E-Cigarettes
The Smoke-Free Marin Coalition position on E-Cigarettes
“The Smoke-Free Marin Coalition does not endorse e-cigarettes, E-cigars or e-pipes as nicotine delivery devices since they have not been proven to be a healthy alternative to conventional tobacco products, according to scientific evidence.”
Question: Are E-Cigarettes, short for “electronic cigarettes” safe to use, or hazardous to human health, even though a federal court ruled (January 14, 2010) that the Food and Drug Administration cannot regulate E-Cigarettes?
Websites developed by the E-cigarette industry, claim that these are health products. The Smoke-Free Marin Coalition suggests that consumers do their research beyond the industry’s claims. Consumers should make informed choices by reading the public health perspective on E-Cigarettes. E-cigarettes are illegal, for health and safety reasons, in several countries, including Brazil, Australia, Hong Kong and Canada. According to a New York Times (June 1, 2009) article, E-cigarette users inhale liquid nicotine and propylene glycol, a liquid that is used in anti-freeze solutions and in brake and hydraulic fluids. The material data safety sheet for propylene glycol states that chronic exposure of that substance may cause “reproductive and fetal effects,” “central nervous system depression,” damage to cell membranes, and possible seizures.
E-cigarettes also:
- Undermine smoke-free policy efforts;
- Sustain the “normalization of smoking” which is in the interests of the industry, not the consumer;
- Appeal to techno-oriented youth;
- Delay quit attempts.
The Smoke-Free Marin Coalition suggests that consumers wanting to learn more about E-Cigarettes, in order to make an informed decision, check out the following websites, provided here for your convenience:
1. American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_E-Cigarettes_Contain_Toxins_FDA_Analysis_Shows.asp
2. American Lung Association: http://www.lungusa.org/press-room/press-releases/e-cigarettes-action.html
3. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/Script/DisplayPressRelease.php3?Display=1189
4. Americans for Non-Smokers Rights: http://www.no-smoke.org/learnmore.php?id=645
5. Current FDA Updates Regarding E-Cigarettes: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm172906.htm
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