Stop!

You are likely underinformed.

There is an emerging body of press shining something that wishes to be light on the growing popularity of eCigs. Unfortunately, the quality of this coverage often lacks accuracy and objectivity. In all honesty, a good deal of it reads like a terrifying love letter to the trembling masses on behalf of the Nanny State. As a journalist, you might want to avoid that.

Here are some pointers to get you started:

It’s NOT Smoking! I’ve seen plenty of articles that casually refer to what we do as “smoking”. Even in passing, this might give the reader the impression that eCig use is the same as smoking a cigarette. On the contrary, eCig users are best identified as Vapers. As in “People that use a Personal Vaporizer ( PV )”. What we are doing is Vaping. Vapers Vaping Vapor. The FDA did a “study” in 2009. Things have changed! In several articles (ok, most) there is a pattern of relying on an outdated FDA study of eLiquid from two popular manufactures at the time. The study is often used as a means to suggest that we continue to know very little about eCigs and that if people want to be safe they should stick to FDA Approved cessation products (Gums, Patches, Lozenges, etc.). I get it, fear is sexy. However, the industry has since moved on. In fact, within 2 months of the FDA study’s release a Third Party Analysis was commissioned to review the FDA’s methods and findings. At the very least, we can safely say that the FDA’s analysis was incomplete and ultimately showed a bias toward their cessation product of choice. It’s unfortunate, but this opposing side of the coin is rarely referenced along side the FDA Report. (Update: And then, of course, there’s this out of Drexel: Peering through the mist: What does the chemistry of contaminants in electronic cigarettes tell us about health risks? -Igor Burstyn, PhD – July – August 2013) Contact CASAA! THE CONSUMER ADVOCATES FOR SMOKE-FREE ALTERNATIVES ASSOCIATION. I realize that time is not necessarily on your side so, at the very least, take a moment to poke around the CASAA site. An article about eCigs can be easily stunted by pull quotes from Public Health and Elected County Officials who frequently point to a lack of research into the effects, benefits, and risks of vaping. This is probably the most convenient reason given for banning their use or lumping them in with tobacco cigarettes. In reality, there is a growing body of research. It’s like the Wild West Out There (in vapor country)! News reports are keen on pointing out the lack of regulation in the eCig Market. We touched on this by invoking the FDA, but rarely does anyone go into detail. Although no Federal Regulations exist that govern the sale and manufacture of eCigs and related eLiquids, the industry and it’s consumers have stepped up. The American E-Liquid Manufactures Standards Association (AEMSA) was founded to start filling the void of government regulation. As a consumer, I like the idea of being able to shop at a verifiably reputable establishment. I like the option to purchase products I know are manufactured to acceptable standards. Currently, what separates one vendor from the next hinges on customer service, informal street cred, and anecdotal accounts of the quality of their products. Anecdotal accounts, of course, are mainly sourced from YouTube, Social Media, Blogs, and Forum Posts. Although AEMSA is not on a mission to step in as a regulatory body, the prospects of manufacturers and suppliers voluntarily joining an association in an effort to codify, improve, and guarantee the quality of their products is admirable. These actions should be rewarded with fair and researched media coverage. Learn about the devices! The device that’s commonly reported about is what’s colloquially known as a “cig-a-like”. Typically, it’s made up of a battery and a cartomizer. It is made to resemble a tobacco cigarette in both appearance and performance right down to the glowing LED tip when the user takes a draw. It has been posited that recreating the hand-to-mouth experience is fundamental in getting smokers to switch away from tobacco cigarettes. However, the cig-a-like experience will only carry a person so far. It is not uncommon for users to have an underwhelming experience with the quantity and flavor of vapor from a cig-a-like. Although the experience is often positive enough to convince a smoker that vaping is a viable alternative, it has a tendency to fall short of filling the hole left by smoking. This is where we enter the world of Advanced Personal Vaporizers (APVs). An APV is, for all intents and purposes, “The Next Step” for anyone seeking to enhance their vaping experience. APVs are an expanding universe of devices ranging in style, features, and quality. I would expect the world of APVs to be a journalistic gateway into the larger vaping community. This is where we see innovation and creativity. This is where we see independent businesses adding to the diversity and quality of the market. This is where we see the greatest consumer satisfaction, curiosity, and participation. Cig-a-likes are only a fraction of the story. There is ONE Market for eCigs! The ONLY consumers being targeted for eCig sales are existing smokers. ECig companies have no interest in marketing to your children. Suggesting that the cornucopia of eJuice flavors is intended to lure minors into addiction is a misrepresentation. It’s a convenient hook to attract the eyes and hearts of readers but, it simply isn’t true. To the contrary, as a vapor convert, I see my range of options as a reward for quitting cigarettes. I enjoy fruit and coffee flavors. I enjoy them because I can taste them. I can taste them because I quit smoking. If you publish it, we’ll fact check it for you! At this very moment there are members of the vaping community doing their part to hunt down eCig news on television and in print. When these stories contain misrepresentations, flat out lies, and lazy journalism Vapers Will Respond. We will respond with facts and personal experiences. You know, information that should have been included in the original article. Some Common Misrepresentations to Stay Away From:

