Article by Julie-Ann Amos

Comparing The Chemicals Of E Cigs Vs. Smoking Tobacco – Health – Quit Smoking

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A few years ago, in July of 2009, the FDA released a study that somewhat supports what e cig fans have been shouting since the very beginning. It seems that, according to the study, electronic cigarettes may actually be safer than traditional smoking tobacco cigarettes.

For more than half a decade, scientists working in independent laboratories have said e cigs are safer. However, the FDA has been reluctant to acknowledge the existence of such research.

So What Does The FDA Acknowledge?

According to the 2009 study, trace amounts of tobacco specific impurities and nitrosamines were discovered in a limited number of tests conducted on two specific e cigarette brands. You may recognize the term nitrosamines, which may be found in other consumer products like beer and bacon.

It is important to note that trace amounts of carcinogens can be found in popular nicotine replacements, such as patches and gums. In addition, you should know that, according to the Center for Disease Control, tobacco cigarettes contain close to four thousand hazardous chemicals. However, both smoking tobacco and nicotine replacement products are FDA approved.

Also reported in the 2009 study was the detection of diethylene glycol, which is a toxic chemical that is found in antifreeze. However, these findings were limited to a single sample. In the report, the FDA failed to mention the level at which the chemical is in fact harmful, nor did they reveal exactly how much was contained in the sample.

The result is a misled public with the bizarre belief electronic cigarettes contain antifreeze. On the contrary, electronic cigarettes do not contain diethylene glycol and how it came to be present in the sample is suspicious to say the least. Yet, the alarm was sounded in spite of the fact that the test was conducted months prior.

Kyle Newton, the owner of eCigarettesChoice, whose products were not a part of the 2009 study, may have put it best when he said, “In effect, the FDA news release was telling the public go smoke tobacco cigarettes, cancer sticks, which are known to kill millions of people while not one death has been recorded as a result of using electronic cigarettesit does not make sense.”

The scare brought on by the FDA led to a large number of cancelled orders for electronic cigarettes. However, once customers took some time to do a little research on the topic, they were calling back to place their orders once again. On their own, consumers learned that the risks of e cigarettes are far outweighed by the many benefits.

The Chemical Truth Revealed

The simple fact of the matter is that nothing out there is one hundred percent safe. Practically everything that the average consumer comes in contact with on a regular basis these days contains trace amounts of hazardous chemicals.

Tobacco Cigarettes

Of the more than four thousand chemicals identified by the CDC that are found in most tobacco cigarettes on the market, forty-three are known carcinogens.

Here are a few from the list, such as:

Ammonia – a powerful household cleanser Angelica Root Extract – causes cancer in animals Arsenic – an ingredient in rat poison Benzene – an ingredient used in synthetic rubber and dye manufacturing Butane – a gas contained in lighter fluid Carbon monoxide – proven poisonous gas Cadmium – found in batteries Cyanide – a known deadly poison DDT – insecticide Ethyl Furoate – known to cause liver damage in some animals Lead – can be poisonous if exposed to high doses Formaldehyde – used to preserve dead things Methoprene – another insecticide Megastigmatrienone – natural chemical that comes from grapefruit juice Maltitol – sweetener used by diabetics Naphthalene – found in mothballs Methyl Isocyanate – released accidentally in the mid-eighties in Bhopal, India, killing two thousand people Polonium – radioactive element known to cause cancerIt is important to note that all of these chemicals are FDA approved for use as food additives, but have not been burn tested.Electronic Cigarettes

Most eLiquids contain either vegetable glycerin or propylene glycol as a primary base combined with water, flavoring and nicotine. The ingredients most commonly found in the eLiquid for use with electronic cigarettes include:

Menthol (menthol flavored eLiquids only) – an organic compound that comes from mint oil or manufactured synthetically Nicotine – an alkaloid from plants of the nightshade family; it is known to be addictive and may be toxic in high doses Organic acid – an organic compound that has acidic properties like citric and lactic acids Propylene Glycol – FDA approved food additive Tobacco Essence (not found in non-tobacco flavored eLiquids) – adds the flavor of tobacco to the eLiquid Vegetable Glycerin – classified by the FDA as a caloric macronutrient among sugar alcohols Water – H2O

Some manufacturers of eLiquid may also include additional food additives, such as:

Alcohol Anti-Oxidation Agent Butyl Valerate Benzyl Benzoate Ethyl Heptylate Geranyl Butyrate Hexyl Hexanoate Isopentyl Hexonate Lauryl Laurate Methyl Octynicate

A number of respected tobacco researchers and prominent doctors have chastised the Food and Drug Administration, demanding that the FDA justify the sounding of the alarm on electronic cigarettes with quality scientific evidence. These doctors include Dr. Brad Rodu the endowed chair for Tobacco Harm Reduction Research at the University of Louisville, Dr. Joel Nitzkin from the AAPHP Tobacco Control Task Force and the Boston University School of Public Health’s Dr. Michael Siegel.

It is important to note that preliminary research has provided evidence that smoking an electronic cigarette is just as effective as nicotine replacement products at offering short-term relief from cravings to smoke. Therefore, it is a priority to study the long-term effects of using e cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool.

The lives of millions of smokers all around the world may be saved by making the switch to electronic cigarettes. It is time the anti-smoking groups and the FDA embrace e cigs, preventing many, many cases of disease and death.

Keep in mind, since there is no long-term data on e cigs, there is no absolute answer when safety is the question. However, supporters of these devices will tell you that electronic cigarettes are by far safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes. In spite of the FDA’s attempt to turn smokers away from e cigarettes, their own tests prove that smoking an e cigarette is considerably safer than smoking tobacco.

About the Author

Learn more about your options for electronic cigarettes at http://www.electroniccigarettesinc.com/.

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Julie-Ann Amos

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electronic cigarettes at http://www.electroniccigarettesinc.com/.

Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines
whereby the original author’s information and copyright must be included.