SFATANews

The Smoke Free Alternatives Trade Association’s (SFATA) recent success has created detractors who have expressed unsubstantiated concerns about SFATA’s mission and objectives. SFATA continues to gain momentum having received nearly half a million dollars in donations in our August fundraising endeavors, increased the number of new member companies, and consulted with the Food and Drug Administration regarding the rapidly developing electronic cigarette industry. To promote greater understanding, SFATA seeks to address the unwarranted comments, dispel rumors, and mitigate misrepresentations regarding SFATA, its message, and its mission. Simply put, SFATA’s mission is to advocate for and generate interest in the electronic cigarette industry and the international vaping community through research and education. As an advocacy group, SFATA cannot and will not make any direct statements regarding medical or health information, electronic cigarettes and smoking cessation programs. All information released thus far has addressed the organization’s mission to promote self-regulation. Thus, when SFATA recently released an independent study by Environmental Medicine, Inc.--a report which supported general industry claims regarding toxicity of tobacco products versus electronic cigarettes--it did so as a trade association. SFATA’s message regarding self-regulation is clear: electronic cigarettes are personal vaporizing devices and should be regulated and promoted as such. Their design, patent, and definition do not make them tobacco products and do not raise the same safety issues. They are structurally and chemically distinct from tobacco products such as combustible cigarettes and chewables such as snuff and snus. Therefore, SFATA opposes any FDA-regulation that would categorize electronic cigarettes as tobacco products. In other words, SFATA believes it is inappropriate to apply regulations designed for tobacco products to electronic cigarettes/personal vaporizing devices. In addition, SFATA advocates for effective self-regulation by setting high quality standards for manufacturing and quality control for its members. SFATA believes these rigorous standards should form the basis of a reasonable regulatory scheme to ensure the broad availability of these safe consumer products. Presently, SFATA is the only association that represents a wide cross section of all segments of the electronic cigarette/personal vaporizing device industry including distributors, manufacturers, retailers, and end users. This vertically comprehensive approach to membership allows SFATA to address a wide variety of consumer matters. While founded by industry leaders Green Smoke, Johnson Creek, and V2 Cigs, SFATA represents the collective membership and the industry as a whole, not the individual interests of these founders. To learn more about SFATA or about the electronic cigarette industry and personal vaporizing device community please go to www.SFATA.org or call 218.22.SFATA (73282).

The Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Association (SFATA) announces a recent report authored by an independent research and toxicology consulting firm, Environmental Medicine Inc. (EMI), that supports previous research on electronic cigarettes (e-cig) as well as industry conclusions involving comparisons with tobacco burning cigarettes (TBCs). The EMI report now available for SFATA members provides an extensive toxicological profile involving inhalational exposure of electronic cigarettes with specific reference to the most basic and common e-cig components namely propylene glycol, known as safe as a food ingredient by FDA, nicotine, the substance in tobacco that is responsible for its powerful addictive action, and glycerin, a natural constituent of both animals and plants. The report also includes identification of specific toxicity endpoints such as cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer among other morbidities as they are causally associated with conventional TBCs. EMI applied its own research and expert knowledge based on prior analysis in order to comprehensively examine air drawn through electronic cigarettes to determine the potential effects due to the presence of three major components of the aerosol: propylene glycol, nicotine, and glycerin as well as several other low concentration solvents. The chemical analysis study was performed by a highly regarded and well qualified analytical laboratory, where they analyzed the air drawn through electronic cigarettes (simulating human puffing behavior) and looked for the presence of combustion products such as tar, tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocrabons (PAHs) and carbon monoxide. This analytical study utilized Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) as well as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) technologies. The subsequent report by EMI was based on this analytical work as well as the scientific literature. EMI reviewed the potential for adverse health effects of electronic cigarette smoking and the study of components not found in electronic cigarette smoke, citing over 60 references for comparison and analysis. Results of the EMI report concluded that the major components of electronic cigarettes including propylene glycol and glycerin posed no increased risk of adverse health effects usually associated with TBCs, namely Cancer, COPD and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, it was noted that nicotine per se is not carcinogenic, is currently approved by the FDA and is on the market for smoking cessation in various forms. In this regard, nicotine has shown no serious adverse effects on health as presently used. Comparisons delineating approximately 98 of the known hazardous tobacco smoke components revealed that none of these compounds were present in the aerosol generated from the specific electronic cigarettes analyzed The additional data from genotoxicity studies support a conclusion that potential exposures to ethanol, methanol, and methylene chloride, if indeed they are present in the aerosol produced from electronic cigarette usage, is negligible and not likely to be carcinogenic in humans. As for other comparisons with TBCs, the EMI report revealed that the effect of TBCs on cardiac function showed a significant elevation in blood pressure (+8 % in systolic pressure and +6% in diastolic pressure) and heart rate (+10%) after smoking conventional tobacco burning cigarettes while electronic cigarettes produced only a minimal change in systolic pressure with no change in diastolic blood pressure or heart rate. This work is ongoing.. The EMI report notes, “The absence of combustion products from not burning tobacco provides a safer alternative to conventional tobacco burning cigarettes and that the substitution of electronic cigarettes for TBCs is likely to be beneficial to health, at least with respect to cardiac function.” As assessments continued, the EMI report noted that tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) are present in both burned tobacco cigarette smoke and in unburned tobacco. However, several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known to be present in TBC smoke due to the combustion of tobacco and are not found to be present in the aerosol generated from electronic cigarettes. The EMI report reveals that evidence for PAH involvement is strong and these compounds may play an important role in cancer induction. Finally, since no substantial concentration of carbon monoxide was detected in the aerosol from electronic cigarettes, the users of electronic cigarettes are at no increased risk of cardiovascular disease or adverse effects from this combustion related toxicant. In conclusion, EMI claims that the agents known to produce deleterious effects in tobacco smokers, including TSNAs, PAHs, carbon monoxide and tar, are not present in the particular electronic cigarettes tested. The authors of the report state, “the users of electronic cigarettes are at no increased risk of adverse health effects as compared to the users of conventional tobacco burning cigarettes. Based on this review, we contend that the reduction in tobacco risk with the use of electronic cigarettes is substantial and positive.” For a copy of the EMI report and more information, please contact the Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Association (SFATA) at 218-22SFATA or info@sfata.org. SFATA is the voice of the electronic cigarette industry. It is the only advocacy group in the industry that represents manufacturers, distributors, retailers and stakeholders. SFATA is committed to cohesive, self-regulated industry promotion, education and outreach at the consumer, legislative, and regulatory levels. Visit www.SFATA.org for more information.

