Could E-Cigs Lead to Illicit Drug Use?

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Sanjay Veerkar




One of the biggest concerns that many in the general public have is one thing that may be perceived as being addictive, could lead to another substance that is even more dangerous and addictive. Being as nicotine is a common ingredient that is found in both e-smokes and standard cigarettes, parents of young teens and adults are sometimes concerned that these smoking products will lead to a craving for illicit drugs that are capable of creating a euphoria in some of its users. Concerns about the use of marijuana or hard core drugs are the most prevalent.

There have been varying reports that standard cigarette use leads to more widespread use of marijuana. This is still open for debate as it has to be remembered that many marijuana users do not, nor have ever been smokers of cigarettes. The only time they indulge in tobacco products is when mixing it with the pot or hash oil that they have chosen to use.

Something else to be considered is that when it comes to the e-smokes the levels of nicotine vary. Most of the users of these alternative smoking devices will make their choice on their preference of how much nicotine they choose to consume. Several of these e-smokers will opt for those e-cigs with the lesser amounts of nicotine. This is because they enjoy the various flavors and scents that are associated with the various brands.

It would seem that any individual that was bent on using a product that would create the type of euphoria that was going to create a significant change in their feelings or behavior would automatically go for the illicit drugs from the beginning.

There is always an exception to anything, and nobody could say that the possibility does not exist that an electronic cigarette could lead to illicit drugs. Then again the same could be said about standard cigarettes or alcohol for that matter.

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FDA considering control of nicotine replacement therapies

Posted on December 25, 2012 by Sanjay Veerkar




FDA has a 1-day hearing to hear from individuals related to Nicotine replacement: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/NewsEvents/ucm324938.htm

2013 is going to be a year when FDA creates more obstacles to alternatives to smoking. Reminder to ecig users: we need your support this coming year more than ever.

 

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What is Really in Those Electronic Cigarettes?

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Sanjay Veerkar





For those that are just beginning to take an interest in the electronic cigarettes the first question usually is, “what are the ingredients in these e-smokes?” The answer will depend on which particular brand you are interested in. Just as with standard cigarettes which vary in their ingredients, the same applies with these alternative smoking devices.

Some brands will contain nicotine. How much again with depend on the maker. They come in various strengths. For those that enjoy a light infusion of nicotine they can purchase e-liquid with a 12mg. strength, or for those that are looking for higher strength then there is 24mg. available.

Added to the e-liquid could be a variety of other ingredients to create a more pleasurable smoke and aroma. Some will contain a mint flavor to create the menthol effect. Propylene glycol or a derivate may be another ingredient. Most of the different brands will contain a certain amount of water that also includes various scents or flavoring.

Every manufacturer of the e-smokes will tell you exactly what their ingredients are. There are no dark secrets as to the compounds that go into these smoking alternatives. It is easy to do further research into each of the ingredients to determine what it actually is, and what if any potential side effects there are to these. You can then make a decision based on your own findings as to whether you feel that your chosen e-smoke is a good alternative for you.

Something that you should be equally interested in, is what is not generally found in the electronic smokes. Which are the multitude of carcinogens that have been so readily identified in standard tobacco products. What you may also find interesting is that there are multiple ingredients in many of the tobacco products that have not even been identified as yet.

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Why Are Officials Concerned About the Use of E-Cigarettes?

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Sanjay Veerkar





As soon as the big flurry of the e-cigarettes became rampant amongst the public, the officials of various countries began to take notice that they would not be able to fence sit on this particular product. They have dealt with some of the pros and cons to basic tobacco products that have taken years to address.

Some of the common concerns that some governments have about these e-smokes are…

Not using them properly could cause nicotine poisoning.

There is not enough quality control.

They can cause addiction.

They have not been authorized. (for example nicotine based e-smokes in Canada would come under the FDA)

It would seem if one looks hard and long enough that these are the same complaints that officials were faced with when it came to standard cigarettes.

These concerns do not balance with other responsibilities that various governments have and raises several questions such as…

Has it ever been proven that standard cigarettes or related tobacco products will not cause nicotine poisoning if misused? Or is it 100% known for sure that those products that are deemed as nicotine replacements that also contain nicotine, could not cause nicotine poisoning if misused?

