-liquid. Ok, it’s Canada, so they probably asked him politely and apologized for it. Regardless, the retailer decided he wouldn’t be pushed around so easily, so he let them know he believes he’s working within the framework of the law.
“We actually refuted back, saying that the law states that under Schedule F of the Food and Drugs Act, nicotine is directly exempt with a dose of under four milligrams, from being classified as a new drug or a drug delivery system,” Pineda told CBC News.
He says he has not yet received a response.
via E-cigarette seller fights Health Canada order to stop – New Brunswick – CBC News.
So, apparently, tiny amounts of nicotine are OK… or at least that will be the case if the merchant prevails against the oppressive Canadian government. I meant polite government. I’m sorry about that.
When Prohibitionists Rule the Earth, There Will be Celebrity Blood
A rather odd e-cigarette article showed up in the Motley Fool today. Rather than the typical boring stuff about how e-cigarettes are going to continue to erode traditional cigarettes very slowly, this piece seemed more like advice for celebs. The general idea of the article was when e-cigarettes take a fall, they’ll take the endorsing celebs with them.
When the new FDA rules come down, and after more health research is done, the public perception of e-cigarettes could shift from safe smoking alternative to just another nicotine-delivery device and a way to get kids on the cigarette bandwagon. If that happens, the celebrities who happily endorse e-cigs, may take an image hit among fans.
They may also have problems with other business partners who don’t want to be associated, however loosely, with cigarettes. Bruno Mars, for example, endorses Filipino clothing brand Bench, while Avicii has high-profile deals with Polo Ralph Lauren and Sony. McCarthy, a controversial figure for her vehement insistence on the link between vaccines and autism, and NJoy spokeswoman/post-grunge rocker Courtney Love probably have less to lose by a connection to e-cigarettes because many advertisers were already hesitant to turn to them.
via E-Cigarettes Staining the Entertainment Industry? (LO, MO, RAI).
Notice the article was more of a when this happens than an if this happen. And I bet you guys thought I was the only gloomy pessimist on the block.
Study Finds Young Adults not Much Different from Anyone Else
A Minnesota study looked to correlate e-cigarette attitudes with experimentation. The study first surveyed young adult participants on e-cigarette attitudes and the completed a follow-up survey to see who actually used e-cigarettes.
Study lead author Kelvin Choi, PhD, said that participants who agreed e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking and those who agreed that e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes were more likely than those who did not agree to subsequently report experimenting with e-cigarettes.Specifically, the follow-up study found that 7.4 per cent of participants who had never used an e-cigarette at baseline reported subsequently using an e-cigarette, with 21.6 per cent among baseline current smokers, 11.9 per cent among baseline former smokers, and 2.9 per cent among baseline nonsmokers reporting use.
via E-cigarettes perceived benefits may lead to higher experimentation rates , AniNews.in.
Since the survey only looked at ever use, it doesn’t tell much of a story, without knowing if that group continued with e-cigarettes. Experimentation and continued use are two different things. Examining if the smokers in the group eventually ditched cigarettes for e-cigarettes was outside of the scope, but would have also provided some interesting insight.
Coming in 2014: eCig with Thumbprint Lock
Here's an item from the “I bet you didn't even know you needed this” department. Vapor Corp sent out a press release from CES. In that presser, they announced their new e-cigarette with biometric technology set to be released for the 2014 holiday shopping season.
“The next trend in alternative smoking devices is the personalized vaporizer that incorporates the technology that we expect from our high-end tech devices. Today we are debuting the newest technology in this space,” says Kevin Frija, CEO of Vapor Corp. “By incorporating this biometric user identity technology into the Vapor Xpersonal vaporizer, the door is opened to many customizable features. The fingerprint lock security allows customers to protect their device from use by another individual and this same technology will lead to the development of additional features and controls,” continues Frija. “Much like the fitness mobile app technology we have seen gain recent popularity, vaporizer users will soon be able to download their 'vaping' statistics through a corresponding mobile application in order to track exactly how often they use the device.”
Via Vapor Corp. Unveils E-Cigarette Industry's First Biometric Technology – BWWGeeksWorld
We've seen some technology that links up to computers with the eVic and the announced French e-cigarette. But, I wasn't aware there was a need to securely lock an e-cigarette til now.
ECR Interviews Researcher on Long-Term Vaping
Our friends over at e-Cigarette Reviewed published an interview with researcher Jean-Francois Etter about his recent study on the impact of long-term vaping. It’s a good read all around, but keep in mind this is not what should be considered a conclusive study. Even so, it demonstrates some major potential with e-cigarettes.
