E-cigarettes take social scene by storm; pose headaches for regulators

TORONTO - You may not have known what an e-cigarette was at the start of 2013. But chances are, you do now.

Leo DiCaprio and Katherine Heigl puff on them. Talk show host Jenny McCarthy and actor Stephen Dorff hawk them. For that matter, so does Santa Claus (at least in one controversial billboard).

A telltale sign of the burgeoning popularity of e-cigarettes: Internet searches for the products have grown exponentially in recent years. A study by U.S. researchers showed a several hundred-fold increase in searches for the devices over other smoking alternatives such as nicotine patches between 2008 and 2010.

"It's far outpacing anything else in many parts of the world," says senior author Dr. John Brownstein, an associate professor at Harvard University.

Another U.S. study suggested that in 2012, eight per cent of people in the general population had tried an e-cigarette, an activity that's called vaping (it rhymes with taping). About a third of smokers reported having tried the devices.

With their glowing tips and exhaled mist, e-cigarettes are designed to simulate smoking. Depending on what kind of fluid cartridge — juice in e-cigarette jargon — they are loaded with, some deliver a hit of tobacco's addictive component, nicotine, while others use non-nicotine laced fluid in a raft of flavours including chocolate, mango and banana cream.

You might think anything that would entice or help smokers to quit would be wholeheartedly embraced by the public health field. But in this case, you would be wrong. Addiction treatment specialists, public health officials and tobacco control advocates are divided over whether e-cigarettes are useful smoking cessation aids or Big Tobacco's latest attempt to retain, regain and expand market share by getting a new generation of customers — teenagers — hooked on nicotine.

Should the devices, like cigarettes, be barred from restaurants, workplaces and other indoor settings? Or are they sufficiently different — and sufficiently safe for users and the people around them — to merit more lax regulatory treatment? Would less stringent rules for e-cigarettes "renormalize" smoking, undoing decades of anti-tobacco efforts by rendering the act of smoking — or simulated smoking — cool again? Will youth who start by vaping graduate to smoking cigarettes?

There are no immediate answers.

E-cigarettes are "hugely controversial," says Jessica Pepper, a doctoral candidate in health behaviour at the University of North Carolina. Pepper, who specializes in tobacco control policies, has been researching the devices.

"You have some parts of the scientific community saying 'E-cigarettes are bound to be safer than regular cigarettes so if e-cigarettes help smokers quit, we're going to be saving a ton of lives.' Then you have the other side of the debate where people are saying 'Well, what if smokers decide not to quit because e-cigarettes keep them addicted? What if smokers don't quit because they think it's OK to maybe just cut back a little on smoking and add e-cigarettes?'"

In the face of the uncertainty — and exploding sales — governments have been forced to respond. But the international regulatory approach to e-cigarettes resembles a patchwork quilt.

Last week New York City passed a bill that bans e-cigarette use in restaurants, bars and clubs. In the U.S., where this fall 40 state attorneys general called for tighter regulation of e-cigarettes, the Food and Drug Administration plans to treat the devices like tobacco products.

In Britain, e-cigarettes will be regulated as a medicine, which will likely set a higher bar for manufacturers seeking approval for the products. But the European Union, which had intended to regulate them as medical devices, has steered away from that path. Last week the European commission announced it will set safety and quality standards for the devices and refills, impose stricter rules on advertising and require the products to be sold with safety warnings.

Health Canada would not give The Canadian Press an on-the-record interview about how e-cigarettes are regulated in this country. But two officials involved with the file did outline the legislative lay of the land, speaking on the proviso that their names not be used.

In Canada, e-cigarettes that are sold with nicotine and/or in packaging that makes a health claim fall under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drugs Act, they say. And under that act, a manufacturer must apply to Health Canada for authorization to bring a new product to market.

A health claim might be wording that asserts that the device can help a person quit smoking or is safer to use than tobacco cigarettes.

To date, Health Canada has not approved any e-cigarettes under the Food and Drug Act, say the officials, which means that it is not legal to sell e-cigarettes with juice that contains nicotine in Canada.

Some proponents of e-cigarettes contest that assertion, suggesting e-cigarette juice containing nicotine is governed by the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations of 2001.

Health Canada disagrees. "That is wrong," one of the officials declares. "Definitely nicotine is regulated under the Food and Drugs Act."

The other Health Canada official said the department has taken "hundreds" of actions related to sales of e-cigarettes and nicotine, seizing some products, writing letters to inform merchants they must stop selling the combined products and working with Canada Border Services to stop importations of products. But vapers boast online that e-cigarettes with nicotine are easy to obtain here.

Experts acknowledge that e-cigarettes may well help smokers quit. But in order to be able to claim that in marketing materials, a manufacturer would have to provide evidence generated by well-done clinical trials. And to date there isn't much in the way of data.

A study published in September suggested e-cigarettes may be slightly more effective than nicotine patches or a placebo e-cigarette (without nicotine); 7.3, 5.8 and 4.1 per cent of subjects stayed off cigarettes for six months by using those alternatives respectively. But so few people actually quit smoking that the authors could not conclude if any one method was more effective than the others.

E-cigarettes that aren't sold with nicotine or which don't make health claims can be sold legally in Canada, the Health Canada officials say. These devices are regulated under the Canada Consumer Products Safety Act, one of the officials says.

The two-pronged treatment of e-cigarettes creates the odd scenario where an e-cigarette delivering nicotine could not be advertised in Canada, but one without nicotine could be. In the United States, both kinds can be advertised, a reality the attorneys general complained about in their letter to the FDA.

