The National Council Against Smoking says it is working towards having electronic cigarettes governed by the amended anti-smoking law.

Electronic cigarettes were developed in China in 2004, and consist of a “refillable cigarette” with a battery and an electronic chip. The cigarettes are sold with nicotine and flavourings.

“Tobacco cigarettes are not only harmful to the smoker,” said Ridwaan Ismail of Health-e-Cigarettes, a local company that launched its electronic cigarette this year.

“They are proven to be harmful to those inhaling the secondary smoke.

“On the other hand, e-cigarettes are not harmful to those around you, and significantly reduce the damage caused to the smoker by cutting out all carcinogenic substances.”

Ismail said that instead of producing smoke from combustion, like normal cigarettes, the electronic cigarette produced vapour. The vapour was created from liquid containing nicotine within the electronic cigarette.

“Both odourless and colourless, the vapour is neither toxic nor harmful as a secondary smoke, making it safe to smoke in all public places,” he said.

Peter Ucko, director of the National Council Against Smoking, countered this.

He said that electronic cigarettes still contained nicotine, which was addictive.

There was no such thing as safe nicotine, he said, adding that the cigarettes had already been banned on aircraft.

Magdalene Seguin, head of the Cancer Association of South Africa, said it believed the cigarettes were not a proven and safe way to stop smoking.

Ismail claimed e-cigarettes were becoming the preferred alternative, offering smokers the opportunity to cut down on the harmful chemicals smokers inhaled.

He said the cartridges, unlike tobacco butts, were also completely recyclable which made the cigarette a more environmentally friendly product.

Ucko said the National Council Against Smoking was working to have the electronic cigarettes governed by the same amended laws that restricted the public smoking of normal cigarettes.

This article was originally published on page 8 of Cape Argus on September 22, 2009

Ryanair is allowing passengers to puff on “smokeless” cigarettes during flights.

Cabin staff on short-haul services sell the devices – which can be legally smoked in public places – at £6 for a pack of 10.

The cigs are promoted as a nicotine fix for people who can’t wait until they land for their next fag.

A passenger said: “The stewards were brandishing the packs as they walked down the aisle. No one bought any.”

Martin Dockrell, from Action on Smoking and Health, said: “Our concern with these products is that there isn’t much evidence as to their safety.”

The cigs use cartridges of nicotine that are inhaled before a water vapour that resembles smoke is breathed out by the user.

The fags do not contain tobacco or any of the harmful chemicals found in normal cigarettes.

IrishTimes :

“SMOKELESS” CIGARETTES which look like the real thing but do not have to be lit to provide nicotine to the user, are to be introduced by Ryanair.

Smoking on commercial flights has been illegal since the 1990s, but the airline says it will introduce Similar Smokeless Cigarettes, which it says look and feel like a real cigarette and deliver a small amount of nicotine through inhalation – passengers do not light the ‘cigarette’.

The new Similar Smokeless Cigarettes are available to passengers over 18 years of age and are sold in packs of 10 on board all of the company’s flights for €6.

A company statement said they contained no toxins or chemicals and were harmless to the user and to those around them.

Company spokesman Stephen McNamara said the “cigarettes” were being introduced to help passengers who like to smoke and find it difficult to travel on an aircraft for a couple of hours without getting their nicotine hit.

“As these cigarettes are smokeless they cause no discomfort to other passengers and can ensure a more enjoyable and stress-free flight for all passengers, as non-smokers will no longer have to cope with moody smokers in need of nicotine,” he said.

Want to kick the habit, but afraid of withdrawal? Now there’s a new alternative to smoking: E-Cigarettes.

After 17 years of smoking a pack of day, Tamara Johnson calls it her saving grace.

“No, I have not touched a single tobacco cigarette since I started doing this on April 17,” Tamara exclaims.

Peg Steuber smoked nearly two packs a day for over 20 years. She says it has help her kick the habit for good.

“This is my Holy Grail. This is what I was looking for when I lit up in the 80’s,” she recalls.

Both Tamara and Peg say they no longer crave tobacco… thanks to electronic or ‘E-Cigarettes.’

They’re not alone. More smokers are discovering E-Cigarettes…buying them online, or at places like a kiosk in Southridge Mall. It’s an electronic nicotine delivery system that delivers controlled levels of nicotine to the body.

The device is made up of three parts: A battery, an atomizer, and a cartridge. The atomizer just heats up the liquid, causes a water vapor and that’s what comes out– water vapor. The liquid is actually liquid nicotine that comes in different flavors like vanilla, chocolate, or Turkish delight. No tobacco smoke is involved.

Tamara and Peg say they feel the difference.

“I feel a lot healthier, I breathe a lot better, I exercise a lot better, I don’t stink all the time, I don’t smell up anything else,” Tamara says.

“My sense of taste has come back. Things taste good again instead of just blech!” Peg adds.

But the E-Cigarette really isn’t a smoking cessation device. It’s actually marketed as a healthier alternative to smoking.

We spoke to Dr. Bruce Campbell at the Medical College at Froedtert. Campbell is a cancer specialist. He says if it can help you quit…go for it!  “Any time we can get people to cut down on smoking, it’s a good thing.”

