FDA Silliness Over E-Cigarettes
ELMHURST, Ill.—Victoria Vasconcellos, the petite founder of an Internet retailer in this Chicago suburb, is in the thick of a regulatory battle that could affect millions of American cigarette smokers.
Ms. Vasconcellos imports electronic cigarettes from a Chinese manufacturer and sells them on her website, Cignot.com, to 14,000 customers. The 48-year-old is part of a growing legion of e-cigarette purveyors who are defying the Food and Drug Administration, which contends the nascent nicotine products are drug devices that require pre-market approval and may pose their own health risks. The FDA began intercepting shipments of the products from China two years ago.
E-cigarettes are battery-powered tubes that turn nicotine-laced liquid into a vapor mist. Sellers say they are potentially less harmful than cigarettes because they don’t have the toxins of burning tobacco. A growing number of people who use them say they are an effective way to quit smoking.
The FDA’s position is non-sensical from the perspective of promoting public health. Nicotine does not cause cancer or other diseases when consumed in moderation; the tar in cigarettes is the problem. So the FDA should be delighted with a product that is not itself harmful and that allows some people to reduce their use of a different product that is.
Full Disclosure: I was a paid consultant of several tobacco firms a few years back. The relation ended because it turned out I was too politically incorrect!
Categories: My Blog
Ben
Ok, what did the tobacco firms object to in your work? You can’t just tease us like that and leave out the details…
Joanna
I only hope that the FDA will take this issue seriously and complete the necessary studies. The people here in Kentucky and everywhere deserve a safe alternative! It isn’t easy to quit something that has been an addiction for many years for many people. Now that we have a safer alternative, of course it will have insurmountable controversy associated with it! To those that are trying to reduce their smoking habit or quit all together, I highly recommend trying any of the reputable e-cig companies out there. You don’t have to spend a fortune to try an electronic cigarette. I first tried what is called a disposable e-cig from http://www.vaporconcepts.com and after being impressed, I ordered a starter kit and haven’t looked back since.
Lise Raev
Interesting. So, I’ve heard that e cigarettes can help you quit smoking, but then I’ve heard on the other hand that this is not at all their intended purpose. Does anyone know if they’ve been effective in helping people quit? Or if not, what has been effective?