"We haven't had smoking advertising ... at least in the U.S., for so long. ... It's jarring to see the commercials on TV," Pepper says.

Dr. Richard Hurt, who runs the nicotine dependence center at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., suggests the expansion of the e-cigarette industry and market is turning back the clock on tobacco control.

"In the absence of any regulation, they're going to push the envelope as far as they can," says Hurt, who says his program won't use the devices until they've been proven to work in randomized controlled trials.

"That's the way the cigarette manufacturers did in the 50s and the 60s and the 70s until someone said 'Enough already.' And they're going to push the envelope because if they push the envelope, they're going to make more money."

But Kirsten Bell believes e-cigarettes ought to be given a chance.

A professor of anthropology at the University of British Columbia, Bell has researched the public health responses to the devices. She feels e-cigarettes aren't being given a fair shot.

"They were sort of being condemned without trial by the majority of people in mainstream tobacco control in public health," Bell says.

"You have this sort of unquestioning extension of smoke-free legislation to cover e-cigarettes when of course an e-cigarette isn't a cigarette. It's not a combustible product."

She thinks there's a sort of moralistic agenda at play, one that equates nicotine use with smoking, even though the dangers of cigarettes relate to how they deliver nicotine, not the compound itself.

"I'm not sure that I buy this idea that because you see people vaping e-cigarettes it's going to make you go out and try cigarettes," Bell says.

"I don't think that they will renormalize smoking. But if they do normalize vaping, that would only be a problem really if vaping itself is something that is harmful. And at the moment, we don't have the answer to that question."

Page 2 of 2

Page 1

E-cigarettes take social scene by storm; pose headaches for regulators

TORONTO - You may not have known what an e-cigarette was at the start of 2013. But chances are, you do now.

Leo DiCaprio and Katherine Heigl puff on them. Talk show host Jenny McCarthy and actor Stephen Dorff hawk them. For that matter, so does Santa Claus (at least in one controversial billboard).

A telltale sign of the burgeoning popularity of e-cigarettes: Internet searches for the products have grown exponentially in recent years. A study by U.S. researchers showed a several hundred-fold increase in searches for the devices over other smoking alternatives such as nicotine patches between 2008 and 2010.

"It's far outpacing anything else in many parts of the world," says senior author Dr. John Brownstein, an associate professor at Harvard University.

Another U.S. study suggested that in 2012, eight per cent of people in the general population had tried an e-cigarette, an activity that's called vaping (it rhymes with taping). About a third of smokers reported having tried the devices.

With their glowing tips and exhaled mist, e-cigarettes are designed to simulate smoking. Depending on what kind of fluid cartridge — juice in e-cigarette jargon — they are loaded with, some deliver a hit of tobacco's addictive component, nicotine, while others use non-nicotine laced fluid in a raft of flavours including chocolate, mango and banana cream.

You might think anything that would entice or help smokers to quit would be wholeheartedly embraced by the public health field. But in this case, you would be wrong. Addiction treatment specialists, public health officials and tobacco control advocates are divided over whether e-cigarettes are useful smoking cessation aids or Big Tobacco's latest attempt to retain, regain and expand market share by getting a new generation of customers — teenagers — hooked on nicotine.

Should the devices, like cigarettes, be barred from restaurants, workplaces and other indoor settings? Or are they sufficiently different — and sufficiently safe for users and the people around them — to merit more lax regulatory treatment? Would less stringent rules for e-cigarettes "renormalize" smoking, undoing decades of anti-tobacco efforts by rendering the act of smoking — or simulated smoking — cool again? Will youth who start by vaping graduate to smoking cigarettes?

There are no immediate answers.

E-cigarettes are "hugely controversial," says Jessica Pepper, a doctoral candidate in health behaviour at the University of North Carolina. Pepper, who specializes in tobacco control policies, has been researching the devices.

"You have some parts of the scientific community saying 'E-cigarettes are bound to be safer than regular cigarettes so if e-cigarettes help smokers quit, we're going to be saving a ton of lives.' Then you have the other side of the debate where people are saying 'Well, what if smokers decide not to quit because e-cigarettes keep them addicted? What if smokers don't quit because they think it's OK to maybe just cut back a little on smoking and add e-cigarettes?'"

In the face of the uncertainty — and exploding sales — governments have been forced to respond. But the international regulatory approach to e-cigarettes resembles a patchwork quilt.

Last week New York City passed a bill that bans e-cigarette use in restaurants, bars and clubs. In the U.S., where this fall 40 state attorneys general called for tighter regulation of e-cigarettes, the Food and Drug Administration plans to treat the devices like tobacco products.

In Britain, e-cigarettes will be regulated as a medicine, which will likely set a higher bar for manufacturers seeking approval for the products. But the European Union, which had intended to regulate them as medical devices, has steered away from that path. Last week the European commission announced it will set safety and quality standards for the devices and refills, impose stricter rules on advertising and require the products to be sold with safety warnings.

Health Canada would not give The Canadian Press an on-the-record interview about how e-cigarettes are regulated in this country. But two officials involved with the file did outline the legislative lay of the land, speaking on the proviso that their names not be used.

In Canada, e-cigarettes that are sold with nicotine and/or in packaging that makes a health claim fall under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drugs Act, they say. And under that act, a manufacturer must apply to Health Canada for authorization to bring a new product to market.