Dr. Campbell compared E-Cigarettes to a prescription smoking cessation device. He says the problem with E-Cigarettes is that its makers have avoided regulation by the Federal Trade Commission, and the Food and Drug Administration…possibly because of the cost and paperwork involved.

“So as a result, what’s in the cigarettes is completely up to the manufacturer and there’s no way for anyone to check and know the purity, the grade or even whether the product contains what it says it does,” Dr. Campbell warns.

Tamara and Peg say they couldn’t be happier to be tobacco free. They hope E-Cigarettes become more widely available, so other smokers can also break free.

“I have stopped smoking entirely. I have no desire to go back. I don’t want to go back,” Tamara says.

E-Cigarettes users do have to take into consideration that they’re still using nicotine, an addictive drug that affects the nervous system.

Video available at TMJ4 by Shelley Walcott.

“Our client records are confidential. We respect the privacy of all our clients, not only high profile ones.”

Blu Cigs are known for the distinctive blue light that glows when the cigarette is drawn on. They have become popular with smokers in the film, television and music industries as they can be used in indoor no (tobacco) smoking environments such as sound stages and recording studios as there is no ash and the vapor emitted won’t bother non-smokers and will not harm sensitive equipment.

Healy adds, “With current and stricter new restrictions coming on the use of traditional cigarettes, blu Cigs provide smokers with a better alternative cigarette experience without the bothersome secondhand smoke.”

In response to whether an electronic cigarette such as blu is safe for use in a bathtub, Healy said, “While we would not recommend use in an environment like that, there’s no problem if it were dropped in the water. It would have to be dried out sufficiently before using again.”

“Blu has only been on the market for a few months but the demand has been so overwhelming that we’ve really been trying to stay out of the news,” said Healy.

“While I’m not saying it is our product, it would’ve have been better for us, if not Ms. Gayheart and Mr. Dane as well, if this tape hadn’t come out.”

The ministry had banned the battery-powered product last week after tests revealed that it could be hazardous to people’s health.

“We have acted upon the ban and stopped the goods from entering the country,” said Mohammed Mattar Al Marri, executive director of cargo operations at Dubai Customs. “Because this is a local ban, we will allow the exporter to export the shipment back to the country of origin or on to a new destination. We are not a legislative body. We work within the legal framework established by the relevant 
government bodies.”

Al Marri did not elaborate on the size of the shipment but added that it was relatively small because it arrived in the cargo hold of an aircraft.

Electronic cigarettes emit a fine vapour which contains a dose of nicotine. However, there have been concerns that they could be harmful to health.

In the United States, a study by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that e-cigarettes contain toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol, an ingredient used in anti-freeze.

A Dubai Municipality study is expected to have corroborated the findings.

“There is general agreement in the GCC Tobacco Control Committee that e-cigarette should not be circulated in the (Gulf) market as therapy,” Dr Wedad Al Maidoor, head of Tobacco Control Team in the MoH, had told

Martin Croucher
21 August 2009

The letter called on Congress to urge the FDA to conduct further studies on electronic cigarettes and to take a more scientific approach, follow standard protocols for proper study design, to include a significant sample of products on the market, and to study the potential for giving smokers an alternative that reduces the known risks found in traditional cigarettes until they can make the commitment to quit.

“We readily acknowledge the health risks of cigarette smoking and advocate smokers to quit. However, we recognize the struggles many have in quitting and offer an alternative to adult smokers who want to avoid the toxins found in cigarettes. The more than 1 million users of electronic cigarettes also like the fact that they can use these products in the workplace and in public without violating any laws or policies and not annoy or expose non-smokers to tobacco smoke,” said Salmon.

About ECA

The ECA is an association of private sector companies engaged in electronic cigarette technologies. Its mission is to provide the tools and information necessary for policy-makers, opinion leaders, media, and private sector companies worldwide to make informed decisions about the management and use of electronic cigarette technologies. The association institutes and promotes industry-wide standards and a code of conduct, works to maintain sound professional practices, educates the public and policy-makers on the industry’s activities and potential, and works to ensure the ethical use of electronic cigarette technologies.

The 12-1 vote, with four abstentions, puts the so-called e-cigarettes on par with traditional cigarettes, barring their use in Suffolk’s indoor public spaces.

“This vote signals that our local government will not hesitate to take steps to protect the next generation of Suffolk residents from the newest health risks,” said the bill’s sponsor, Legis. Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor).

Electronic cigarettes, which are battery-powered devices that typically look like a traditional cigarette, allow users to inhale doses of vaporized nicotine. Advocates tout them as safer than cigarettes, since there is no tobacco or smoke involved in ingesting the nicotine vapor. Electronic cigarettes have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Also Tuesday, Oregon Attorney General John Kroger sued to stop a Florida company from selling electronic cigarettes in his state. He accused the company, Smoking Everywhere, of making false claims and targeting unsafe products to children.

County Executive Steve Levy is “inclined to look favorably” on the bill, said spokesman Dan Aug.

Tuesday’s vote came after a dozen members of the Long Island Vapors Club, a group of e-cigarette enthusiasts, pleaded with legislators to spare their hobby from public restrictions.

