Is FDA Push for Restrictions on e-Cigarettes Based on Flawed Science and Hype?
[Thursday, September 20, 2018] FDA has declared sort-of an all-out war on e-cigarettes citing increased use by adolescents and young adults with hundreds of Warning Letters and threats of punitive actions. There is no argument that children should not be smoking but by expanding the definition of smoking to include inhaling essentially water vapor mixed with pure nicotine, it can be argued that FDA’s actions are confusing and may have unintended negative consequence. Despite all claims, “vaping” not the same as “smoking”. E-cigarettes are very different from combustible cigarettes in all aspects of their operation and use. It would be akin to equating the water vapor escaping your mouth on a cold morning as smoke. Most of the negative effects of cigarettes such as lung cancer are associated with tar and other harmful chemicals generated by combustion, and not necessarily nicotine. E-cigarettes do not generate most of the chemicals associated with smoke. Yes, using e-cigarettes could potentially risk addiction to nicotine and some e-cig products can contain dangerous chemicals and toxic metal particles, like chromium, lead and nickel, which can be inhaled into the lungs, but the risk of that is much reduced compared to combustible products. Nicotine is addictive but has fewer side effects. That has been the basis of literally all smoking cessation products like nicorette gum and patches. E-cigs have similarly been promoted as smoking cessation products, including by FDA. The problem may lie with how e-cigarettes were traditionally marketed. E-cigarette manufacturers originally developed their products to look like combustible cigarettes to compete with the convention cigarettes, and it worked. Studies have shown that e-cigarette use is directly linked to reduced use of “smoking” products. Over time, as the e-cigarettes became popular, the manufacturers started making new combinations with flavors and tastes to make them more appealing. Which brings us to today where the e-cigarettes are accused to trying to attract children to smoking by creating flavors more appealing to children. No, we are not advocating that vaping products should be promoted to children, and we do support reasonable efforts to curb such advertisement, but if FDA starts using deceptive advertisements to counter e-cigarettes, it may backfire. FDA’s latest ad campaign, called “Know the Real Cost of Vaping,” shows kids developing deformities due to e-cigarettes which are not fully truthful. Such defects have not been reported or validated. Prohibition without adequate justification leads to increased abuse not less, as we saw in the alcohol prohibition times in the nation’s history. E-cigs should be regulated to assure that harmful chemicals are not used and that they are not promoted to children, but the campaign must be based on logic, truth and science, and not on fear. Otherwise, despite all the right intentions, FDA may be making e-cigs more attractive to the very children it wants to protect from them.
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