A health claim might be wording that asserts that the device can help a person quit smoking or is safer to use than tobacco cigarettes.

To date, Health Canada has not approved any e-cigarettes under the Food and Drug Act, say the officials, which means that it is not legal to sell e-cigarettes with juice that contains nicotine in Canada.

Some proponents of e-cigarettes contest that assertion, suggesting e-cigarette juice containing nicotine is governed by the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations of 2001.

Health Canada disagrees. "That is wrong," one of the officials declares. "Definitely nicotine is regulated under the Food and Drugs Act."

The other Health Canada official said the department has taken "hundreds" of actions related to sales of e-cigarettes and nicotine, seizing some products, writing letters to inform merchants they must stop selling the combined products and working with Canada Border Services to stop importations of products. But vapers boast online that e-cigarettes with nicotine are easy to obtain here.

Experts acknowledge that e-cigarettes may well help smokers quit. But in order to be able to claim that in marketing materials, a manufacturer would have to provide evidence generated by well-done clinical trials. And to date there isn't much in the way of data.

A study published in September suggested e-cigarettes may be slightly more effective than nicotine patches or a placebo e-cigarette (without nicotine); 7.3, 5.8 and 4.1 per cent of subjects stayed off cigarettes for six months by using those alternatives respectively. But so few people actually quit smoking that the authors could not conclude if any one method was more effective than the others.

E-cigarettes that aren't sold with nicotine or which don't make health claims can be sold legally in Canada, the Health Canada officials say. These devices are regulated under the Canada Consumer Products Safety Act, one of the officials says.

The two-pronged treatment of e-cigarettes creates the odd scenario where an e-cigarette delivering nicotine could not be advertised in Canada, but one without nicotine could be. In the United States, both kinds can be advertised, a reality the attorneys general complained about in their letter to the FDA.

"We haven't had smoking advertising ... at least in the U.S., for so long. ... It's jarring to see the commercials on TV," Pepper says.

Dr. Richard Hurt, who runs the nicotine dependence center at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., suggests the expansion of the e-cigarette industry and market is turning back the clock on tobacco control.

"In the absence of any regulation, they're going to push the envelope as far as they can," says Hurt, who says his program won't use the devices until they've been proven to work in randomized controlled trials.

"That's the way the cigarette manufacturers did in the 50s and the 60s and the 70s until someone said 'Enough already.' And they're going to push the envelope because if they push the envelope, they're going to make more money."

But Kirsten Bell believes e-cigarettes ought to be given a chance.

A professor of anthropology at the University of British Columbia, Bell has researched the public health responses to the devices. She feels e-cigarettes aren't being given a fair shot.

"They were sort of being condemned without trial by the majority of people in mainstream tobacco control in public health," Bell says.

"You have this sort of unquestioning extension of smoke-free legislation to cover e-cigarettes when of course an e-cigarette isn't a cigarette. It's not a combustible product."

She thinks there's a sort of moralistic agenda at play, one that equates nicotine use with smoking, even though the dangers of cigarettes relate to how they deliver nicotine, not the compound itself.

"I'm not sure that I buy this idea that because you see people vaping e-cigarettes it's going to make you go out and try cigarettes," Bell says.

"I don't think that they will renormalize smoking. But if they do normalize vaping, that would only be a problem really if vaping itself is something that is harmful. And at the moment, we don't have the answer to that question."

'Vaping' Santa Billboard Causes Backlash

E-cigarette company draws controversy after using "vaping" Santa in billboard. (VaporShark/Facebook)

This might put Santa on the naughty list.

The e-cigarette company Vapor-Shark is facing backlash after putting up a billboard of a "vaping" Santa Claus in Florida. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kidscomplained the ad was similar to old cigarette ads aimed at children and called it " a new low."

Even e-cigarettes fans said the ad was inappropriate.

"Showing Santa vaping, globally recognized as a children's icon, is irresponsible and is and will be seen as a ploy to appeal to under age customers," said Aaron Frazier, a self-described "vapor," on the company's Facebook Page. 

"We disagree … it's a difference of opinion" said Vapor Shark CEO Brandon Liedel of their dissenters. "The only type of kid that would be persuaded by Santa Claus is a 5-year-old. I think a gorgeous woman would be more persuasive for a teenager."

Q&A: Justin Time of Vape'n'Shine | VAPE News Magazine

Remember back to your first big mod purchase. You opened the box and carefully laid it upon a flat palm to observe every engraving, bend and twist. Then a few weeks go by and it hasn't even left the house because you are too afraid it may experience the same fate as your previous PV's—dinged up, scratched and ware marks from where you had fondled it. No longer does this fear have to haunt you when you pick up your next unicorn. Feel free to take it out on display and evendrop it once in a while! There is a new company in our vaping community that relieves us of all of these anxieties and they are known as Vape'n'Shine.

I first heard about Vape'n'Shine though a Facebook group. I thumbed through a few of their pictures and was surprised to see how much attention to detail Justin Time, CEO and Founder of Vape'n'Shine, had put into his work. From changing mods' overall finishes to completely redoing custom finishes this guy really has done his homework and can tackle any request you may come up with for your mod. From brushing to media blasting, polishing and refinishing, to complete refurbishing, he can turn your beat-up treasures into better-than-new collection pieces. I met with Time to find out more about his story and the origin of Vape'n'Shine.

Vape News: Justin when and why did you start vaping?

