Was The FDA Wrong About Electronic Cigarette Dangers

Most people have read each side of the debate on the subject of ecigs. On one side, you’ll find the proponents that believe they’re safe to use and an efficient gadget for quitting smoking. On the other end of this debate are the opponents who say the electronic cigarette can be hazardous for the end user and they are worthless as a smoking cessation aid. However, as we all know, when there are two sides of a story the truth is usually someplace in the middle.

This e-cigarette controversy went viral in June of 2009 once the Food and Drug Administration publicized a study declaring they analyzed electronic cigarettes along with their associated product e liquid and determined them to be harmful as they contained chemical substances deemed to be harmful to humans. After the FDA released their study, the e-cig side fired back by hiring the prestigious technical analysis firm Exponent Engineering to examine the FDA analysis and the practices utilized to reach their conclusions. Exponent Engineering found the conclusions reached by the FDA investigation appeared to be unacceptable as the screening methods they applied in their study were far from those required to reach such scientific conclusions.

So currently, over a year later, what exactly have we learned about the safety involving electric cigarettes? Well, essentially nothing at all has changed. Both sides on the argument still declare success but ultimately, the e-cigarette buyer is still in the dark regarding whether the ecig is safe to use and reliable as a stop smoking device. Why don’t we have a closer look at everything that we understand.

In the interest of brevity, I won’t get into detail about how the e-cigarette functions or how it is used. It’s quite simply a nicotine delivery product not unlike the MD prescribed Nicotrol inhaler. It operates by heating and vaporizing a combination of propylene glycol and pure nicotine (e-liquid) when the smoker takes a puff through the device. The Food and Drug Administration’s key point of contention, established incorrect by Exponent Engineering, is that the nicotine containing solution they examined included toxic impurities. The argument concerning this aspect itself is actually not my issue. The most important thing to note here is that the FDA could have, be it intentional or not, discovered a very pertinent point. Why don’t we look at this a little bit further.

In America, just about anything we eat or drink must conform to requirements regulated by government agencies which guarantee our health and safety. We have often seen products which have been recalled through the maker because of the smallest noncompliance with correct production steps. So now let’s think about e-liquid (nicotine mixture used in e-cigs) for the moment. You will find presently no rules or restrictions in place governing its manufacturing, who may produce it, the way it is stored or even its shelf life. In essence, you or I could shop on the world wide web, acquire eliquid ingredients and start preparing it in our basements with no regulation whatsoever. Now for personal use, this may appear acceptable. However, I don’t know of any similar item designed for human inhalation that you may make for yourself let alone for mass consumption as well as sell it on the world wide web. But still, this is just what countless e liquid retailers actually are doing.

Please do not misunderstand me. I am not necessarily stating that e-liquid is in fact dangerous. I am just saying there is a real chance that due to lack of regulation, contaminated eliquid might theoretically land in the hands of an e cig smoker. Now you may wonder about the eliquid that is manufactured by the e cigarette companies themselves? Here once again, we basically have the identical problem. Formulated mainly inside China, there’s absolutely no regulation of any sort concerning how this e liquid is manufactured. Ultimately, it seems those purchasing eliquid should be thinking about that old adage caveat emptor or “Let the buyer beware”.

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