Are Electronic Cigarettes Harmful To Your Health?
As the dangers of cigarette smoking have become well known, many smokers have resorted to various substitutes to their daily pack of smokes. We all have friends or relatives who have tried to “kick the habit” by means of nicotine patches, nicotine chewing gums, herbal remedies, and prescription medicines. Recently, electronic cigarettes – battery-operated devices that have the look, feel, and even taste of a normal cigarette – have been touted as an allegedly “safe” alternative to traditional cigarettes. Hundreds of thousands of Americans looking for their nicotine fix have now taken up smoking these “e-cigarettes” based upon the belief that these devices pose no threat to their health. Unfortunately, there are serious questions regarding the dangers of electronic cigarettes that remain unanswered.
The appeal of electronic cigarettes stems in large part from the fact that smokers inhale liquid nicotine, and exhale a mist of vapor, thus replicating the experience of smoking traditional cigarettes but without also ingesting the tar or tobacco that are present in traditional cigarettes. According to a recent New York Times article, what many e-cigarette users don’t know is that along with liquid nicotine they are also inhaling propylene glycol, a liquid that is used in anti-freeze solutions and in brake and hydraulic fluids. The material data safety sheet for propylene glycol states that chronic exposure of that substance may cause “reproductive and fetal effects,” “central nervous system depression,” damage to cell membranes, and possible seizures. Moreover, there appears to be no evidence that inhalation of propylene glycol over a prolonged period of time is safe, and there are no independent scientific studies demonstrating that electronic cigarettes can help people to stop smoking.
Electronic cigarettes are already banned in Australia and Hong Kong due to safety concerns. And the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has refused entry of shipments of electronic cigarettes coming into the U.S. “These appear to be unapproved drug device products,” said Karen Riley, a spokeswoman for the FDA, “and as unapproved products they can’t enter the
If you have purchased electronic cigarettes, or have been injured by using “e-cigarettes,” please contact us to discuss your legal options.
I have used an e-cig since March 9th. 100 days ago, I stopped a 44 year smoking habit COLD. I am doing great, feel great, and I dare anyone to say they are not less harmful than tobacco cigarettes. Would you rather I would keep them? I'm insulted by your ignorance about this issue. Thank you.
At atmospheric pressure, liquid nitrogen boils at 77 K (−196 °C; −321 °F) and is a cryogenic fluid which can cause rapid freezing on contact with living tissue, which may lead to frostbite. Prophylene Glycol is in food and the FDA has rated it generally safe. Researchers at the University of Chicago believe it may prevent Influenza and the common cold. New Zealand health experts have found in favor of E Cigarettes; the only country to date to have unbiased experts study this device.
You're very misinformed. A few points worth addressing:
1) No e-cigarette product currently contains or has ever contained liquid nitrogen. This fact is indisputable;
2) Ethylene glycol (which is very different than Propylene glycol) is one of the primary ingredients in antifreeze. Propylene glycol is only used in so-called "non-toxic antifreese" as the FDA consideres Propylene glycol to be "generally recognized as safe" for use in food products;
3) For the paranoid, many e-liquid manufacturers provide an even safer base, Vegetable Glycerin; and
4) There is no evidence that e-cigarettes pose any danger to the user other than those posed by other nicotine products. There are several studies available which suggest that the risk of using e-cigarette products falls somewhere between 1/100 to 1/1000 of that posed by traditional cigarettes.
Are you for real??? 1st of all, PG is FDA approved for food and other hygiene products. And i make my own e-juice for my e-cig and I assure you that there is NO liquid Nitrogen in it!
Please get you facts and information straight. Any person with a basic understanding of science can determine that e-cigarettes are far safer than the real ones. Please do your homework before you go and try to stop the one thing that may be able to same millions of lives.
This is quite possibly the worst explanation of propylene glycol and e-cigarettes I've ever heard. Propylene glycol is only used in a special low/no toxicity formula of anti-freeze, it's not used in the standard highly poisonous version.
Propylene glycol is used in many food grade products such as food coloring and flavoring, toothpaste, and several other food and orally ingested products.
Those horrible side effects have been shown to only occur if you're chugging extremely large quantities of propylene glycol. With smaller amounts the most common side effect is a dry throat while inhaling propylene glycol.
Here's a quote from Wikipedia on propylene glycol "Because of its low chronic oral toxicity, propylene glycol is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use as a direct food additive. Cases of propylene glycol poisoning are related to either inappropriate intravenous use or accidental ingestion of large quantities by children."
The liquids for electronic cigarettes are thought to be safer due to all of the ingredients being food grade. Of course the FDA hasn't approved this because for FDA approval it takes years of testing (and millions of dollars).
Where is the liquid nitrogen in the ingredients for e-liquid? The main ingredients for e-liquid are propylene glycol, water and food flavoring. The only bad ingredient is nicotine because of it's addictive qualities, but caffeine is also addictive. Nicotine also isn't considered a carcinogen.
Good luck - I'll look forward to the counter suit.
