The media attention about the electronic cigarette has been growing since it first emerged onto the market a few years ago. Although some has been very positive, or at least factual, other articles wander into the arena of attacking via misinformation. To help the public understand some of the false accusations about e-smoking technology, we issued a press release which contains some responses to the most common attacks against electronic cigarettes. Here is a quote from the press release:

And when asked about the safety and effectiveness of the electronic cigarette as a smoking cessation device, Mr. Watt responded by saying, “For those who want to claim it is a smoking cessation device, then they should do the testing. I believe smokers should have the right to choose an alternative to smoking that doesn’t contain the 4,000+ chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Quit or die is a flawed philosophy”

Read “The Battle Over Electronic Cigarettes“

You may have noticed recently on the INSTEAD website that there appear to be more options of eLiquid. We have begun stocking two kinds: Imported eLiquid and US Made eLiquid. We have done this so that whatever your pleasure, there would be options!

First, we would like to discuss the US eLiquid. This liquid is manufactured here in the United States. It offers a glass, amber bottle with a child proof lid. It also comes with an eye dropper. If you choose this, please note when you receive the bottle and remove the child proof cap, there is a plastic insert inside the bottle to keep the bottle from further leaking. Take a spoon to remove this. We strongly suggest that if you have children or pets, you continue to use the childproof cap provided.

As a side note, the difference in pricing between the US made E-Liquid and the Imported E-Liquid is a function of our cost and supply/demand. In the future we hope to close the price gap between the two products.

The US eLiquid offers a propylene glycol base, or PG. This is the carrier for the nicotine and flavoring and is also what produces the vapor. Propylene Glycol (PG) is used in everything from shampoos, lotions, soaps, medicines, tobacco cigarettes and even as a food additive. It is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the FDA. With that said, there have not been any long term studies done on individuals inhaling propylene glycol. There is, however, strong evidence that inhaling tobacco smoke for many years will lead to cancer.

Ingredients in the US Liquid are as follows: Propylene Glycol, natural and artificial flavors, nicotine (optional), citric acid, lemon, vinegar, and distilled water.

Second, we are now offering Imported eLiquid, made in China. This liquid comes in a plastic eye dropper bottle and is contained within a child proof medicine container. Again, always store your eliquid in child proof containers.

With the Imported eLiquid, we offer two bases: Propylene Glycol (PG) or Vegetable Glycerine (VG). As PG was discussed above, we will discuss VG. Vegetable Glycerine is a plant based substance made from coconut or palm oil. VG is used to moisturize and cleanse the skin, has emollient and lubricating qualities and is also commonly used as a natural low-glycemic sweetener. As this product is derived from plants and may be produced in a facility where nuts are processed, it is strongly suggested that those with allergies to nuts do not use this eLiquid.

Ingredients in the Imported eLiquid are as follows: Propylene Glycol or Vegetable Glycerine, Water, Glycerol, Nicotine (optional), Artificial Flavors.

Now! To break down the nicotine content in the different eLiquids.

The US eLiquid carries the following measurements:
High – 24mg nicotine, Medium – 18mg nicotine, Low – 11mg nicotine and Zero – 0mg nicotine.

The Imported eLiquid carries the following measurements:
High – 16mg nicotine, Medium – 11mg nicotine, Low – 6mg nicotine and Zero – 0mg nicotine.

So where do you start with your nicotine content in the liquid? Here is a rule of thumb: It is always best to start lower and go higher if needed, especially if you are using your electronic cigarette in conjunction with your tobacco cigarette. You can always have a bottle of zero nicotine on hand to dilute if you find that you need even less nicotine than the offered amounts. By mixing a bit of the zero with your other liquid, this dilutes the nicotine content but does not dilute the vapor production. Likewise, if you purchase a bottle and find it is too low, you can always purchase a step higher and if that is too much for you, mix the lower and the higher for perfection.

