Carcinogens and poisons found in electronic cigarettes

[steven johnson]

Oh darn. First cell phones are associated with brain cancer and now nicotine inhalers have carcinogens.

I guess it's back to land lines and nicotine gum.

Los Angeles Times
July 27, 2009

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday released an analysis of 19 varieties of electronic cigarettes that said half contained nitrosamines (the same carcinogen found in real cigarettes) and many contained diethylene glycol, the poisonous ingredient in antifreeze. Some that claimed to have no nicotine were found to have low levels of the drug.

E-cigarettes are promoted by their manufacturers as safer than traditional cigarettes because they do not burn tobacco. Instead, a lithium battery in the cigarette-shaped device heats a solution of nicotine in propylene glycol, producing a fine mist that can be inhaled to deliver nicotine directly to the lungs. An LED glows red at the tip and they even emit puffs of white smoke similar to that seen in stage shows. The devices are available in more than 4,000 retail outlets nationwide, as well as on many websites, with a starting cost of $40 to $70. Over the last year, sales have grown from about $10 million to $100 million, according to the Electronic Cigarette Assn., the industry's trade group. They also come in a variety of flavors, including chocolate, mint and apple, which make them appealing to children and adolescents.


Carcinogens and poisons found in electronic cigarettes

[virgogal]

1. I bought some. I hated them. I tossed them. I was out $100.00

Live and learn.

[bsd13]

2. So let me get this straight

It costs $100.00 to make a vaporizer, something that cheapo pot smokers can make out of a light bulb, 20 oz soda bottle, bic pen, and duct tape??

[Tunkamerica]

3. Well, to be fair... It's a tiny vaporizer that looks like a cigarette

and it's portable.

[virgogal]

4. Yep! (for about a 1 month supply).

[mntleo2]

5. Uhhh smoking already IS a carcinigen ...

...It is suspect to me that the FDA is trashing these ~ something tells me more of the Philip Morris "research" is happening. Europeans are already using these and well, so freakin' what, they couldn't be any worse. Plus you can smoke these anywhere because people don't get 2nd hand smoke. So the "smoker" is the only one harmed IF it is even as bad as a cigarette, which seem doubtful. Carcinogens in cigarettes come from the smoke, so this same agency has said, it comes from the burning, *not* the nicotine, though it is a poison all by itself.

So which is it? From what I understand, all the pollution in the big cities, such as LA and NY, etc., is from smokers and why there is so much smog. Is smoking a cigarette actually worse than an e-cigarette? According to about every doctor, lawyer, and non-smoker in the world it is all because they get all this 2nd hand smoke ( and smokers cause all the smog in the world) ~ but this machine doesn't do that. :/

Just sayin' ...

Cat In Seattle