But Cooper said the devices are dangerous and need to be barred from the county’s buildings. “They will be free to use these in the privacy of their own homes, but they will no longer be able to subject innocent people around them to these dangers,” he said.

Legis. Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk), who voted for the bill before changing his position to abstain after the vote total was announced, said he doesn’t believe electronic cigarettes are as dangerous as traditional cigarettes.

“This may be one of the best ways to quit smoking,” said Schneiderman, a hotel owner. “It might be good for the economy to create vapor lounges as well.” – With AP

Appearing this afternoon at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, attorneys for Smoking Everywhere and NJoy asked Judge Richard Leon for a preliminary injunction that would lift the FDA’s embargo on their products. The companies sued the FDA in April, claiming the agency had erroneously classified e-cigarettes as unapproved drug devices, and banned imports of them into the states.

E-cigarettes, as they are commonly called, are small, battery powered tubes that vaporize liquid nicotine, letting users inhale the chemical without the smoke associated with traditional tobacco cigarettes. At today’s hearing, Judge Leon asked the lawyers to explain how the recently passed Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which brought cigarettes within FDA’s regulatory reach, might effect the case.

Thompson Hine partner Kip Schwartz, representing Smoking Everywhere, told the judge that the law made it clear that that the FDA was in the wrong. The act created a new regulatory category for tobacco-based products, he said. E-cigarettes couldn’t be regulated as drug devices, he said, because the companies did not claim their product improved users’ health, or effected the body any differently than smoking a normal cigarette.

Schwartz was particularly insistent that e-cigarettes were not marketed as a way for users to get off nicotine.

“We don’t want people weaned off the e-cigarette,” Schwartz said. “We want them smoking it as long as they smoked regular cigarettes.”

Schwartz added that regulations for a drug device would be much more restrictive than for a tobacco-based product. He said the idea of regulating e-cigarettes differently from traditional tobacco products “didn’t pass the straight face test” given that they both do little but deliver nicotine.

Justice Department attorney Drake Cutini, representing the FDA, contended that the e-cigarette companies were marketing their products using health claims, including customer testimonials that the devices helped them quit smoking.

“It’s not just specific claims,” Cutini said. “It’s the entire circumstances of marketing.”

The tube looks like a paper-and-tobacco cigarette and produces vapors of nicotine and flavors that can be inhaled without the traditional cigarette smoke. Those who uses the devices call it “vaping.” Oregon has banned the sale of the so-called electronic cigarettes, as have Canada and Mexico. Some makers of e-cigarettes say “vaping” is safer than smoking. Kathy Drea, vice president of advocacy for the American Lung Association Upper Midwest says that’s debatable.

“The FDA has found carcinogens and toxic chemicals in the vapor that the person inhales and in the vapor that’s released from the e-cigarette.”

Drea says that those findings were from a small sample only, and because e-cigarettes are so new, no one really knows the long-term health effects. She says the American Lung Association is concerned about how fast these e-cigarettes hit the market.

“These cigarette manufacturers have sold these nicotine delivery devices without any FDA review or approval.”

Drea says the results of preliminary tests don’t look good.

“The FDA has done some studies on the e-cigarettes, and they have found that they contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals, including ingredients found in antifreeze.”

The antifreeze ingredient is diethyline glycol.

The federal district court will be asked to decide whether e-cigarettes should be classified as tobacco or as nicotine products. If they are classified as nicotine, then the FDA says they should be treated just like any smoking cessation aid and should be subject to federal regulation and testing. The manufacturers want the court to classify e-cigarettes as tobacco products, to be more loosely regulated. The Electronic Cigarette Association, which represents the distributors, claims e-cigarettes deliver a harmless mixture of nicotine and water vapor.

The Upper Midwest District includes Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North and South Dakota.

Owner Anna McLachlan stated “We have taken this step to ensure that all users of electronic cigarettes have access to a reliable supply of products. We understand that some states in America have banned the sale but not the use along with other countries, and those users risk slipping back into using much more dangerous products like traditional cigarettes.”

“We are offering free delivery anywhere in the world for orders over £20 for an inital period to discover the requirement for our products worldwide and also to ensure that the cost of the offer is not damaging to the business. We are aiming to announce free delivery as standard in September all being well.”

cheapelectroniccigarettes.co.uk are accredited NUCIG resellers whose products do not contain Propylene Glycol which is what the big debate is over.

Anna added “We are offering free delivery anywhere in the world for orders over £20 for an inital period to discover the requirement for our products worldwide and also to ensure that the cost of the offer is not damaging to the business. We are aiming to announce free delivery as standard in September all being well.”

An electronic cigarette or ‘e-cigarette’ is an alternative to smoked tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. It is a battery-powered device that provides inhaled doses of nicotine by delivering a vaporised nicotine solution. In addition to nicotine delivery, this vapor also provides a flavor and physical sensation similar to that of inhaled tobacco smoke, while no tobacco, smoke, or combustion is actually involved in its operation.

An electronic cigarette is a nicotine delivery device which continues to prove itself around the world as a fantastic Alternative To Smoking.