No ex-smokers in your study who were vaping relapsed to daily smoking – why do you think the relapse rate is so low? Do e-cigs really seem to be that effective, or is it likely to be just a quirk of the sample selection process?
JFE: Both elements played a role here, But the effect is so large (normally 95% of ex-smokers relapse within one year) that it cannot be attributed only to selection problems, there must be a real effect here. E-cigs most probably prevent relapse in former smokers.
via Interview with Professor Jean-Francois Etter on Long-Term Vaping.
That’s a huge deal in comparison to traditional NRT. Even if 50% of that can be attributed to sampling bias, that’s still significantly better than anything else. It also seems to blow the whole gateway argument out of the water.
Wales Goes all Honey Badger on eCigs
My pals over at the Ashtray Blog posted an interesting article. Since that blog is run by a Wales-based e-cigarette company, they decided to extend an olive branch to the Health Minister of Wales to see if they can come up with some sort of understanding of the industry. The response was a long-ish letter, that is summed up by this passage.
You may be aware that I participated in a short debate on the regulation of e-cigarettes in Plenary on 11 December. Given that my position on e-cigarettes is fully outlined in the transcript of the debate, available on the Assembly website at http://www.assemblywales.org/docs/rop_xml/131211_plenary_bilingual.xml#121297, and I don’t believe that a meeting would add materially to the position in Wales at this time.
I understand that you have requested a similar meeting with Edwina Hart MBE, CStJ, AM, Minister of Economy, Science and Transport and I am copying my response her office.
via Welsh Government Refuse to Discuss ECigarettes.
Actually I guess it could be summed up by the phrase “go pound sand.” Wales is indeed like the elusive honey badger it just don’t give a…
CNN Gives Ton of Digital Ink to ALA to Spread Utter Misinformation
Oh look, CNN published an opinion piece on e-Cigarettes. Written by the heat of the American Lung Association. This isn’t going to end well. Hell it didn’t even start well. Here’s how the piece penned by the biggest proponent of underage e-cigarette sales in the country started.
Big Tobacco desperately needs new nicotine addicts and is up to its old tricks to make sure it gets them. E-cigarettes are being aggressively marketed to children with flavors like Bazooka Bubble Gum, Cap’n Crunch and Cotton Candy. Joe Camel was killed in the 1990s, but cartoon characters are back promoting e-cigarettes.
Many e-cigarettes look like Marlboro or Camel cigarettes. Like their old-Hollywood counterparts, glamorous and attractive celebrities are appearing on TV promoting specific e-cigarette brands. Free samples are even being handed out on street corners.
via Opinion: FDA oversight of e-cigarettes overdue – CNN.com.
Talk about your set-ups. As noted above the ALA has come out against restrictions for underage purchase of e-cigarettes, now they’re talking about how e-cigarettes are targeting the underage. Oddly enough, the big tobacco companies aren’t actually the ones selling flavored e-cigarettes. And what exactly do they think e-cigarettes are supposed to look like (granted, many don’t look a thing like Camels).
What’s even more astounding is this guy’s predecessor went to work for an e-cigarette industry group. So you know he probably has some idea of what the landscape really looks like.
Rhode Island Prohibitionist Has Shaky Grasp of Math
Ah, January. That must mean it’s time for resolutions and every local news yahoo doing a story about using e-cigarettes to quit smoking. Let’s just say I’m not going to cover them all here. But this one was exceptionally silly, so it gets mentioned. Here we have a Rhode Island anti-smoking type simply oozing nothing short of ignorance on either current research or basic math.
But Tobacco Free Rhode Island tells us labels can be misleading… especially since e–cigarettes and vape–pens are not approved or regulated by the FDA.
“Please don’t be fooled that this is an effective and safe way to quit right now… There’s no tobacco as such so you’re not taking in the tar, but right now we do not know what else you’re taking in,” said Karina Holyoak Wood, Director of Tobacco Free RI.
She says the same goes for second hand smoke from e– cigarettes. Without knowing what’s in the product, there’s no way to know if what you’re exhaling is healthier than cigarette smoke.
via Should you turn to e – cigarettes to quit smoking? – ABC6 – Providence, RI and New Bedford, MA News, Weather.
Not keeping up with a subject you’re expert in is pretty bad. But, the alternative is this person somehow thinks 4 ingredients, none of which are toxic will somehow produce more toxic byproducts than cigarettes. I think she might need to read the eCig 101 article I just wrote.
