Although electronic cigarettes have recently been marketed as a safer alternative to traditional smokes, a new analysis of 19 types of the e-cigarettes revealed that they contain toxic chemicals. The FDA has classified the devices as combination drug/medical devices, prohibiting their import, but hasn’t removed them from American shelves. Opponents of e-cigarettes hope the findings will spur the FDA to take more stringent action against the devices.
The results of the FDA’s new analysis, which were announced yesterday, revealed that although e-cigarettes don’t burn tobacco, the devices contain substances known to be toxic, such as diethylene glycol, a component of antifreeze that proved deadly when it was illegally added to toothpaste. They also contain nitrosamines, known carcinogens found in tobacco smoke. The findings, which were announced on Wednesday, contradict claims by electronic cigarette manufacturers that their products are safe alternatives to tobacco and contain little more than water vapor, nicotine and propylene glycol, which is used to create artificial smoke in theatrical productions. When heated, the liquid produces a vapor that users inhale through the battery-powered device [The New York Times].
Most of the cigarettes are manufactured in China, and the FDA has halted more than 50 shipments into the United States–but that hasn’t made the devices unavailable in the United States. Health advocates note that the devices are sometimes marketed towards children because they come in flavors like bubblegum, chocolate and mint. E-cigarettes could get children hooked on nicotine and serve as a gateway to tobacco, says Jonathan Winickoff, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Tobacco Consortium… He notes that the products are sold online and at shopping malls, where their marketing videos are seen by children and teens…. [Additionally], seeing adults use them in public places that are normally smoke-free could make kids think that smoking — of any kind — is normal and safe [USA Today].
E-cigarette manufacturer Smoking Everywhere, however, says the FDA lacks the jurisdiction to control the sale of the cigs because they are not marketed as a product to help people quit smoking; the company sued the agency in April in an effort to stop the border seizures. And the Electronic Cigarette Association, an industry trade group, said in a statement that the F.D.A.’s testing was too “narrow to reach any valid and reliable conclusions” and that its members sell and market their products only to adults [The New York Times]. The FDA has not said if, or how, the results of the analysis will affect the agency’s practices and policies toward e-cigarette manufacturers.
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Image: flickr / Saudi…
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:18 pm
It’s sickening that the FDA allows drugs like chantrix to be sold to stop smoking.It’s already proven itself to be a dangerous substance,people have become suicidal on that drug.
That same agency wants to stop me from harming myself accoriding to them by stopping my use of a personal fog machine mixed with nicotone,flavorings and propelene glycol.
If this gets taken away from me I’ll just go back to smoking regular cigarettes.
Surely with the 400 plus chemicals in those including MAOI inhibitors,arsenic and tar I’m not harming myself.
The FDA could care less about me,they just want more power to tell me what I can or can’t put in my body.
Regarding Diethylene Glycol:
Looking at the Health New Zealand study1, the presence of Diethylene Glycol was not tested for. They seem to have based their tests on manufacturer ingredient lists and known tobacco carcinogens.
So what is Diethylene Glycol? The MSDS2 shows that chronic exposure to Diethylene Glycol can cause lesions on the liver and kidneys, as well as damage to the same organs. In the case of inhalation, the only first aid recommended is removal from the source to fresh air. The toxicalogical information is as follows:
Quote:
Oral rat LD50: 12565 mg/kg. Skin rabbit LD50: 11.89 g/kg Irritation: eye rabbit, standard Draize: 50 mg mild. Investigated as a tumorigen and reproductive effector.
——–\Cancer Lists\——————————————————
—NTP Carcinogen—
Ingredient Known Anticipated IARC Category
———————————— —– ———– ————-
Diethylene Glycol (111-46-6) No No None
This shows that Diethylene Glycol is not a known carcinogen, nor is it expected to be found as one in the future. In addition, the dose required to kill half of the sample of rats tested is 12.565 g/kg and 11.89 g/kg for rabbits. Assuming this can be extended to humans, an average adult male would have to ingest 855.925 g to receive a lethal dose.
Is Diethylene Glycol the main ingredient in antifreeze? The EPA3 has this to say about antifreeze variations:
Quote:
Antifreeze typically contains ethylene glycol as its active ingredient, but some manufacturers market propylene glycol-based antifreeze, which is less toxic to humans and pets. The acute, or short-term, toxicity of propylene glycol, especially in humans, is substantially lower than that of ethylene glycol. Regardless of which active ingredient the spent antifreeze contains, heavy metals contaminate the antifreeze during service. When contaminated, particularly with lead, used antifreeze can be considered hazardous and should be reused, recycled, or disposed of properly.
Ethylene Glycol is the main ingredient in antifreeze. While straight antifreeze is toxic, the main hazard is from used antifreeze, which absorbs heavy metals.