JT: I made the switch in April of 2011; I desperately wanted to quit smoking. I couldn't stand to smoke anymore, but I just couldn't quit. I ran into a friend who was using a BLU, and decided I would give it a try. Needless to say it wasn't cutting it, so I set out to do some of my own research and stumbled upon the vaping community.

Vape News: Which would you say are your top three favorite mods?

JT: My three favorite mods, currently, are my BBM TI 18500, BaGua 22mm TI 18500 and my Caravela in 18500 of course.

Vape News: When did you first start refinishing and refurbishing mods?

JT: It was in February of 2013 that I made the decision to start repairing, refurbishing and refinishing mods. I was still buying second- and third-hand mods, hybrids and atties off of the ECF classifieds. It was when I purchased an iHybrid that was in not so good condition. I found an old electric motor, a polishing wheel and some compound and just went to town on it. Turns out I had a knack for it. It was then when someone on one of the Facebook groups was asking if he knew someone who could polish his Zen Standard. I jumped in, did the job,and before I knew it, he recommended me to his friends, and then those people to their friends. It snowballed! People were requesting satin finishes, brushed finishes, and so I started buying the equipment needed to do such work.

Vape News: Who could you list as your greatest mentor in the process?

JT: My greatest mentor ... well I would have to say my father. While working with metal is not his trade (nor mine), he is very knowledgeable in many fields, a do-it-yourself-er so to say, and good one at that. Most of my knowledge came from reading and researching; but he was always there since the beginning to offer his advice and to brainstorm with.

Vape News: Aside from personal orders from the vaping community, have you been sought out by any of the big name modders for your trade?

JT: Yes I have worked with some of the big name modders. Doc Dave for instance, we will be working together on many projects here in the future. To name just one specifically, Bliss special LE's. I have also been talking to various other modders as well. Stay tuned to find out who they are!

Vape News: What would you say has been the most rewarding part of your personal vaping experience as well as the experience you have with Vape'n'Shine?

JT: The most rewarding part of my vaping experience is seeing my friends and family follow suit and kick tobacco for good. Specifically both of my parents, smokers for more than 40 years, and have both made it to more than a year of no tobacco since switching to vaping. In-so-far-as Vape'n'Shine and the community, just helping people restore new life to damaged mods and atties as well as having a chance to put my own personal touch on some of the most sought after gear out there.

Vape News: What plans do you have for the future of Vape'n'Shine?

JT: Designing mods and atties are just some of the future plans for Vape'n'Shine, as well as engraving and plating.

Vape News: If you were stuck on a deserted island with only one outlet, and could only have one mod with you, which would you have by your side?

JT: There's a electrical outlet on a deserted island? I guess if I had to be stuck with one setup; it would be my BaGua 22mm TI with Bliss TI V3 Special atty. But ask me again in a month from now and I'm sure it will be something else.

Vape News: Do you have any comments for the vaping community?

JT: It has been quite a journey so far. Vape'n'Shine is only my part-time business. I work a full-time career in the geomatic engineering field, and it has been quite a challenge to keep up with the demand of mod repairs and customization. I would like to personally thank all the members of the vaping community for their support and patronage. 

Poison control centers see spike in e-cigarette calls

Poison control centers nationally have seen a 161 percent increase in calls from people with concerns over e-cigarettes.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, e-cigarettes are drug-device products designed to deliver nicotine to a user in the form of a vapor.

The process of smoking an e-cigarette, often known as vaping, is typically done by using a battery-operated heating element, a replaceable cartridge containing nicotine and an atomizer that uses heat to convert the contents of the cartridge into a vapor -- which is then inhaled by the user.

For smokers trying to kick the habit, e-cigarettes often appear to provide a way to wean off cigarettes while avoiding health risks like cancer.

"More than half of the calls we have received were concerning children," said Ashley Webb, board-certified toxicologist and director of the Kentucky Regional Poison Control Center of Kosair Children's Hospital.

"Kids are picking up the liquid cartridge when cartridges are left accessible or when an adult is changing the cartridge," Webb told kyforward.com. "They're also getting a hold of the e-cigarette and taking it apart to expose the liquid. They then either ingest the liquid or get it onto their skin. Even on the skin, the nicotine is absorbed and can create adverse side effects."

Researchers found that three in 10 e-cigarettes contain levels of formaldehyde and acrolein -- known carcinogens -- that are nearly equal to levels found in standard cigarettes.

Scientists with the FDA and American Cancer Society say there is currently no scientific evidence about the safety of e-cigarettes.

In initial lab tests, the FDA found detectable levels of carcinogens and toxic chemicals, including an ingredient used in anti-freeze.

The American Cancer Society says e-cigarettes have not been approved by the FDA for use to quit smoking. Experts add that no evidence exists to show they even help people quit smoking.

We Are 100% FREE!

We have made the decision to welcome our customers with the best offer we can give. So, until the 1st of March 2014 we are 100% FREE.

Yes, we are crazy!

RE: EU draft Tobacco Products Directive: who to write to and what to say

RE: EU draft Tobacco Products Directive: who to write to and what to say 

Clive bates was recently talking to Dave on VTTV well worth a watch.

http://www.vapourtrails.tv/?p=4940

Important update from ECITA: legal advice re prospective bans

Hi, all,

We met with the legal team today to discuss our options in the face of the EU proposal, and the imminent MHRA position statement. (We anticipate that the MHRA will announce on the 13th March, rather than waiting until May, because they like to roll the drum on No Smoking Day.)

