American Heart Association presses for strict federal controls on e-cigarettes

The Washington Times ^ | August 26, 2014 | Cheryl K. Chumley

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The American Heart Association says e-cigarettes are dangerous gateway products that cause nicotine addiction and should be subject to strict federal controls for minor-aged use.

The group published its statement into the journal Circulation. Among its views: Ban e-cigarettes for minors, tightly regulate the product’s marketing and ban vapors that have flavors because they entice youngsters to try the product, Medical News Today reported.

[DJ MacWoW]

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[TigersEye]

There are both good and bad potential health affects from nicotine.

Smoking Associated With Lower Parkinson's Disease Risk

They suspect both nicotine and carbon monoxide may impart the protective effect.

Nicotine Speeds Lung Cancer

They are not saying that nicotine causes lung cancer but that it will speed it up if it occurs.

5 Health Benefits of Smoking

[SpaceBar]

The following opinion piece is from twelve years ago, but is still as relevant as the day it was written...

The Phony Tobacco War

[jjsheridan5]

Are they going to go after the smart asses who are standing around in public getting stoned from their THC e-cigs, too?

The marajuana is quite noticeable. Having been around it (outside of bars, no less), it stinks, like a cross between pot, a skunk, and an open sewer, and can be smelt from dozens of feet away. People doing this who think they are being stealthy are simply fooling themselves.

[jjsheridan5]

They are not saying that nicotine causes lung cancer but that it will speed it up if it occurs.

This, IIRC, is a somewhat controversial study. First, it was in vitro, and, often, what happens in a petri dish, stays in a petri dish, so to speak. Second, apparently they used extremely large amounts of nicotine (far more than any cell would ever see, in practice). Third, there has never been any actual study that shows that this occurs in practice (even though nicotine is probably the most studied chemical on earth). Finally, it is a scare headline only -- how many otherwise healthy chemicals (or even vitamins) would, in an in vitro study, speed up cancer?

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

There’s zero evidence that nicotine itself is harmful (in cigarette-sized doses). That’s why some governments even subsidize nicotine patches, or nicotine inhalers, to get people off tobacco products. An e-cigarette is more like a nicotine inhaler, than it is like a cigarette. Nicotine is actually helpful in some ways — depending on how much is used, it can be either a stimulant or a mild sedative. It also suppresses the appetite — perhaps if more people used e-cigarettes, the obesity rate would drop.

[TigersEye]

This, IIRC, is a somewhat controversial study.

That may be true. It indicates that there is a possibility though.

Finally, it is a scare headline only -- how many otherwise healthy chemicals (or even vitamins) would, in an in vitro study, speed up cancer?

I don't know but if they aren't in cigarette smoke it would be a non-sequitur to this subject.

[jjsheridan5]

I am not a smoker, never have been. What are the dangers of nicotine addiction if tobacco is not ingested?

It is very debatable that nicotine is addictive, if ingested on its own. It is possible that there may be a minor addiction to nicotine that forms from ingesting nicotine along with the thousands of other chemicals in tobacco, those added during the curing process, and, especially, if combustion occurs. But no study has ever shown that nicotine, ingested on its own, is in any way addictive. Only six studies of "never-smoked" people has been done where they have ingested nicotine over a prolonged period, keeping their serum levels of nicotine to the same level as a smoker. In all six studies, none of the participants had any withdrawal symptoms, nor did any go on to voluntarily seek out nicotine afterwards. Even for smokers, the physical withdrawal effects are minor (nothing like the real addictions like heroin or alcohol, where the withdrawal period is potentially fatal).

As far as dangers, the primary danger is that it is a mild stimulant, and a vasoconstrictor, which may be problematic for some people. Other than that, despite the millions of man-hours wasted on studying this chemical (at a guess), nicotine poses little real danger.

[Lazamataz]

I like the CDC on most topics, but they get whacky on nicotine issues.

[dainbramaged]

I remember the good old days when you could smoke a cigarette in the waiting room of a doctor’s office, or even in your hospital bed. I’ve done both, including bumming a smoke from the nurse. No cigars or pipes, please.

[jjsheridan5]

That may be true. It indicates that there is a possibility though.

Of course it is a possibility. And there is a possibility that nicotine slows down cancer. It is possible that nicotine has no effect. In vitro studies can point you to further areas of research, and no more.

I don't know but if they aren't in cigarette smoke it would be a non-sequitur to this subject.

Not really. People read the headline "Nicotine Speeds up Cancer", and they don't necessarily understand the context. The context is that that statement means almost nothing, as a practical matter, except possibly to provide another area of research. This is not a "non-sequitur" -- the headline is designed to scare people unnecessarily, by not providing context. A non-scare headline would be more along the lines of "We have no idea what nicotine's effect is on lung cancer". You say "speeds up cancer", and most people will naturally assume that you mean in cancer patients, not in a petri dish.

[TigersEye]

In vitro studies can point you to further areas of research, and no more.

Yep.

I guess you don't know what non-sequitur means. Oh well.

[whinecountry]

You’d be surpised, or maybe not, by how many people I encounter who think that the nicotine in cigarettes is what causes cancer. I gave up a 25-year habit of unfiltered Camels a year ago by switching to e-cigs.

[EnquiringMind]

So many people I know have been able to quit smoking, only with the help of these. Are they out of their minds????

[Jewbacca]

To my knowldege, nicotine alone has very little, if any, effect on the heart.

Sure it’s a stimulant, and would temporarily increase BP, but so what?

[jjsheridan5]

I guess you don't know what non-sequitur means. Oh well.

LOL, I know what "non-sequitor" means. What I didn't really see was where you saw one, so I guessed (obviously incorrectly). What were you referring to?

[eXe]

Yup, this is all about control. Their test case was smoking, they threw every penny and every fear mongering story at it to kill it off, then an alternative comes along, but the alternative scares them, because and I quote “It could normalize smoking again because it LOOKS like smoking”

I saw that exact quote on an anti tobacco site when these things were new.

The good part is its going to be very hard to regulate these things.. you cant even tell someone is using one if they hold in the vapor. Also they can be easily modified and made. Suck it nanny staters.

[5th MEB]

Been rolling my own (tobacco only, not a dope smoker)since California increased the taxes back in the 80’s “FOR THE CHILDREN”.
Thought about the e-ciggs, but I guess I got addicted to the ritual of “takin out the makins and takin my time” for a smoke.

[certrtwngnut]

My wife had a doctor who smoked in his office while he was discussing her pregnancies. He was at that time in his sixties. He was unfortunately killed in a car accident. I guess that means you never know how & when you will go.