E-cigarette offers new way to smoke
Take a drag of controversy
by Rebekah Scruggs
Issue date: 4/20/09 Section: Connections
Last summer, a Florida tobacco company began advertising the e-cigarette, the digital version of a smoker's best friend. However, according to MCT Campus, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to pull the device from the shelves, deeming it the new drug.
"It is illegal to sell or market them, and the FDA is looking into this," says Rita Chappelle, an FDA spokeswoman.
Invented in China many years ago, the e-cigarette looks, feels, tastes and used like a real cigarette. When a smoker puffs on the stainless steel tube, a computer-aided sensor alerts a heating element that vaporizes a solution in the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette. The vapor, usually containing nicotine, goes through the tube and into the smoker's mouth. There's even a light emitting chip that makes the end of the cigarette glow red when inhaled. The e-cigarette costs around $149 andis rechargable.
Advocates of the e-cigarette say it's a good way to quite smoking because it's not filled with the harmful chemicals that cigarettes are and it doesn't have to contain nicotine at all. The level of nicotine can be adjusted from high to no nicotine. Smokers say the e-cigarette works better than patches and gum because it gives them the feel of real cigarettes. This way, smokers can have an easier time quitting while remaining un-harmful to others around them.
"The mist is mostly water. It has to be better for you than smoking," says Eitan Peer, vice president of the company. "It's been approved by doctors. We've been on Fox News. We've been on the 'Howard Stern Show.' Our spokesmen are Jose Canseco and Danny Bonaduce."
Others opposed to the e-cigarette say it's just a crutch and might reintroduce a smoking culture.
"I understand why people use the nicotine replacement aids," says Serena Chen, regional tobacco policy director of the American Lung Association in California. "But I don't understand why people want to pretend that they're still smoking."
Chen believes people who've quit smoking might start using the e-cigarette and be lured back into smoking.
"If you had a serial killer who liked to stab people, would you give him a rubber knife?" asked Chen. "This just boggles the mind."
"It is illegal to sell or market them, and the FDA is looking into this," says Rita Chappelle, an FDA spokeswoman.
Invented in China many years ago, the e-cigarette looks, feels, tastes and used like a real cigarette. When a smoker puffs on the stainless steel tube, a computer-aided sensor alerts a heating element that vaporizes a solution in the mouthpiece of the e-cigarette. The vapor, usually containing nicotine, goes through the tube and into the smoker's mouth. There's even a light emitting chip that makes the end of the cigarette glow red when inhaled. The e-cigarette costs around $149 andis rechargable.
Advocates of the e-cigarette say it's a good way to quite smoking because it's not filled with the harmful chemicals that cigarettes are and it doesn't have to contain nicotine at all. The level of nicotine can be adjusted from high to no nicotine. Smokers say the e-cigarette works better than patches and gum because it gives them the feel of real cigarettes. This way, smokers can have an easier time quitting while remaining un-harmful to others around them.
"The mist is mostly water. It has to be better for you than smoking," says Eitan Peer, vice president of the company. "It's been approved by doctors. We've been on Fox News. We've been on the 'Howard Stern Show.' Our spokesmen are Jose Canseco and Danny Bonaduce."
Others opposed to the e-cigarette say it's just a crutch and might reintroduce a smoking culture.
"I understand why people use the nicotine replacement aids," says Serena Chen, regional tobacco policy director of the American Lung Association in California. "But I don't understand why people want to pretend that they're still smoking."
Chen believes people who've quit smoking might start using the e-cigarette and be lured back into smoking.
"If you had a serial killer who liked to stab people, would you give him a rubber knife?" asked Chen. "This just boggles the mind."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
E-cigarettes
posted 5/30/09 @ 1:47 AM EST
If the fda wants to do something useful why dont they ban smoking regular cigarettes that they KNOW kill millions every year. I dont agree with them. (Continued…)
roberto
posted 8/24/09 @ 12:17 PM EST
how about to people that want to quite smoking?
are those not as important that the ones that quit and "might be lured back" into smoking?
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