Professional Documents
Culture Documents
presented to
Overview
What are e-cigarettes?
What are the challenges?
How is the public health community
responding to the challenges?
What is your role as a journalist?
Selected resources for more information
Tank
Tank systems
Larger devices
Heated with
batteries voltage
varies
Users fill tank with
liquid nicotine, or eliquid
Powerful
Big nicotine kick
Tank
Mods
Some terminology
E-cigarette (EC)
Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS)
Vapour
Vape
Vaper
Vaping
E-juice
An explosion of brands
A proliferation of flavours
Internet search of EC websites (2012 and 2013/2014)
466 brands (each with its own website)
7,764 unique flavours
Net increase of 242 new flavours and 10 new
brands per month over the 17 months between 1st
and 2nd search
Zhu, SH Tob Control 2014;23
Content analysis:
e-cigarette websites
100
90
80
70
95
95
93
88
76
73
71
64
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
44
32
31
22
22
http://www.vapestick.co.uk/e-cigarette-blog/indian-celebrities-join-electroniccigarettes-vapeolution
CHALLENGES
Challenges
Safety not scientifically proven
Efficacy in quitting smoking not scientifically
proven
Potential to interfere with existing tobacco
control efforts
And- there is much we still dont know..
Propylene glycol
ECs/ENDS vapor contains volatile organic
substances, including propylene glycol, flavours,
nicotine
Nicotine
Nicotine is the addictive component of tobacco
Can have adverse effects during pregnancy
May contribute to heart disease.
Physical safety
Major injuries and illness have resulted from
e-cigarette use including explosions and fires
Poisoning from exposure to nicotine in
cartridges has occurred and is a risk for
children in particular
Population-based studies on
EC/ENDS use and smoking cessation
Analysis of 4 longitudinal and 1 cross-sectional
studies
e-cigarette use in the real world is associated with
significantly lower odds of quitting smoking
Clinical Trials on
EC/ENDS use and smoking cessation
Analysis of 4 clinical trials suggests that
e-cigarettes are not associated with successful quitting
Are not any more effective than approved
pharmaceutical aids (e.g. nicotine patch)
Harm reduction
Gilmore A, Hartwell, G European Journal of Public Health, Vol. 24, No. 4, 532533
Professor Ann McNeill, lead author from the National Addiction Centre, Kings College London, UK
In summary
Quickly evolving/expanding market and use
Much not known about their safety or utility in
reducing harm or quitting smoking
Potential for public health benefit AND
Potential for public health harm
Transnational tobacco companies: The fox in the
chicken coop
Governments need to regulate ECs/ENDS to
protect public health
www.tobaccofreeunion.org
www.worldlungfoundation.org
www.who.int/tobacco
www.fctc.org
www.tobaccofreekids.org
www.globaltobaccocontrol.org
www.cdc.gov/tobacco/global/index.htm
e-cigarette sessions at
45th World Lung Conference
Poster session # 43
31 October 10:15 11:15
Thank you!
mwisotzky@theunion.org