We discussed all the issues for both UK and EU level. The legal experts reckon we have a strong case, particularly with regard to proportionality, and we shall be getting an official Opinion from a QC in the next couple of weeks. They described the proposed Directive as possibly being 'legally flawed' in several respects, which means we have a good chance of mounting a successful legal challenge.

We shall continue to fire on all cylinders, and will be asking for your help in getting the right messages to the right people in each of your constituencies in the coming weeks. I hope we can count on your support as we all join together for this crucial fight.

This is not an industry fighting for its survival in isolation; this is a fight for every single one of us who has discovered vaping - and it is a fight for our lives. We hope you will join us as we take the fight to them, rather than waiting for them to attack us even further.

Sincere thanks to Elites, not only for providing outstanding Chairmanship of ECITA since its inception in the form of Mike Ryan, but also for providing access to a top notch legal team, with the expertise and skills to bring us ALL safely home - as an industry and as a community of vapers.

We shall keep you informed as things progress, and would be grateful if a moderator could sticky this thread.

Happy and very long-lived vaping, one and all!

Cheers,

Katherine

The European Parliament: Save electronic cigarettes from excessive EU regulation

The European Parliament: Save electronic cigarettes from excessive EU regulation 

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/The...l&mobile=1

Vaping not as safe as cigarette smoking

by Krystal Paco

Guam - There's no tobacco, no ashes, and no smell. And although they're marketed as an alternative to cigarette smoking, health professionals aren't pleased with the latest nicotine-delivery device to hit the markets.

"E-cigarettes are the latest fad when it comes to the tobacco epidemic but there's no tobacco in the e-cigarette. What you do have is a cartridge that has nicotine what you find in tobacco and some other chemicals. It's basically a nicotine delivery device," said Dr. Annette David. And if something sounds too good to be true, David, a University of Guam adjunct research faculty member, says it probably is.

"You have something that looks like a cigarette. On one end, you have the cartridge that contains the liquid with nicotine and on the other end you have a battery and in between them you have a heating chamber. So really what it does is it heats up the liquid and vaporizes it and that's what you inhale. It's vapor. It's not smoke because there's no burning but instead it is a vapor, which is why some people call e-cigarettes 'vaping'," she explained.

But even with tobacco out of the equation, Dr. David says there's little research to prove e-cigarettes are in fact safe. "There's really not very good data out there on what the hazards are but some of things that we do know, number one the nicotine that's there is as addictive or maybe even more addictive than what you would find in a cigarette. That's because depending on how often you use the e-cigarette and depending on the strength of the cartridge you put in you actually can be putting in more nicotine than if you were just smoking your cigarettes," she said.

But what's most alarming? Dr. David says most people don't realize that nicotine is a poison and its most popular use next to cigarette smoking? Killing insects. "There are such things as nicotine intoxication we don't normally see them with adults but with the amount of nicotine you have in the cartridge if a small child were to get that and inhale that, then there is a very real risk of toxicity so that's the other thing," she said.

Even worse, because they're not FDA regulated, companies aren't required to reveal additional ingredients in e-cigarette cartridges. Although they're marketed as a safer alternative to cigarette smoking, Dr. David says there's little evidence to support such claims. "In a sense, its less harmful than a cigarette that you don't get the same amount of cancer causing chemicals that come when you burn the tobacco but the FDA has said that in preliminary studies they have measured carcinogens from the vapor of the e-cigarettes. 0348 maybe less harmful but it is not safe," she said.

"Use it at your own risk. At this point it's not regulated by the FDA so we really don't have much science to go by but clearly this is something that was created to maintain the addiction. The addiction to the product. We do have to think of the industry as very much vested in protecting their profit margins. And less and less people are smoking now because of all the good laws and policies we have. There is a lot of pressure on the industry to find an alternative product that will keep the profits going, and what's the best way to keep the profits going? Keep your users addicted."

If you're wondering about nicotine patches, Dr. David clarifies that patches deliver nicotine in a controlled manner while maintaining itself in your bloodstream.

On the other hand, e-cigarettes provide your body with a spike of nicotine. When that spike drops, you'll be guaranteed to want more - making it a dangerous and possibly deadly device.

Is 'vaping' really the best word for smoking e-cigarettes?

On Monday, e-cigarette makers Gamucci will open the world's first airport "vaping zone" in the Terminal 4 international departure lounge at Heathrow.

If the zone is a success, it'll be seen as a huge victory for the burgeoning e-cigarette industry. But with a name like that it doesn't stand a chance. Vaping zone. Say it out loud. You can't, can you? Someone might be listening, and they'd probably punch you right in your stupid face if they heard you.

Is this what we're supposed to call the act of smoking an electronic cigarette? Vaping? Are e-smokers vapists? Because vaping sounds worryingly like a form of sexual assault, or a bewilderingly ill-advised 1980s dance craze. Smokers must be furious. E-cigarettes were their big chance to become socially acceptable again, but whoever came up with "vaping" has ruined it. What's worse: going outside to smoke, or sitting indoors to vap off?

And, just like actual smoking – hot smoking, as the vapists call it – all sorts of neologisms are bound to spring up around e-cigarettes. What's the vaping equivalent of smirting (smoking and flirting), for example? Is it varting? And what are we to call cigaretiquette (the generalised behaviour surrounding smoking) in the age of e-cigarettes? Vaprotocol? That sounds like a cheap brand of bronchitis medication.