Each of our eLiquid bottles comes with 5 empty cartridges and each bottle of eLiquid is equivalent to 300 tobacco cigarettes. We have been with both our manufacturers for quite some time and have no complaints with either our US or Chinese manufacturers. We have also never had any quality control issues either and each batch that comes in is tested by us to ensure that taste continues to be of good quality. And as taste is subjective it is suggested that you give both the US and Imported liquids a try!

Currently, we are only offering tobacco and menthol flavors. Here are a few notes we can make on taste: The taste is not like that of a tobacco cigarette because, well, it just isn’t. The menthol flavor in the US eLiquid is more of a minty flavor than a “cooling” menthol flavor. The Imported eLiquid carries a bit more of a menthol cooling flavor.

As VG (Vegetable Glycerine) is also used as a sweetener, you may find that the VG based Imported eLiquid is also a bit sweeter than the PG based liquids.

Similar to finding the tobacco cigarette brand that you liked, you may need to try a couple different eLiquids before you find your taste. With a little willingness to try, you can find the “smoke juice” that best fits your personality and then, using your electronic cigarette INSTEAD of your tobacco cigarette just comes naturally!

Happy eSmoking!

The new Marlboro Brand Protection Act as some are calling it, was signed into law by president Obama on June 22nd, 2009. The actual bill is called H.R.1256, The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act and essentially gives the FDA regulatory control over tobacco products. Many argue that the Bill simply maintains the current market share by Philip Morris, who helped “kraft” the Bill H.R.1256 has the potential to put very tight restrictions on smoking alternatives that could have otherwise had a net positive effect on public health.

Whether or not it is a good bill or a bad bill, that seems to be in the hands of the FDA who will create the procedures and regulations to govern this age old industry. It is clear the FDA will have a lot of power in determining who makes money from selling tobacco and tobacco products. What is not so clear is how this “Big Tobacco meets FDA Bill” will effect the electronic cigarette. Below is the definition of a tobacco product according to the Bill:

SEC. 101. AMENDMENT OF FEDERAL FOOD, DRUG, AND COSMETIC ACT.

(a) Definition of Tobacco Products- Section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(rr)(1) The term `tobacco product’ means any product made or derived from tobacco that is intended for human consumption, including any component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product (except for raw materials other than tobacco used in manufacturing a component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product).

`(2) The term `tobacco product’ does not mean an article that is a drug under subsection (g)(1), a device under subsection (h), or a combination product described in section 503(g).

`(3) The products described in paragraph (2) shall be subject to chapter V of this Act.

`(4) A tobacco product shall not be marketed in combination with any other article or product regulated under this Act (including a drug, biologic, food, cosmetic, medical device, or a dietary supplement).’.

The Electronic Cigarette as a Tobacco Product

I believe we can make a couple assumptions. First, the e-cigarette with zero nicotine would certainly NOT fall into the definition of a tobacco product. In this case, there is no nicotine, no tobacco, no drug…..just propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin, water, and flavoring. Second, the actual electronic cigarette device (battery, atomizer, mouthpiece/cartridge) could not be considered a tobacco product. So, the only thing that could be classified as a tobacco product would be the eliquid. But eliquid can be made with synthetic nicotine or with a compound similar to nicotine or with nicotine from another source other than tobacco. And if it is, then there would be no part of it derived from tobacco. The other argument is that nicotine extracted from a tobacco plant and purified is so far removed from the original plant that it ceases to be a tobacco product. This falls in line with the FDA’s current assertion that the electronic cigarette is a new drug and therefore needs approval.

The Electronic Cigarette as a New Drug

First off, it is a stretch to claim nicotine is a “new drug”, when in fact it is one of the oldest drugs used by man. Second, if the definition of a drug must include “intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in man or other animals” then the electronic cigarette does not fall into this category. Using the e-cigarette is smoking, it doesn’t cure it (if smoking is even a disease to begin with). Some call it vaping, but it is still the habit of hand to mouth. Drug addiction is considered a disease by the CDC. So does the electronic cigarette diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent drug addiction? Since e-smokers continue to get the nicotine, then NO. Users could use the zero nicotine eliquid, but there is no evidence that they will or even if they do, that they will stick with it and not go back to nicotine. If electronic cigarettes treat nicotine addiction then cola treats caffeine addiction.

