E Cig Safety

[Rd28]

This is rd28's girlfriend, and he has been trying to get me to switch from cigarettes to e cigs. The problem that I have with the e cig is that no one really knows anything about it. My boyfriend has been using it for about a week and he says it is the best thing ever. He asked me to research the e cig because I was skeptical about it, and what I discovered was that the FDA has it held up in customs and that it has been banned in Austraila and Canada. I also read that the e cig has not been properly tested by the FDA. These things have raised some red flags for me. If this product is so safe then why not hand it over for testing? I know that cigarettes are bad for me and that they have a lot of chemicals that the e cig is claiming not to, but my problem is that no one really knows anything about the e cig. There have been numerous things that have been sold to the american public that was later discovered to be harmful, after FDA testing. i.e. Fin-Fin. All I am saying is that maybe proper testing should be completed before it is sold and passed off to the public as the safest cigarette possible. I am not saying that it is safe or not safe, but I do understand that not everything is known about it and should be researched further. If there are any other facts that I should be aware of please let me know because I am still on the fence.

[kitsune]

This is rd28's girlfriend, and he has been trying to get me to switch from cigarettes to e cigs. The problem that I have with the e cig is that no one really knows anything about it. My boyfriend has been using it for about a week and he says it is the best thing ever. He asked me to research the e cig because I was skeptical about it, and what I discovered was that the FDA has it held up in customs and that it has been banned in Austraila and Canada. Shipments have been detained or delayed, but eventually they get through. The products are not currently illegal. Some states/cities have looked at bans, but again they are still legal.

I also read that the e cig has not been properly tested by the FDA. These things have raised some red flags for me. If this product is so safe then why not hand it over for testing? They have been handed over for testing, but the FDA chose to test only a small sample of product. The only chemical they found that is remotely harmful was diacylglycerol. Even then, they only found a trace amount in one of the samples. Diacylglycerol is also found in many common food products, and found in larger quantities in cigarettes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diglyceride.

I know that cigarettes are bad for me and that they have a lot of chemicals that the e cig is claiming not to, but my problem is that no one really knows anything about the e cig. Your right, we don't have extensive testing on this product, but there is no way they are more harmful than cigarettes. You can look up the ingredients in the liquids - glycerine, flavoring (mostly food), nicotine. Somebody here may have a site that lists the ingredients. Totally Wicked has done an independent analysis of their liquids and posted the report on their forum. This day and age, even breathing has its risks. There have been numerous things that have been sold to the american public that was later discovered to be harmful, after FDA testing. i.e. Fin-Fin. Phen-Phen is actually still in use and was only a problem for a select few of the thousands using the product, and in many cases, the product was not being used properly. There are those that can react to any medication, including tylenol (resulting in death). All I am saying is that maybe proper testing should be completed before it is sold and passed off to the public as the safest cigarette possible. In the last year I have been using electronic cigarettes-- I can smell and taste better, I am no longer short of breath, The swelling in my legs has gone, I no longer cough, and my sinus infections have improved. I know that is just me, but you can read many such testimonials. I am not saying that it is safe or not safe, but I do understand that not everything is known about it and should be researched further. There is no such thing as safe in this day and age, like I said--breathing has its risks. Much of the food and drink we consume has been chemically altered and enhanced. The Chemicals contained in the electronic cigarette liquids is the same stuff we consume regularly in the foods we eat and drink. If there are any other facts that I should be aware of please let me know because I am still on the fence. Ultimately you will have to make this choice. I really, really don't want the government telling me what I can and can't do. The FDA is not a reliable source for testing or unbiased information. You can guarantee the cigarette companies and pharmaceutical companies do not want this product--the loss in revenue will be huge.

What I know for for certain is that I feel better--even my husband has stopped coughing. The chemicals and addictive additives in cigarettes are far more harmful and destructive.

Keep researching.......

I would recommend electronic cigarettes to anybody looking at leaving cigarettes behind, but I always ask that they research and make their own decisions.

Hope this has helped a little.

[actor92191]

Hey Rd28, I understand your concern for the safety of electronic cigarettes, and I think I speak for all vapers that it has crossed all our minds at least once in the beginning of the switch from analogs to e-cigs. I want you to first take a look at this video that shows the tar you get from only 2 cartons of cigarettes, which can take only 2-3 months to consume out of the years of smoking.

Had that experiment been done with e-liquid vapor, the water could have stayed crystal clear for weeks, heck maybe even months. Compare that to your lungs; your not getting any of the carcinogens, tar, or the 4,000 other chemicals you get from cigarettes.

I also want to point out that quality USA made e-liquid only contains propylene glycol (safe for consumption as stated by the FDA), vegetable glycerin (also safe for consumption as stated by the FDA), some flavoring, and of course nicotine.

Although it's true that vaping may not be greatest thing for you, it is definitely better than smoking cigarettes, and it surely won't kill you! I cannot wait until 40 years from now when there are people out there saying they've been vaping for over 40 years and are in perfect health!

Keep on vaping!

[snubber]

If the article and the video didn't help then maybe some testimonies from some of us that smoked for 20 30 or 40+ years might help.

After smoking over 2pks a day for more than 40 years and can finally say that I fell better than I have in a long long time.

I don't hack up my lungs every morning, my breathing is better, my taste buds are coming back, and both me and my surroundings smell a hell of a lot better than we have for many years.

Now I'm not saying that vaping is completely safe. Anytime you inhale something into your lungs it can be harmful (even the air we breath is unhealthy)

but compared to all the tar and other crap that I've put into my lungs over the years I'm feeling a lot safer with vaping.

You also have to take into consideration that the FDA is partially driven by the big tobacco companies that don't want e-cigs cutting into their money.

If you look at the percentage of people who have stopped using analogs by using e-cigs compared to the success rate of those "approved" methods you can see why those companies are wanting FDA involvement. And the wonder drug Chantrix has been linked to several deaths.

So before you jump on the FDA bandwagon please do some more research and give the e-cig some looking into.

You might find out your boyfriend is really on the right track to a better healthier life.

I'm sure there are others here that can tell you similar stories about their lives as well.

So good luck.