What about Nitrosamines? Nitrosamines are carcinogens. Tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) are found in the liquid used by Ruyan in their cartridges. According to the Health New Zealand report1, the amount increases with the amount of nicotine, and the average is 3.928 Ng (or parts per billion [ppb]). The breakdown is as follows:
Quote:
Nitrosamines
0mg – 0.260 Ng (ppb)
6mg – 3.068 Ng
11mg – 4.200 Ng
16mg – 8.183 Ng
The highest amount found was in 16mg liquid, which had an average of 8.183 Ng. In comparison, Nicorette Gum (which is approved as an NRT) contains about 8 Ng. To put that number into perspective, Swedish moist snuff contains between 1000 and 2400 ppb nitrosamines, and unburned tobacco from cigarettes contains around 1230 ppb.
Study Links here
http://www.healthnz.co.nz/2ndSafetyReport_9Apr08.pdf
http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/o8764.htm
http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/antifree.htm#alternate
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Smoking *is* normal, it’s just not safe. A large chunk of the human population smokes. That makes it as normal as pretty much anything else we do. Many things of which are not safe. Skydiving – not very safe. Motorcycles – not very safe. Owning guns – not very safe (statistically speaking, anyway).
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Smoking is not a natural part of the human life cycle, that is unless it is the end of it.
July 24th, 2009 at 7:29 am
I just want to know what, if any, effects the diethylene glycol/propylene glycol have on the body when they are inhaled vs. being absorbed the same way it is absorbed in toothpaste? is it worse than cigarette smoke or is it negligable?
July 24th, 2009 at 9:48 am
This is a load of hooey. The FDA used a nicotrol inhaler as the test control. If they compared an e-cig with a normal cig, the results would’ve been totally different.
I smoked for more than 10 years and now I’ve completely stopped smoking normal cigarettes. I can breathe easier and no longer cough. I’ve tried patches, nicotine gum, you name it! This is the best invention since sliced bread and I’m glad that I purchased a good unit.
July 24th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Politics or science?
They make flavors therefore they are selling to kids? Yeah, I don’t know any adults that like the taste of chocolate! Saying it’s not natural or normal is semantic. If they are safer than regular cigarettes (and how couldn’t they be?) then they should be allowed to be sold.
July 24th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
The FDA are being very ’selective’ in what they are saying about Diethylene glycol. Sure, it is used in coolants, such as car anti-freeze. Diethylene glycol is also widely used as a humectant, a moisturizer, for tobacco, which is probably where it came from in the nicotine being used for those Ecigs, and easily eliminated if required to. BUT, it is also used in skin cream and lotions, deodorants, cough syrup, toothpaste, and mouthwash, and to make sweet wines. The nitrosamines come from flu-cured tobacco, and easily eliminated. Yes, nicotine is addictive, as is caffeine, neither of which have been causally linked to any disease. Indeed both are used to treat diseases. Anti-smokers have taken over the FDA and are now waging a similar campaign against Ecigs of obfuscation, misinformation, and outright junk science lies, to deliberately promulgate false fears by implied association in the minds of the public, based on nothing at all. The FDA lies about a lot of other products too.
July 27th, 2009 at 7:07 am
Yes, I agree with Steve Hartwell. The FDA lies about the potency of many of the products that it approves. I don’t understand why Americans quickly acquit the FDA when the FDA supposedly makes “mistakes”.
August 1st, 2009 at 9:50 pm
I will not repeat what Raven said because it was said so well. I will touch on the ‘Candy flavors will get children addicted’ nonsense.
First of all, ecigarettes are offered in various flavors in order for the smoker to find a niche, not to lure children in from the playground. Secondly, I doubt ANY child, even a working teen has an extra 150.00 to plunk down on an ecigarette starter kit. Unlike regular cigarettes, a parent would not have 199 more (from a carton of 200 tobacco cigarettes) electronic cigarettes lying around to go missing at the hands of a curious teen without notice. As a matter of fact it was my TEEN that found the ecig and introduced me to the concept through an internet search after many fruitless years of trying to quit.
I find it offensive that everytime our government want to BS the people, they parade the children of the nation out. If the attraction for children is a factor all cigarettes should immediately be removed from all store shelves. When picking my teenaged son up from high school, I see numerous kids’ smoking in the parking lot and in their cars. Most of those cigarettes are just plain old Marlboros, a lot more affordable at 5 bucks a pack than an ecig.
Kids will do what kids will do to rebel until they find something better to do. Our educational system has drastically cut down on the number of teenaged smokers. IF kids were going to smoke to be cool, I would prefer them to grab an ecig than a tobacco cig, giving them a chance at a longer life.