CASAA Represents eCig Consumers in DC
In case you’re wondering if anyone has your back at our nation’s capital with all the potential e-cigarette regulation looming large, the answer is yes. CASAA paid a visit to DC last week to both lobby for a permanent consumer advisor on the FDA’s tobacco advisory board, namely Carl V. Phillips. Currently that spot is held by a prohibitionist. The consumer group also met with representatives from the relevant part of the OMB to express what sort of hardships regulation might mean for the industry and consumers.
We nominated him primarily for the consumer representative slot on the committee (which to date has been held by an extremist prohibitionist who is about as far from representing consumers as is possible), but also for any open slot, since he is also one of the most accomplished and broadly knowledgeable scientists in the area of the modern world of tobacco products (if you want more details on that, here is our nomination letter). We believe he may be the only genuine consumer representative nominated this round, and know that he is among the most qualified scientists. If his nomination is rejected, it can only be interpreted as the FDA not being honest about welcoming consumer participation in the process.
Second, we had a very successful meeting with the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA; part of the Office of Management and Budget), which is currently reviewing FDA’s proposed regulations of e-cigarettes. As you know, FDA has written regulations that “deem” e-cigarettes to be tobacco products, and thus to be under the jurisdiction of their Center for Tobacco Products, and that contain other (as of yet, unknown) details about the regulation of e-cigarettes. OIRA is the office responsible for reviewing all regulations to basically make sure they are not unnecessarily burdensome. The testimony that CASAA (in the persons of Elaine Keller and Julie Woessner) delivered can be found here.
Via CASAA engages with US government to ensure consumer representation
I know I’ve been a little concerned about the consumer voice at the national level. Several trade groups have been in talks, but depending on the group their vision may not always line up with consumers. And of course Big Tobacco already has the ear of much of the Beltway. Grass roots support tends to, out of necessity, be focused on more local action, so it’s good to see the views of consumers taken to all levels of government.
eCigs Won't Bring Sexy Back
A commentator made an interesting point in a recent article. e-Cigarettes still lack the sexy that cigarettes used to have in spades back in the day. The opinion piece also noted that the thought of the way cigarettes once were glamorized is somewhat gross in the modern era.
All I can figure is that it had to be the fire. Fire is dangerous and fascinating, and kept our ancestors alive on the savanna.
Maybe that’s what made smoking such an attractive spectacle: The sight of a person casually and elegantly playing with fire called to something in our genes.
I don’t see it as translating easily to vaping devices. What would be the equivalent of Humphrey Bogart lighting Lauren Bacall’s cigarette? Putting on his reading glasses so he can adjust the little voltage dial on her Vape-Pro Deluxe doesn’t seem quite as provocative a gesture.
via Joe Blundo commentary: E-cigarettes seem to hold hazy appeal at best | The Columbus Dispatch.
It seems that opinions are torn with many people thinking e-cigarettes are kind of dorky. A smaller but more vocal minority are freaking out that e-cigarettes will of course convince every cat, dog and child to take up e-cigarettes post haste in order to emulate their idols of wack job MILFs and briefly famous actors.
Second-hand Vapor Study finds Nicotine and not Much Else
Reuters is running a story about an e-cigarette second-hand vapor study that was published in December. The study is a followup study that replaces the smoking machines in the original study with actual vapers. The study looked at the byproducts of vaping, and then of smoking in a closed room. Not surprisingly, there were a lot of byproducts found in the cigarette session, but just small amounts of nicotine in the vapor session.
“In locales considering extending smoking bans to e-cigarettes, I think that these data weaken the case for more sweeping bans,” Fairchild said. “And so this begins to answer the question about why e-cigarettes are considered better: they reduce risks to both the user and to the bystander when compared to tobacco cigarettes.”
Fairfield said the concern about vaping ultimately revolves around whether e-cigarettes are going to change broader patterns of smoking at the population level.
via E-cigarette vapor contains nicotine, not other toxins | Reuters.
If anything this might be a sign that prohibitionists will more and more lean on the less provable monsters of their theories. Plan on hearing more about gateway theories, children and renormalization in 2014.
<h2>Deal of the Moment</h2>
MadVapes Coupon Code 10% off e-Liquid
There’s a new MadVapes coupon code out today. This one runs through January 14th, and is good for 10% off site-wide. Already discounted items are excluded, but otherwise, it’s maybe a good time to stock up on some stuff since you can never quite be sure when the next site-wide sale will be. Just use discount code jan10off when you check out, now get to shoppin’!
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Originally posted: e-Cigarette News Roundup for 1-10 – And it can crush walnuts
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