And vaping is just the tip of the awkward e-cigarette terminology iceberg. The website Ecigology (itself a terrible word that deserves to be bludgeoned to death) has a glossary teeming with ridiculous new words and phrases. It's a world of "carts" and "cartos" that you fill with "smoke juice" and accessorise with "a drip tip", being careful not to "flood your atty" and diminish your "throat hit". Imagine being the sort of person who actually talks like this. It'd be like living your entire life inside an Australian remake of A Clockwork Orange directed by Chris Morris.

At least it will work as an inadvertent shot in the arm for anti-smoking campaigners. Forget bold-print health warnings and close-up pictures of diseased lungs, nothing's going to repel you from a packet of cigarettes – electronic or otherwise – like knowing that you'll have to stand in something as ridiculous as a vaping zone to smoke them.

What is an ECig? New to Vaping…..

Visit our new page on our site if you are a new, or you are thinking about taking up Vaping. We will be adding to this page at regular intervals and if you do have any suggestions, or additions, please email us at support@vapeads.com.

What is an E Cig?

Would You Visit an E-Cig Bar, Just So You Could Puff Away in Peace?

The UK's first e-cigarette dedicated bar is opening up in London, and they've got their sights set on "defining new social rules" by re-uniting smokers and non-smokers. Shoreditch bar #vypesocial will open on Wednesday 13th November, offering patrons a boozy night without the butts.

The UK's first e-cigarette dedicated bar is opening up in London, and they've got their sights set on "defining new social rules" by re-uniting smokers and non-smokers. Shoreditch bar #vypesocial will open on Wednesday 13th November, offering patrons a boozy night without the butts.

Along with their philanthropic health goals, the bar will be actively promoting Vype electronic cigs, a new brand with softer tips that attempts to mimic the experience of smoking a real cigarette as fully as possible.

The appeal of e-cigs for many has been the fact that they're legal to smoke in public areas. And they're not that bad. I've tried them, and the steam created by the little vaporisers is actually quite nice. They even come in flavours (some tastier than others). But I work in a pub that's part of a chain which doesn't allow the devices to be smoked inside. Legal they may be, but that doesn't mean you can smoke 'em anywhere.

So with smokers and e-cig smokers alike increasingly being forced out into the rapidly-cooling November nights, is this bar the first example of a new breed of venues? Smoker-friendly, without actually allowing real smoke?

Giz readers: what do you reckon? Will anyone be heading down to #vypesocial? Are bars like this really redefining social boundaries, or are they a bit of a gimmick? Pitch in with your comments.

The Importance of E-Cig Blog in Making Smokeless Smoking Popular Is Revealed by VapeAds.com

VapeAds.com is involved in the development of electronic cigarettes industry by propagating the advantages of tobacco smoking over tobacco cigarette smoking. It gives reviews and rankings on leading brands of electronic smoking devices. Here it explains the importance of e-cig blog in making the hobby popular. The portal feels that the internet played a terrific role the making smokeless smoking popular.

-- E-Cig blog is omnipresent in the cyberspace, says VapeAds.com while revealing the importance of blogs in making smokeless smoking a household name in a short time. Thanks to the hype created by electronic smoking hobbyists, experts on smoking gadgets and electronic cigarette brands on the internet by hosting hobby sites, reviewing sites, official brand web sites, forums and blogs. The introduction of electronic cigarettes in the market has initiated a furor among smoking fraternity. People started discussing about the new smoking system that is actually smokeless. The manufactures and experts tried to explain the features and advantages electronic cigarettes on the internet. People who have taken up these modern devices started to share experiences in web.

Visit VapeAds.com for ECig Auctions & Classifieds.

Soon e-cig blog and other several internet based platforms have become favorite hangouts for electronic smoking enthusiasts and promoters. VapeAds.com says that it might not have been possible for electronic cigarettes to gain quick demand, without the activity on the internet. People all over the world came to know all about electronic cigarettes, how they work and how consumers feel after using them through online medium only. This method provided the smokeless smoking industry with an economical yet powerful substitute for advertisements. Every minute, scores of smokers who wish to know more on electronic cigarettes search the internet for information and guidance.

The advantages of electronic cigarettes, over tobacco cigarettes are explained clearly in many blogs. Almost every popular hobby site such as VapeAds.com has an e-cig blog. The blogs reveal that electronic cigarettes have three working components; atomizer, cartridge and battery. These devices aim to provide nicotine and associated smoking pleasure to consumers without using smoke as vehicle. Instead they use vapor to achieve the same purpose. They effectively offer an authentic smoking experience to each user at comparatively less cost. As the vapor produced is perfectly non-intrusive, consumers need not be afraid of annoying their associates with acrid smell or ash.

More information can be accessed in the e-cig blog of VapeAds.com. New users are suggested to gain more insight on electronic smoking, before venturing into the new world of vaping, in order to get the most out of electronic cigarettes.

E-cig backers form group

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (KFGO AM) -- Supporters of E-cigarettes have formed a consumer-based coalition to educate Minnesotans and lawmakers about nicotine vaporizers.

Many cities have banned E-cig use and one state lawmaker wants to add them to the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act.

But Matt Black with the Minnesota Vapors Advocacy Group says there are no tar or carcinogens with E-cigs, no combustion and therefore no smoke -- so no danger of second-hand smoke.

Black says the National Institutes of Health found E-cigarettes pose no health risk to the user or bystanders.

Opponents worry E-cigs will become a gateway to traditional tobacco cigarettes, particularly for younger Minnesotans.