So What is the Electronic Cigarette?

As many of us in this industry have stated from the beginning, the electronic cigarette is unique. It is a technology that will continue to create ripples well into the future. This doesn’t mean it should be given a free pass and it doesn’t mean it should be pulled off the market. It means we need to have rational and intelligent discussions with regulatory bodies to ensure the industry follows standards and consumers are protected. Instead of these discussions, the e-cigarette industry has been attacked by politicians with local agenda’s, by public health organizations with money ties to the pharmaceutical industry, and the FDA who seems to take orders from the pharmaceutical companies. Considering the size and scope of smoking cessation sales in the US and worldwide, it is not hard to contemplate the drive to protect the market.

The e-cigarette industry has begun the process of legitimizing the industry through the formation of the Electronic Cigarette Association. Although a very young organization with much yet needed to be done, the ECA strives to implement standards and bring trust to this new industry. The ideal situation would be for the FDA to work with the ECA to create standards while using industry money to regulate, rather than tax payer dollars. Prohibition didn’t work. The “quit or die” philosophy doesn’t work. And banning products that have the potential of the electronic cigarette can not possibly be in the best interest of public health.

With the increasing publicity the electronic cigarette is receiving, many people are out there stating some misconceptions regarding the electronic cigarette. Today, we would like to address those common misconceptions, and hopefully, put an end to these wild tall tales.

1. “Electronic Cigarettes are being Sold to Kids” – While there may be some unscrupulous sellers out there who are not checking age, most suppliers are treating the sale of electronic cigarettes, just as they would a tobacco product. Many of the reputable companies selling electronic cigarettes were created by smokers who know how hard smoking is on the human body, how hard it is to get the habit out of the system once it has started, and just don’t think that the electronic cigarette is a product for children. INSTEAD has a very strict policy on who we feel are reasonable customers and if you have any questions regarding this, please feel free to read up on our Electronic Cigarette Smoker Qualifications.

2. “Candy Flavors are Marketed to Children Specifically” – Guess what? Adults like candy flavors too. Why else would they have had to add flavors like Fruit Chill to the nicotine gum? One could argue that this is a way to market nicotine to children, but we certainly don’t hear that coming from any anti-smoking campaigns.

This has always been an interesting debate because many discuss that flavors target market children specifically. They always seem to leap to this idea that only kids like flavor. While we currently do not stock any flavors but menthol and tobacco flavor, in the future if we ever did offer flavors, it would be because we market our product to adults, not to children. If adults didn’t like flavors, there wouldn’t be 12 current flavors of vodka available from one manufacturer.

3. “The Electronic Cigarette is Banned” – No. The electronic cigarette is not banned. What is happening right now is there are some hard core anti-smoking groups who honestly believe that the only philosophy available is the “Quit or Die Smoking” philosophy. In having this philosophy, they feel the only products that should be on the market are either tobacco cigarettes or FDA approved quit smoking devices.

They also feel that all nicotine products should be regulated by the FDA so that they can become harder and more expensive to obtain. Currently, there are two US suppliers of the electronic cigarette who have sued the FDA, noting that the electronic cigarette shipments that were stopped from importation into the United States were done so unjustly.

How could the FDA have done this? Well, the FDA has every right to stop any product that makes any specific health claims. For example, stating that the e-cig is a healthier way to smoke is a health claim. Also, stating that the e-cig will help you quit smoking is a promise of results which is also a claim. These types of marketing claims are in fact the jurisdiction of the FDA. INSTEAD has noted several times that we agree with this philosophy. However, several shipments were stopped against companies who weren’t making these claims and therefor, the FDA did not have the right to stop said shipments.