FDA I call BS!!! I am grateful for the ecig, going from 2 packs a day of regular cigarettes to zero. My kid is grateful to the ecig, not because he thinks it would be cool to smoke one but because he thinks it might be cool to have his mom around for a few extra years.
BTW I also found it very cool today to realize that apples do indeed STILL smell like apples. A sign of some of the damage being reversed.
August 2nd, 2009 at 6:12 am
One simply MUST be wary of the motivation behind the campaign to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes in the United States. Actual foul smelling, cancer-causing paper-wrapped tobacco combustion devices WILL cause the deaths of over 400,000 Americans this year, as they do every year. Why should our government want to prevent the 100,000 of us (so far) who have used the e-cig to completely quit or significantly reduce our smoking habit from choosing a safer way to receive our doses of nicotine?
If a news reporter would go past the FDA press release and dig into the science of the study, she would find that the actual data shows that the e-cig is orders of magnitude safer than the analog alternative produced by Big Tobacco. In fact, the FDA didn’t compare the safety of the e-cig to an actual cigarette, but to a nicotine inhaler. As it turns out, the facts presented in the study tell us that the two products are equally safe.
I plan to exercise my certain unalienable Right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness by breaking up with Big Tobacco and hooking up with vaporized liquid nicotine. I would appreciate it if Uncle Sam minds his own business.
The scariest words in the universe – “we are the Government, and we are here to protect you.”
August 11th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
The lab report states that they found a chemical (diethylene glycol) at a miniscule amount of less than 1% from 1 specific cartridge from 1 specific flavor from 1 specific brand of Electronic Cigarette. (No other cartridges had any of this chemical), the same brand that is currently SUING the FDA for stealing their shipments without authority – SmokingEverywhere (Jeez i wonder if there is a connection there)…
Less than 1% was found… WHATS THE MARGIN OF ERROR??
Secondly the other chemicals found that are apparently toxic are nitrosamine’s… These are nicotine deritives that are already found and known to be in real cigarettes and these were only found in LESS than HALF of the cartridges tested.
This means that about half of the cartridges tested contained NO TOXIC SUBSTANCES and 99% tested were safer than real cigarettes. Yet they are marketing the conclusion that all ecigs are dangerous? Where does this come from… if you even read the report they specifically point out this is not their conclusion.
Johnny Blaze
August 12th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
dont trust the FDA BS. Eciggs are a revolutionary product which every smoker will want to try and this jeopardizes the billion dollar industry. i wonder if the politicians are bought out here… ironic?
August 24th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
That is so B.S. Cigarettes are better for you than electronic cigarettes? Give me a break- my Smokeless Delite e-cigarette is the best thing i have ever purchased!
August 29th, 2009 at 11:25 am
It seems that the FDA is focused on stating that the diethylene glycol (DEG) they found in my e-cigarette is found in anti-freeze which is scary, to say the least. But a simple search of DEG on google and I found that tobacco companies use it as a humectant to promote moisture retention in their product. However, I cannot find anything that states the amount of DEG (byproduct?) found in tobacco. I would like to research it a little more but it boils down to me that a regular cigarette is worse than my electronic one AND I can get one with no nicotine. How is that bad?
September 12th, 2009 at 4:37 am
As I am sure will be the case in months and years to come with many more smokers, I have only recently come to find out about ecigs. I am trying at length to research more about them as they sound like a miracle product, but I must remain somewhat leery as I am still learning about them. I appreciate the very detailed and educated testimonials on this page and am wondering if anyone could recommend a good product at a good price. Personally, I smoke Camel Lights and am NOT a fan of menthol or flavored cigarettes traditionally. If anyone could recommend a specific brand of ecig and maybe a flavor or two that I might be ok with, it would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks so much :)
September 15th, 2009 at 5:29 am
http://www.bluecig.org i love mine. the java flavor’s awesome. well all of em are really
September 15th, 2009 at 5:38 am
All I can say is wow why put a poisoness substance in your body to kill you slowly it does not make since to me God did not create your body to suck up toxcins . Wake up people this is rich people getting rich and they don’t care about your health think about your kids your family and God. Check this out what the Bible says: The use of tobacco injures health and defiles the body. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17.
Nicotine is an addictive substance that enslaves people. Romans 6:16 says that we become servants to whomever (or whatever) we yield ourselves. Tobacco users are servants of nicotine. Jesus says, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:10.
The tobacco habit is unclean. “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17. It is really preposterous to think of Christ using tobacco in any form, isn’t it?
The use of tobacco wastes money. “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?” Isaiah 55:2. We are God’s stewards of the money given us, and “it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:2.
The use of tobacco never draws anyone closer to Christ. “Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” 1 Peter 2:11. Tobacco use is a fleshly lust.