The recently chartered Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Association (SFATA) is actively it looking to introduce its program and attract new members. SFATA is the only association in the smoke free alternatives industry that represents a wide cross section of all segments including distributors, manufacturers, retailers, and end users in order to address a wide variety of consumer matters including tobacco regulation and its possible extension to vaporizing devices. SFATA argues that e-cigs are vaporizing devices that do not possess the same chemical and physical characteristics as tobacco products and therefore should not be deemed as “tobacco products" and regulated as such. Rules and regulations applied to "tobacco products" would be inappropriate for vaporizing devices as the two are distinctly different on many levels including inhalation and filtering processes, chemical compound development, and toxicity. Association goals aim to streamline processes, impact free and fair trade through self- regulation, and alleviate misinformation by providing cohesive industry support for consumer affairs. SFATA self regulatory goals are set to: 1) provide the tools necessary for regulators, industry specialists, and consumers to make informed decisions; 2) increase interest, education, and advocacy for proposed and new legislation and Federal Drug Administrations (FDA) regulation; and 3) improve testing, promote uniform manufacturing procedures, and established guidelines for the future of the industry. As the smoke free alternatives industry continues to grow exponentially, estimated at over 1 billion in sales this year alone, pressure from special interests groups have presented new challenges and the FDA’s attempts to stay abreast of the emerging market and its affect on consumer interests have become confused and disjointed. Questions remain regarding what information is available, from and to whom, how data and research are being gathered, digested, and disseminated and what standards fit the bill. SFATA is the only advocacy group that provides the necessary industry expertise to determine appropriate consumer protective measures that satisfy both consumer and industry interests. SFATA services, independent research, data, quality control measures and GMP’s are available to members while grass roots resources and information are available to the public free of charge. Founded in March, SFATA has raised substantial funds and has outlined an extensive and aggressive recruitment program. Programs are to be instituted and followed by all members and include stringent standards, best practices, responsible sales and quality control. These are demonstrated on all levels including basic membership requirements that address consumer concerns. Member products do not exceed 2.4% nicotine content; provide childproof caps and shrink-banding for e-liquid products; list accurate and current product labeling; add nicotine warnings on all packaging and on website; note California Prop 65 warning on websites and labels; put lot or batch codes on liquids and cartridges; list expiration dates on e-liquids and cartridges; list nicotine content by percentage; note proper classification of imports for U.S. Customs; are not marketed to children; make no health claims; and do not promote first time buyer auto-ship program. For more information on SFATA, please contact 218-22SFATA or info@sfata.org.