“One eCig = ‘X’ packs of tobacco cigarettes” – I touched on this in a – I touched on this in a previous post , so I’ll spare you all of the details. But, simply put, every vaper’s experience is slightly different than the next. It should be made clear that this statement is used to highlight the money a user can hope to save down the line. It is not a statement regarding nicotine dosage. Personally, I would like to see it disappear from all eCig marketing.

“Everything Comes From CHINA!” – While almost all of the batteries are made in China, the rest of the tech and eLiquid comes from numerous other sources (including China). Cartomizers, Atomizers, Atomizer Tanks, Carto Tanks, Rebuildable Atomizers (RBA), Mods, eLiquid (and its ingredients), and so on are all available from manufacturers here in the USA. If you’re looking for a real unique piece about eCigs, reach out to one of the vendors in your area. You might just stumble upon one of those Cinderella, American Dream Achieving pieces. Everyone loves a good home-grown come back / hero of Capitalism story.

– While almost all of the batteries are made in China, the rest of the tech and eLiquid comes from numerous other sources (including China). Cartomizers, Atomizers, Atomizer Tanks, Carto Tanks, Rebuildable Atomizers (RBA), Mods, eLiquid (and its ingredients), and so on are all available from manufacturers here in the USA. If you’re looking for a real unique piece about eCigs, reach out to one of the vendors in your area. You might just stumble upon one of those Cinderella, American Dream Achieving pieces. Everyone loves a good home-grown come back / hero of Capitalism story. “Nicotine is a killer” – Studies show that Nicotine is addictive, has mood-altering effects, and “40–60 mg (0.5-1.0 mg/kg) can be a lethal dosage for adult humans” . Honestly, Nicotine makes for a convenient villain. The point that people frequently miss or neglect to mention is that Nicotine absorption is remarkably different between the various delivery methods. Just to point you in the right direction, tobacco cigarettes are known to contain 100+ chemicals that affect how our bodies absorb nicotine. Some of these were intentionally used to enhance absorption, others were used for different reasons. The end result (and goal of cigarette companies) was to produce a product that became increasingly more difficult for a user to live without. Or, in more simple terms, Addictive. Even the least scientific among us are aware of the notion that enhancing the absorption of a mood altering substance might enhance it’s mood altering effects. For example: Snorting Cocaine vs. Smoking Cocaine (Crack). Same drug, enhanced absorption, enhanced effects. All this to say that enhancing the absorption of a drug has a direct effect on how addictive it can be. I can go on and on about this but, as I said before, that’s for another post. The advice here is to look at nicotine in a more clinical light. A basic toxicology study is a good start.

If you’ve managed to read to this point, then thank you and congratulations! There were a lot more words in there than I’d bargained for. Ultimately, I hope this is helpful in your reporting on the known universe of vaping and shining light on misconceptions and hearsay about what might turn out to be a life saving industry.

Oh, and Happy Vaping!

-Alex