The use of tobacco shortens life. Recent scientific findings confirm the fact that the use of tobacco often shortens the life span by as much as one-third. This breaks God’s command against killing (Exodus 20:13). Even though it is slow murder, it is still murder. One of the best ways to postpone your funeral is to quit using tobacco. If you care about your health please look at this website you will be blessed that God cares about your health take care and God bless. http://www.amazingfacts.org/FreeStuff/BibleStudies/StudyGuides/tabid/105/ctl/ViewMedia/mid/453/IID/2-13/LNG/en/SC/R/Default.aspx?7=God’s-Free-Health-Plan
September 24th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Where do you get off posting clips from the bible. Ok ciggarettes are our crutch and religion is yours.
September 26th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I just ordered some from the Smoking Everywhere and I will see if it “feeds the monkey.”
–I fail to see how it can be any worse than regular smoking.
Here is a key point NOT touched upon:
Although the government SAYS they want us to quit–They can’t AFFORD for us to quit!
-The new Kids health program State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) (http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/wm1548.cfm)
is funded by smokers so (unfortunately) the government has a HUGE incentive to find these “harmful.” Don’t want to get out my “Tin Foil Cap” just yet but…….
September 30th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
I believe there won’t be enough people converting to electronic cigs to make the government worry too much about the loss in tax dollars. But I do believe that this is a great alternative. I tried one and I am currently waiting for my e-cigs to arrive. I have constant lung problems from smoking. Anything that will reduce the problems even slightly or the smallest fraction you can think of is enough for me to switch,Since I haven’t been able to quit and I have been trying for about 8 years and smoked about 11 years.. Besides no smell really helps alot I hate smoking in the car. Even if it isn’t going to help my lung problems it still will provide a nice way to get nicotine.
October 1st, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Having smoked 40 years , I tried E-ciggs . Tobacco then apple flavor . I take very few ” puffs ” , no more regular cigarettes . I feel better & no tobacco smell !
October 11th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
im going to give it a try, you dont think the fda would steer us wrong, i mean they dont care about the billions of dollars in tax revenue they receive or the billions of dollars for cancer treatments and cures, yeah right, as far as god goes, i will smoke, molesting alter boys just dont appeal to me as a stop smoking aid
October 24th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
I purchased two brands at my local tobacco store: Ehealth and Elektro. I prefer Elecktro ecig out of the two. I am going on two weeks without regular smoking. I love the “no stink” of smoke on me. I found that purchasing online was much cheaper. If you decide to do ecigs in order to quit smoking, make sure to purchase enough cartridges to keep you going. I started with 8 mg, then 4mg and working towards 0 mg. Elektro also has the built in vaporizer in each cartridge so no need to replace or clean. Good luck to all who seek to quit.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
The FDA is not too concerned with getting the real tobacco cigs off of the market are they? As usual, they are in it for the money and could care less about our health.
Green Smokes are the e-cigs I have found to be the best. I have been going strong for 2 months and am able to breath and exercise the way I was able to before smoking!
November 9th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
I just got some electronic cigarettes in the mail from England.
Along with a jar of acai berry pills?!
I have never smoked, or used acai berries, or signed up to receive such things.
I find it appalling that the cigarette industry is so desperate that they will resort to junk mail with electronic cigarettes in it.
There needs to be legislation to stop people from sending drugs in the mail.
November 16th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
I have just read the cough mixture I am taking for the smokers cough that I have and what do you know it has diethylene glycol in it! I just ordered Green Smoke and we are really excited to give them a go! FDA go suck an egg!
November 22nd, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Excuse me Brandon, but why is it you posted that on this site? The comments left are going over the effects of ecigs on a body as oppossed to the effects of real cigs on a body. Many people, as I am, are forced to ponder this. You are correct in that it is preferable to not put any toxins in ones body, but you are not taking into consideration how this product is being used. Some are using it to continue using nicotine without smoking tobacco, and some are using it to ween themselves off of nicotine in general. I use it as a failsafe. I’m in the long process of quitting smoking, and I use this product when I am forced to decide between keeping up not smoking and running to the corner store to get my fix.
This conversation is secular, why bring ancient monotheism into it? I can relate to your religion. I am a smoker, and I know how it feels to need a “crutch” in life. In other words, I view my disgusting smoking habit similarly to your abhorrent religious condition. Both causes us to needlessly bother others: me in my smoking in public and you with your shoveling ancient myths down the throats of people while having a logic-based discussion. I usually let things like this go by without remark from me. I am not one to push my beliefs on others, but it seems christians have this horrible habit of wanting to save the world (though ironically they want the world to end, just read revelations) and yours was so absurd that I felt the need to remark upon it. You cannot understand my need to put toxins in my body, and I cannot understand your psychological need to follow the traditions of a religion founded by a guy talking to a burning bush. Lets leave it at that.
From now on, lets keep the topic on gycol and nitrosamines.