When the media and the anti-smoking groups heard that the electronic cigarette was taking the United States by storm, they decided to latch onto this idea that they are a banned product and it is illegal to import them. The philosophy was if we make people think they are illegal, then maybe they won’t buy them. Our argument is that if they were in fact banned, there would be mention on the FDA website somewhere of this and in fact, there is not. No official statement has been made by the FDA, other than they are looking at the electronic cigarette on a case by case basis.

4. “We Have No Idea What Is In the Electronic Cigarette”. All of our eliquid comes with proper labeling that identifies the ingredients. Every bottle we sell tells you exactly what is being offered. We only purchase from trusted manufacturers that we have spent years with. They have provided us with lab reports to include a list of ingredients. Currently, we are offering two types of eliquid: That manufactured here in the US and that manufactured overseas in China.

5. “These are made in China!” – Yes. The hardware is made in China. And currently, as we noted just above, we have two different types of liquid of which one, is manufactured right here in the United States. What we find extremely interesting is that many “American Made” products are actually manufactured in China and do no harm to consumers. Likewise, there are also many products made right here in the United States that do hurt consumers. We need not revisit the Peanut Butter fiasco that has occurred over the past several years. A problem that was well documented and completely ignored.

So what we all have to remember is that it isn’t countries that do bad things and it isn’t companies that do bad things. It is bad people doing bad things.

6. “The Electronic Cigarette will help you Quit Smoking” – This is an interesting one. While you may eventually exchange your tobacco cigarette or a whole pack of tobacco cigarettes for your electronic cigarette, are you really quitting smoking? The definition of smoking varies and in the past, has included the burning of something or the combustion, for our purposes we will stick to tobacco as the example as there are many things that are actually referred to as “smoking”. But definitions have changed over time to include more meaning and “smoking” may have included combustion in the past, but in the future, it should also include “vaporization”.

As many smokers know, smoking as a habit includes more than just the burning of the tobacco, it includes the hand to mouth, the inhalation, the exhalation. It is a process. Now, the FDA approved nicotine replacement therapies like the nicotine gum, the nicotine patch, even Chantix, those help you quit smoking as they do not include any of the other portion of the smoking activity. You are given the nicotine and that is it. The electronic cigarette on the other hand does only one thing: It removes the burning of the tobacco. You still receive nicotine (or not if you choose to go with the no-nicotine liquids). You still bring your hand to your mouth, over and over. You still take a drag to inhale and exhale. You are still participating heavily in the action of smoking.

Finally, those who find the electronic cigarette and go in with the mindset to quit smoking, will be greatly upset when they find out that they enjoy their electronic cigarette just like they enjoy their tobacco cigarettes. God forbid anything happens to your e-cig like you forget they are in your pocket and go jump into the lake with your friends. ESmokers find that they can easily go from tobacco cigarettes to electronic cigarettes and back to tobacco cigarettes. Now, most e-cigarette users we have talked with find that their tobacco cigarettes no longer taste good and they prefer their e-cig. However in a pinch, they will switch back. How in the world is that quitting? It simply isn’t.

7. “We Have No Idea What Is In the Vapor!” – Yes we do. And we know what isn’t in the vapor. We know that since there is no combustion, many of the toxins produced from combustion are not present. A recent study was done by Dr. Murray Laugesen of Health New Zealand on the vapor and his results were very positive. Considering that the base of the vapor is made up of what goes into a fog machine or these particularly interesting vapor toys, if “vaporization toys” can be sold safely to children, then they should be legal for sale to adults.

Now, many refuse to acknowledge that such testing has in fact been done. Why? Because it wasn’t done here in the United States. Furthermore, they are now arguing that these tests are not valid as they were funded by the manufacturers. Our question back would be who funded the testing for all of the FDA approved products? It certainly wasn’t some advocacy group who wanted to make sure that men with ED could continue to perform. It was the manufacturer.

So there are some common misconceptions regarding the electronic cigarette. Whether this is the product for you is up to you to decide. Most people love it and there are some who would rather stick with tobacco. But either way, no matter what you choose, you should have that right to choose.

If you are interested in further information regarding the electronic cigarette, please feel free to paroose our blog.