How can e-cigarette manufacturers follow the government standards of quality control when the Governments do not set the regulations that they must adhere to?

There is such a thing as alcohol poisoning, so why have these particular products not been banned?

Of course the actual rulings concerning the e-smokes vary according to different countries. What is outlined here is just an example. In these examples it appears that the concerns are not based on any real studies or research, but more on having to take some sort of stand in respect to these alternative smoking products that have and continue to create many differences of opinions.

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Should the Government Ban E-Cigs?

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Sanjay Veerkar





The answer to this question will all depend on the country you live in, in respect to the various government actions in setting regulations for electronic cigarettes. Each county appears to have their own views. Some are banning some forms of these e-smokes all together and others are scrambling to set regulations. For example in Canada, if they contain nicotine then they are banned, but other forms are not.

Being as most Governments are run by Politicians, then any decision concerning these alternative smoking devices will be political in nature. This means no doubt that the decision makers will partially base their decisions on what the majority are indicating. They have to keep in mind what their future voters want. Then they need to weigh out the financial benefits to the government coffers. Don’t forget that in some countries there is tobacco tax that is collected on standard tobacco products. Although for the benefit of the health of the people, various Governments have cracked down on the tobacco industry, these companies in many cases are still running at full capacity and paying taxes due.

In the opinion of many, if the Government of their particular country is going to ban the use of electronic cigarettes, then it should be for valid reasons based on accurate research that would support their decisions for doing so. As of to date although there is a lot of controversy, there appears to be very few studies being carried out as to the safety or hazards of the e-smokes. The biggest argument put forth so far is the fact that they contain nicotine. However, so do standard cigarettes and these for the most part have not been totally banned. So it would seem that the standards of judgement being set for e-cigs and regular tobacco products are not equal.

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Would You Be Embarrassed to Be Seen Smoking an Electronic Cigarette?

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Sanjay Veerkar





There are some smokers of regular cigarettes that really do not care about the opinions of others regarding their smoking habits. Then there are some that do not feel that the electronic cigarette should be classed as smoking, and feel that using these in public places draws too much attention to them personally.

Often, it is the source of a conversation starter. Many people are still quite curious about the e-cigarettes. Standard smokers who have not tried the smokeless cigarettes, will jump at the chance many times to question someone that happens to be using one. Several non-smokers are still not sure if their personal health is at risk when around the e-smokes, so they will draw close to a person vaping on an e-cigarette to see if they can spot any adverse effects.

Then there are others that do enjoy the e-smokes but don’t feel that they are realistic looking. They feel that they are somehow being phoney when using them, and based on this they feel self-conscious about using them in public.

Then there is the group of regular smokers who have made the decision to use these electronic smoking devices to assist them in changing their daily smoking habits. They are of the opinion that for whatever reason, these devices will assist them in smoking less, or at the very least assist them with a chosen non- smoking regime. Not every smoker who is trying to give up their habit likes to make it known that they are making such an attempt. So they really don’t feel comfortable making using of any other form of smoking whether it is an electronic device or a nicotine replacement in public.

You have to draw your own conclusions as to how you perceive the e-cigarettes, then determine if they have any influence on you when it comes to smoking in public.

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What is Your Opinion of the Use of E-Cigs in Public Places?

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Sanjay Veerkar





If you are a smoker and have familiarized yourself with the electronic cigarettes, then you may have formed an opinion as to whether it is appropriate to use them in public places. There has been a lot of controversy as to whether they should be used in designated no smoking areas. In fact, it can create quite a stir amongst users and non users of these smokeless devices.

In many countries the laws have not updated themselves to cover the use of electronic cigs in banned smoking areas. So some users of the e-smokes feel comfortable using them in these areas. For those that do not smoke however, many still frown upon this.

For some, they are not aware that the smokeless cigarettes are tobacco free and feel they are still at risk from any residue that comes from the e-smoke. They believe that if these devices are using nicotine in their e-liquid then they are still at a second hand risk. Then there are some non-smokers that believe that no form of smoking whether it is modified or not, should take place in public. This is based on their own morals and they don’t feel that it gives one a favorable impression of themselves.