More Teens Using E-Cigarettes

While the percentage of teens who smoked cigarettes stayed roughly the same between 2011 and 2012, health officials found that the percentage of high schoolers and middle schoolers who used e-cigarettes nearly doubled. What do you think?

"What is it with teens and their obsession with vapor?!"

Walt Trezise – 

Rheumatologist

"I'm more concerned that teens may think these things look just as cool as cigarettes."

Marisa Cameron – 

Swimming Instructor

"Everybody knows once you nab Stephen Dorff as your spokesperson, you own the teen market."

Skip Whitelaw – 

Wool Grader

FDA Tells Jepsen It’s On Same E-Cigarette Page

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shares George Jepsen's concerns about electronic cigarettes—and plans to step in to regulate them.

The FDA sent that message to Jepsen, Connecticut's attorney general, and 39 of his colleagues in a letter sent last week.

The attorneys general had asked the FDA to state its position on e-cigarette regulation in a Sept. 24 joint letter. The group wanted to know where the feds stood before exploring whether to seek state regulation of the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. Jepsen and the other attorneys general urged the agency to regulate electronic cigarettes as "tobacco products" under the Tobacco Control Act and prohibit their sale to minors.

E-cigarettes use a battery to heat liquid, turning it into a vapor. The liquid, or "e-juice," comes in disposable cartridges containing chemicals, vegetable glycerine, flavors and varying amounts of nicotine. The consumer inhales the vapor instead of smoke.

Jepsen said he recognizes the positive benefits of e-cigarettes, such as helping regular cigarette smokers wean off the habit, but said the lack of regulation and multitude of appealing flavors could potentially create "a new generation of nicotine addicts." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1.78 million middle and high school students nationwide tried e-cigarettes in 2012.

"The FDA is where the action really is at the federal level. At the state level, we will be introducing legislation that will outlaw sales of e-cigarettes to minors," said Jepsen, who remained confident that e-cigarette regulation changes would come despite the agency's failure to meet the deadline. "I wish they would have acted by now [but] the FDA's going to act eventually."

In the FDA's response letter, dated Nov. 14, Deputy Commissioner Sally Howard wrote that like the attorneys general, the FDA is concerned about "the public health impact and lack of existing clinical studies on the potential health risks posed by electronic cigarette use, as well as the manufacture and marketing of these products in ways which could be appealing to minors."

The attorneys general referenced recent data from the CDC in their letter to the FDA that showed a dramatic rise in e-cigarette use by youth.

The FDA acknowledged the growing popularity of e-cigarettes in its response. The CDC findings "reinforce why FDA intends to extend its authority over products that meet the statutory definition of 'tobacco products', when it issues the proposed deeming rule as a first step toward establishing an appropriate regulatory framework to reduce the disease and death from tobacco use," the letter stated.

The proposed deeming rule, which would expand the its authority to include products that meet the statutory definition of "tobacco product," is currently under review at the Office of Management and Budget.

Finalization of the rule-making would automatically apply provisions in Chapter IX of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to all newly deemed products meeting the statutory definition of "tobacco product."

The FDA currently regulates electronic cigarettes only if they make a therapeutic claim.

"The attorney general appreciates that the FDA shares his concerns, particularly in terms of the sale and marketing of electronic cigarettes to minors," said Jaclyn Falkowski, director of communications at the attorney general's office. "While we cannot compel the FDA to take action, he appreciates the FDA's attention to this matter, in particular that it is seeking the authority to regulate e-cigarettes as a tobacco product."

Falkowski said if the FDA does not issue regulations, state-level legislation prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes to minors would be "the appropriate course."

"Should the FDA issue regulations restricting the sale to minors, such legislation would not be precluded but would not be critical to ensure a prohibition on the sale to minors," she reported.

About two weeks ago—before the FDA responded to the attorneys general—Connecticut state Sen. Edward Meyer started researching e-cigarettes after discovering that his daughter and grandchild were smoking them.

"I thought this is something that needs more public attention," said Meyer, who learned that the vaporized nicotine devices lack age regulation. "I called the Connecticut Department of Public Health and asked them what their position is, and I got very upset when they told me they had no position. I urged them to take a position and had a bit of a falling-out with them when they would not."

Meyer said he intends to push and support legislation that puts public restrictions, including an age limit, on e-cigarettes.

The fast-growing e-cigarette market offers smokers like him flavors ranging from creamy milk chocolate, farm fresh cherry and juicy peach flavors, with a youth market in mind

First airport e-cigarette zone to open at London's Heathrow

LONDON (Reuters) - Electronic cigarette maker Gamucci is to open the world's first airport "vaping zone" for e-cigarette users at London's Heathrow later this month, highlighting the rise of the smoke-free devices.

The new indoor zone, measuring 30 square meters, will open on November 25 in the international departure lounge at Terminal 4, with entry restricted to those aged 18 and over, Gamucci said in a statement on Sunday.

Sales of e-cigarettes have boomed in recent years, prompted in part by restrictions on smoking. The battery-driven devices allow users to inhale nicotine-laced vapor and are seen as a less harmful alternative to smoking.

Governments are currently struggling to work out the best way to regulate them. Britain decided in June to regulate them as medicines from 2016 but European parliamentarians last month rejected the idea of doing the same across the European Union.

E-cig explodes, damaging truck

EUGENE, Ore. - An e-cigarette left charging in a car for about 2 hours exploded, damaging the car, according to the owner.

"You plug it in here and it goes in your cigarette lighter," explained Judy Timmons, who purchased the e-cig as an alternative to traditional cigarettes. "I'm just glad my grandkids weren't in the backseat because it could have exploded at any time."