Liquid nitrogen is not used in e-cigarettes at all. Ethylene glycol is used in most antifreeze products. Propylene glycol is considered the "nontoxic antifreeze", and is at times used where ethylene glycol isn't appropriate. There is no proof of the damage you refer to. MSDS data is available for many FDA approved products that use propylene glycol - your statements interpreting the limited, inconclusive information on the MSDS for your purpose can be used just as well used by attorneys defending a potential case. Studies have begun on the use of e-cigarettes - it appears highly likely that they will be found to be reasonably safe. Furthermore, they are not sold as smoking cessation devices, although anecdotal evidence to date does point to some success in that respect.
Will you also be suing the FDA for permitting cigarettes, which are known to contribute to the death of over 400,000 people each year to be sold?
Are you for real? Propylene Glycol? Guess what Mr. Uninformed, propylene glycol is used in a lot of the foods that we consume all the time. It is also used in food colorings as well. You fail to mention that propylene glycol is also used in mouthwash. And guess what the propylene glycol used in anti freeze is: to make it less toxic.
Propylene Glycol is also in many many other things we use everyday deodorant, hand sanitizer,fog machines. The FDA has approved it to be used in house hold products. Next time your are around a fog machine be sure and hold your breath because your inhaling the same stuff as us e-cig users only without nicotine. So be sure while your trying to get e-cigs banned to get fog machines banned also!
And I thought lawyers were supposed to be smart? Propolyne Glycol is used in non-toxic antifreeze, and also in theatrical fog machines, asthma inhalers, and food products.....hmmm. Not so scary and deadly after all?
I smoked for 42 years, 2 packs a day. I've tried everything you listed in your 1rst paragraph, plus every gadget my mother ever saw on the shopping network & more. So I had my doubts about another "Quit smoking gadget". Well, I bought my 1st one on 5-28-09, smoked my LAST tobacco cigarette on 6-5-09, quit coughing on 6-8-09. As of today, no ill effects, no withdrawals, & no intention of every using a tobacco product again. I DO feel better & I CAN breathe better. So bottom line: THEY WORK! There's your scientific study & statistics. See how easy that was?
What are our legal options for suing the FDA to keep these products available? An astounding percentage of e-cigarette users report improved lung health (wheezing and coughing disappeared.) What proof does the FDA have that tobacco cigarette smoking is safer for our health than e-cigarettes?
Ok, I see all the comments about ethylene glycol and how its considered safe. But why is no one talking about the other concerning ingredient found by the FDA, diethylene glycol which is unsuitable for consumption?
Cool blog as for me. It would be great to read a bit more concerning that topic. The only thing that blog misses is a few pics of such devices.
I'm very disappointed this product is banned in Australia. It's the first time I've seen that made me think "wow, this could really work for me". Now it's back to the drawing board... :'(
Looks like the respondents to the OP are unable to read...No where does the OP refer to "liquid nitrogen" but rather "liquid nicotine"
Sheesh! Of course I'm sure you are ALL scientists and have ALL the RIGHT answers!
The truth is this-the E cigarette has NOT been tested long enough to determine ANYTHING for certain!
I think this is called deceptive litigation and scare tactics. What a bunch of fraudulent ass-hats. These lawyers should be sued for deceptive practice.
First of all let's get this out of the way. IT DOES NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT LIQUID NITROGEN IN THIS ENTIRE ARTICLE.
Everyone's main argument in favor of the band-wagon is that Propylene Glycol FDA approved. The thing no one has addressed is that the FDA approves horrible things all the time. For example, we can thank the FDA for approving, and cashing out on, all of the mercury-containing vaccines that are available to us. If that's too scary to accept, then consider McDonald's, or perhaps Zoloft or Ambien.
The fact is, claims like, "there is no current evidence that e-cigarettes are detrimental to your health" were made about real cigarettes in the beginning.
So, consider the fact that you are inhaling something foreign into your body, including nicotine which IS a poison. It is much more likely that this is going to be BAD for you rather than GOOD. Since there is not more information available, it is unreasonable to assume that foreign chemicals aren't likely to be bad for you.
Sure they should be legal and people should be able to use them if they like, just like cigarettes (these are basic freedoms anyone should be afforded), but assuming that they are good for you just because you read some bullshit "clinically proven" pseudo-scientific article funded by an electronic cigarette company...is just stupid.
Oh and to the moron that claims, "Those horrible side effects have been shown to only occur if you're chugging extremely large quantities of propylene glycol".....that is asinine. The dangerous doses ARE considerably larger than the dosages used in food products, however, 15+ grams is very dangerous. Much less than a gulp. Also, if you can't see why something that is a just a little bit toxic can be very bad over a long period of use, you get a gold star for consumer whore of the week.
"There are several studies available which suggest that the risk of using e-cigarette products falls somewhere between 1/100 to 1/1000 of that posed by traditional cigarettes."...Risk of what? This statement is neither coherent nor accurate.
Let's compare O2 emissions from tobacco vs PG/VG...
This is a "shill" attack ad subsidized by big tobacco!
E-Cigs don't use ethylene glycol. They use propylene glycol, which is used all day long as a food additive. It's also FDA approved! Oh... What ever will big tobacco do now? Boo! Hoo! Hoo!