Everyone has certain public rights however. The average smoker of regular cigarettes, do comply with the no smoking rules. Many out of courtesy will not smoke around non-smokers because of the risk factors of being around second hand smoke. For those that are using the smokeless cigarettes they often feel that they create less health problems for themselves, and do not put the non-smokers at risk. Based on this they are of the opinion that there is nothing wrong with smoking them in public places.

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Should Non Smokers Accept the Use of Electronic Cigarettes?

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Sanjay Veerkar





When the electronic cigarette first came out on the market it created a lot of positive emotions for the smokers, and a lot of curiosity for the non-smokers. For those that smoked regular cigs. and wanted to quit they perceived these tobacco free smokes as a possible alternative. They were considered as one they could use to break their smoking habit. For those that didn’t want to quit standard smoking, they saw the e-smokes as something that would be acceptable to the non-smokers. This meant no more having to sneak around or find private places to enjoy a smoke which has become the trend for the regular smoker.

It hasn’t quite turned out that way, however. People started using these smokeless cigarettes in prohibited smoking areas and this created a bit of a fury with the non-smokers. It seemed that instead of the issue being the exposure to smoke for them, it was a matter of principal. The area was designated as no smoking and that is what should be adhered to. So needless to say there were more than one heated arguments taking place during these moments of confrontation between smokers and non-smokers, in no smoking areas.

Again it will come down to the acceptance of electronic cigarettes will be a matter of personal opinion. It would be fair to say though, that the person opposing smoking needs to review their reasoning. If they are opposed to regular cigarette smoking because of the health issues evolving around second hand smoke, then this complaint cannot be justified with the e-smokes as they are smokeless. However, if they oppose cigarette smoking because they find it appalling to see, then yes they could still have an issue with the electronic cigarette, as the use of these mimics the actions of a regular smoker.

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Do Celebrities Resort to Electronic Cigarettes?

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Sanjay Veerkar





You can bet if there is something that hits the market that draws the public’s attention that the celebrities are going to be quick to attach their name to it in some way. It is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to gain publicity. A sure sign of this is all the publicity that celebs such as  Katerine Heigl, JWoww and yes even Leo DiCaprio received when vaping away on their e-smokes in public.

So the real question is, did these stars as well as others jump on the band wagon of using the e-cigs because they thought that there were some benefits from this new form of smoke device? Or did they feel it was the trendy thing to do? The answer to this can only come from the celebs themselves on an individual basis.

While some were only seen to be vaping, others spoke out about the smokeless cigs. Danny Bonaduce spoke out about his take on the electronic cigarettes and was even joined in his thoughts with past MLB baseball star Jose Canseco. This is interesting as many of us perceive both current and past athletes as being anti-smoking gurus.

Not only are several actors and actresses making use of the e-cigs off the set, but on as well. If you saw the movie “The Tourist”, then you would have observed Johnny Depp vaporing away on a smokeless cig.

The bottom line is, does this indicate that if the stars are doing it that we should to? Well it all depends if you are a follower of the trend setters. The best advice would be if you have an interest in e-cigs then do your research, reach your own conclusions about them, and determine if they are right for you.

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Are E Cigarettes a Gimmick?

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Sanjay Veerkar





Whenever a new product hits the market and creates a lot of immediate interest such as the e-cigarettes did, the big question arises “is it just a big gimmick”. We are all well aware that big corporations will create a lot of hype around a product, no matter how valuable that product is. This is all part of the marketing approach.

With e-smokes it is a little different. The hype has not been created by the manufacturers and marketing guru’s. It has actually been created by the consumers of tobacco products, as well as non users. This is because of the massive controversies that surround the use of tobacco and related products.

With this type of attention being lavished by the consumer, if the e-smokes were merely a gimmick this would have come to the forefront very quickly, and the interest would have dwindled. It would have meant that there would be no cause for concern for those that are negative to this new smoking device.

So it would be safe to say that the e-cigarettes are certainly not a gimmick. They have proven not to be a product that was created for a quick hit massive sale, then to disappear off the open market. In fact, when you look at the history of e-cigs they are gaining in their momentum of curiosity and use. Gimmicks usually die out very quickly once the general public has caught onto the hype as being a marketing tactic.

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