The fire caused extensive damage to the stereo system and the interior of the truck, he said.

"It had enough power and momentum to shoot all the way to the backseat," said Larry Timmons.

E-cigs have gained in popularity, touted as being less harmful than conventional cigarettes. The devices are so common, you can buy them at many convenience stores.

Jared Followill sparks security scare with e-cig

Tobacco is notoriously bad for your health, but Jared Followill has discovered e-cigarettes are not as safe as they seem.

The Kings Of Leon bassist touched down in Dubai with his family band on Wednesday, and carried his trusty e-cig through the airport without a second thought.

What star didn't realise was that the devices are banned in the middle eastern country - at least not until he was approached by some sinister looking airport security guards.

The authorities take their rules on the digital fags so seriously that Jared almost found himself banged up abroad, but he managed to talk his way out of it and took to his Twitter account to tell fans about his terrifying run-in with the law.

He writes, "Just had the life scared out of me at security in Dubai. Apparently it's not just my bros (brothers) who think e-cigs (sic) are uncool. Almost locked up abroad."

It looks like a visit to Dubai might be the only time when a traditional tobacco-filled smoke is recommended.

Proposed e-cig ban off the table

The Cherokee County Communities of Excellence Tobacco Control Program has asked the Tahlequah City Council to remove from its Monday, Nov. 18 agenda an ordinance banning the use of electronic cigarettes from city property.

Mayor Jason Nichols confirmed that, at least for the time being, there will be no action on the controversial measure, which drew a standing-room-only crowd to the Nov. 4 council meeting.

"We've removed the item from the agenda at the direction of the people who requested its consideration," Nichols said. "I think that they've become aware of the need for more information to be presented and more discussion to be had over that data before any change to the city's regulations [is made]."

When copies of the original ordinance began circulating days before the council meeting, e-cig users and employees of businesses selling those products began posting protests on Facebook and urging local residents to oppose implementation.

Misinformation on social media about the ordinance's actual intent raised the ire of many citizens, who believed the use of e-cigs would be forbidden throughout the city. However, advocates said they only wanted to prohibit the use of those products on city property.

The inclusion of Tahlequah's public parks on the ban list drew objections from dozens of "vapers," who maintain e-cigs are safer than tobacco because they don't cause cancer, nor does the vapor emitted from the devices pose the hazards of second-hand smoke.

Nichols agrees that city officials should proceed with caution.

"I had informed [coalition members] that I personally felt there isn't sufficient rationale for a ban on city properties, given the lack of data on the subject," he said.

Officials in a few other Oklahoma cities, like Ada, have imposed similar bans, and media reports indicate the restrictions are still highly unpopular with residents, many of whom say they have used e-cigs to quit smoking. Other cities have delayed voting on proposed measures so officials can solicit further input from the public and the medical community.

"We've met with people who are in opposition to what had been proposed and will do so with those who had made the proposal soon," Nichols said. "Both sides have indicated interest in continued discussion on the issue, especially regarding sale [of e-cigarettes] to minors. But the ordinance that was proposed is no longer under consideration."

First Vaping Zone at an Airport for E Cig to Open in UK Reviews

Dallas, TX -- (SBWIRE)-- E cig sale and use both have shot up over the last few years. With the increase in popularity, adult users are seeking easy access to e cigs, the reason why Gamucci, a known brand in the smokeless cigarette arena is set to open the first ever vaping zone at an airport. The e cig zone which will measure 30 square meters will be at the international departure lounge at terminal 4 of the airport.

The entry to the electronic cigarette zone is restricted only to adults i.e. those aged between 18 and under are prohibited to even make an entry into the zone. Electronic cigarette brands have been making constant attempts at restricting sale of electric cigarette to minors as most of the brands ask for age declaration on online purchase. Retail stores too have been strictly following the rule to not sell e cigarette to people not above 18.

The new indoor zone is the first which is a clear hint at the rise of vapor cigarettes. E cigarette reviews regarding the move have been good as e cig users around UK are seemingly happy with the new development. The store will open at 25 November and with 1.3 million users of the smokeless device alone in UK, there are going to be a lot of visitors to the vaping zone.

The Britain parliament in June 2013, decided to regulate e cigarette as medicine, the regulation likely to come in effect from 2016, while the EU parliamentarians decided to can the idea. Authorities are still working on regulations but the hindrance is possibly the lack of research. Experts at ECigaretteExposed.com say." It's a new development and a good one. The e cig reviews from round the globe reflect how much people like this product and with many claiming it to be a better alternate to smoking; such a move is encouraging for people who claim to have managed to refrain from tobacco cigarettes after switching to e cigs."

Commissioners approve raise for ABC chair, e-cig ban

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) -- New Hanover County Commissioners today approved a raise for the head of the county's Alcohol Beverage Control and banned e-cigarettes from county property.

The Consent Agenda for today's commission meeting included a $7,000 raise for ABC CEO Dan Sykes. Sykes has been making $105,000 since he was hired in April 2010, except for a one-time $7,000 bonus he received in 2012. The commission has to approve raises for the CEO position, for whom the salary is restricted by the state ABC after issues that arose with former ABC chief Billy Williams and his pay.

Also at this morning's meeting, commissioners also approved a ban on e-cigarettes and expanding the county's restrictions on smoking. E-cigarettes and regular smoking products are now banned in county buildings and vehicles and within 50 feet of entrances to county buildings