Electronic cigarettes that heat propylene glycol and glycerol, with or without nicotine and flavours, have been found to be safe based on a new meta-analysis of studies:
An update to the Cochrane review on electronic cigarettes [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub3] [DX] has restated the findings of the initial research, which was completed two years ago. It found that e-cigarettes are potentially a valuable smoking cessation aid, although there was not enough evidence to conclude that they helped people quit smoking confidently.
The updated review now also includes observational data from an additional 11 studies which found no serious side-effects from using e-cigs for up to two years. Aside from throat and mouth irritation, which commonly dissipated over time, the review's co-author, Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, said "in the short to medium term, we didn't find any evidence that they were associated with any serious side-effects."
Evidence from two trials found that e-cigarettes helped smokers to quit in the long term, but "the small number of trials, low event rates and wide confidence intervals around the estimates" meant that the researchers could not conclude with confidence that e-cigs helped smokers quit more than other cessation aids.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by quintessence on Friday September 16 2016, @12:29AM
But the degree and type of regulation should be proportional to any problems currently found.
When the FDA takes it upon themselves to institute regulations prior to good research on the subject, it looks like a powergrab rather than anything done for public safety.
Thus far the market has been pretty good about regulating themselves, and it would seem require little more than gentle oversight and truth in labeling, which is more than required for some food.
We don't need a rehash of cyclamates.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 16 2016, @03:47AM
Thus far the market has been pretty good about regulating themselves
Well the FDA could come out and officially say "If you guys do any shit we will regulate the shit out of you".
Sometimes just a threat from Momma is good enough to keep the kids in line _enough_.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by takyon on Friday September 16 2016, @03:51AM
Don't forget that the tobacco companies want regulation of the e-cig industry, in order to push their expensive and disposable versions of the technology and force many of the smaller players shut down. They don't want people refilling with cheap nicotine/flavor liquid.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday September 16 2016, @04:02AM
*to shut down.
Also, dug up my source:
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=7471&cid=183637#commentwrap [soylentnews.org]
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/411658/big-tobaccos-war-vaping-gregory-conley [nationalreview.com]
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/issues/e-cigarettes/ [opensecrets.org]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by sjames on Friday September 16 2016, @06:01AM
Hear! Hear!
Possibly because most ecig vendors in the U.S. are small businesses the industry as a whole has shown proper concern for safety. Advice and perhaps some spot testing and remediation should be more than sufficient.
The part of the new regulations banning vape shop employees from helping customers replace a heating coil (intended to be an end user procedure) claiming it constitutes manufacturing is proof enough that this is nothing more or less than the FDA grabbing power and throwing their weight around for amusement purposes.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 16 2016, @06:24AM
Could they work around that by letting a customer trade in for a new vape, repairing it, then reselling it?
(Score: 2) by sjames on Friday September 16 2016, @07:02AM
No. If they repair it, they are a "manufacturer" and must meet a ton of additional requirements.
And that's just for replacing or even cleaning the expendable heating coil that is intended to be replaced by the owner.
The closest to a workaround is if another customer volunteers to help or point them to search on youtube for an instructional video.
Imagine if only an FCC certified radio technician was allowed to put a battery in a cellphone for a customer and you'll have some idea of the level of overreach here.
(Score: 2) by archfeld on Friday September 16 2016, @06:38PM
Agreed, a light regulation of proper food grade substances, like someone down the line pointed out would seem sufficient, and maybe a requirement to post how much nicotine or whatever 'active' ingredient is in the mix. I just foresee big tobacco getting into the mix and putting so much crap into them to force the issue and get the competition crippled.
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