Bottom Feeders

I got this spam email, I've xxx'd out most of the name and gotten rid of the links. 

Exxxxxxxx   xxx

Smoking Is Sexy Again.

Looks and Feels like a Real Cigarette

• No Tar
• No Bad Breath
• No Odar [no spell check either]

Try It NOW!

Do I even have to explain why this is so disgusting?  I understand smokers using e-cigs as a less toxic alternative to real cigarettes, but this is marketing smoking as sexy.  That's my big objection.


Here are some excerpts from what Clarence Page, the generally right-on-target Chicago Tribune columnist wrote (today) on this topic:

As a recovering nicotine addict, the rising tide of local bans against puffing in public on electronic cigarettes makes me wonder what lawmakers have been smoking.
By an overwhelming 45-4 vote last week, Chicago's City Council followed New York, Los Angeles and other cities that have passed or are considering limits on e-cigarettes that banish their use in restaurants, bars and most other indoor public places.
Retailers also are required to sell e-cigarettes from behind the counter so that it's harder for minors to get their hands on them.

E-cigarettes are battery-powered fake cigarettes. They contain no tobacco, require no combustion and, after exhaustive health studies, appear to cause no physical harm — compared to real cigarettes, at least.

You can't even call their use "smoking." Some users call it "vaping" for the vapor the devices create by heating up a liquified nicotine mix. When puffed and exhaled, the white, misty vapor resembles smoke — like your breath on a cold day.
By duplicating the rituals of smoking, the devices are designed to help wean users off the nasty habit. . .

You can finish it here.  (He does see marketing this to kids as a problem.)


Here's what WebMD said about e-cigs in 2009.

The FDA, on a page updated 1/10/2014, says:

Electronic Cigarettes (e-Cigarettes)

What are electronic cigarettes? 
Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, are battery-operated products designed to deliver nicotine, flavor and other chemicals.  They turn chemicals, including highly addictive nicotine, into an aerosol that is inhaled by the user.


Most e-cigarettes are manufactured to look like conventional cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some resemble everyday items such as pens and USB memory sticks.

E-cigarettes have not been fully studied so consumers currently don’t know:

• the potential risks of  e-cigarettes when used as intended,
• how much nicotine or other potentially harmful chemicals are being inhaled during use, or
• if there are any benefits associated with using these products.

Additionally, it is not known if e-cigarettes may lead young people to try other tobacco products, including conventional cigarettes, which are known to cause disease and lead to premature death.

FDA Regulation of e-Cigarettes

Only e-cigarettes that are marketed for therapeutic purposes are currently regulated by the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER).  The FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) currently regulates

• cigarettes,
• cigarette tobacco,
•  roll-your-own tobacco, and
• smokeless tobacco.

FDA intends to issue a proposed rule extending FDA’s tobacco product authorities beyond the above products to include other products like e-cigarettes. For further details, please see the Unified Agenda entry describing this rulemaking.

eCigarettes and Adverse Events

What is an Adverse Event?
An adverse event is an undesirable side effect or unexpected health or product quality problem that an individual believes was caused by the use of a tobacco product.
Reporting an Adverse Event
Anyone can report an adverse event to the FDA. In fact, these reports help us identify safety concerns with tobacco products that could cause health or safety problems beyond those normally associated with tobacco product use.

Please report adverse events with e-cigarettes via: 

• The HHS Safety Reporting Portal or
• By calling 1-800-FDA-1088