New Research Lights Up Success Of E-Cigarettes

[TroopX]

August 3, 2011

New research lights up success of e-cigarettes

As electronic cigarettes become a more popular means of quitting conventional cigarettes, studies pointing to their efficacy are accumulating. In an online survey of nearly 3,600 subjects who were recruited from either e-cigarette-related web sites or smoking cessation sites that have nothing to do with e-cigarettes, researchers from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Geneva found that a large majority of the responders who had quit reported that e-cigarettes helped them get off cigarettes.

And, in an entry for his blog tobaccoanalysis.com, ACSH advisor Dr. Michael Siegel, professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, discusses the study results, which were published in the journal Addiction. Among e-cigarette users who used the devices to quit smoking, four out of five said they fear they would return to smoking cigarettes if the electronic nicotine delivery devices were banned.

Despite the study’s positive conclusions regarding the use of e-cigarettes as effective smoking cessation devices, some prominent public health organizations continue to rail against the alleged dangers of allowing these products on the market. But people who rely on science, not simply feelings, are frustrated by such fervent opposition, says ACSH’s Dr. Gilbert Ross. “Those who want to ban e-cigarettes and refuse to investigate the potential of harm reduction are adhering to a discredited dogma, which is frustrating to scientists such as Dr. Siegel.”

A ban on e-cigarettes is hypocritical and illogical,” adds ACSH’s Dr. Josh Bloom, “especially since Congress has allowed companies to legally sell harmful or useless (and untested) products, such as dietary supplements. But all of a sudden, regulators are worried about the safety of e-cigarettes? How about considering the known and serious risk of real cigarettes in the equation? Any minor safety concerns about e-cigarettes are dwarfed by the real risk of smoking. Why people who are supposedly acting in the interest of public health can’t grasp this simple concept is a mystery to me.”

Dr. Siegel sums up the issue very nicely:

Thus, promoting the removal of electronic cigarettes from the market pending further research and recommending that people refrain from using the product pending further research are both strategies that will almost invariably cause substantial health harm to the population.

From: http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.2883/news_detail.asp

[joe2003]

YAY Finally someone gets it!!!

Thanks Troop nice find

[Blakeab84]

Agreed, nice find Troop. What more will it take to make them feel different though? No matter what is done or proven, I think it won't change the way some of them feel. It seems almost as if they are dead set on electronic cigarettes being the worst thing.

[nana]

Very nice find, Troop. Good news!! I agree with what Dr. Josh Bloom said (second to last paragraph) since that's what I've been saying for almost two years now. LOL!!

[mjradik]

Nice article. Right now any research done must compare e-cigs to real cigs. Since e-cigs are so new, relatively speaking, I bet there are very very few vaporer's that have never smoked before. but I'm sure its going to happen in the future as they become more popular. My biggest concern is not that e-cigs will become illegal, because I doubt they ever will, but that they will be regulated and taxed, and the price will shoot up. I'm sure thats bound to happen over time. The fact of the matter is, nicotine is legal, PG is legal and safe, VG is legal and safe, so how can they outlaw it with out also outlawing analogs or 'the patch' or nicotine gum?

[DannyBoyfromWashington]

good find.