Many smokers out there really don’t understand the facts and lies about actual smoking.  What really is nicotine?  What is a carcinogen? What does smoking do to me to make me feel so good?  Why should I quit smoking? 

What is nicotine? 

Nicotine is simply a naturally occurring chemical found in tobacco plant leaves.  The tobacco plant produces nicotine as a defense mechanism to insects and animals which deters them from attacking the plant.  When a smoker goes and lights a cigarette and puffs on it, the leaves burn and nicotine is inhaled. 

Is nicotine a carcinogen?  Does nicotine cause disease related to smoking? 

The answer to both of these questions, NO.  A carcinogen is a substance that is capable of causing cancer in humans.  In a traditional cigarette, nicotine is not the cause of the dangerous disease causing carcinogens.  It is the other 4,000 chemicals which are KNOWN to cause diseases such as: cancer, lung disease, heart disease, and many other disorders.  So, it’s not the nicotine that bad for you, it’s how you get it or the delivery system of the nicotine.  A carcinogen causes dangerous changes to DNA, usually increasing the rate of cell division in the body.  The increase of change from the cell division, also increase the chances for the structure of DNA to change.  Sometimes, cell DNA can mutate to cause cancer, especially if the carcinogen in constantly present.

What does nicotine do to the body and brain of a smoker? 

Once nicotine is inhaled, it only takes 7 seconds to hit the brain!  That makes it one of the fastest acting drugs.  Research has shown that nicotine increases the level of dopamine in the brain, similar to drugs like cocaine and heroin but to a much lesser degree.  Dopamine is the reason for feeling relaxed and calm.  Concentration and memory are increased.  The effects of nicotine will only last 5 minutes to 1 hour.  Nicotine wears off so quickly in the body that smokers have to continue to dose themselves frequently to maintain these effects. 

Is nicotine lethal to me? 

Again, nicotine is not a carcinogen.  It offers an increase in dopamine levels and is not lethal when used correctly.  The average cigarette has about 1 to 1.5 mg of nicotine.  It would take over 50 mg of nicotine to be lethal and deadly to a human.  When used correctly, nicotine is a very safe drug that can be used frequently.

Why should I quit smoking and how? 

That’s an easy question.  You should stop smoking because of the carcinogenic properties of cigarettes.  You can still receive your nicotine, which is the sole reason smokers began smoking, but via a different delivery system and not the traditional way of cigarettes.  There are many different delivery systems out on the market today.  There’s the patch, the gum, pills, and the list goes on and on.  The system of the patch fails many because it is a constant stream of nicotine into the body, very different from what smokers are used to.  The only delivery system that is remotely close to smoking a traditional cigarette is an electronic cigarette.  It offers all the good and none of the bad.  An electronic cigarette or e-cig is simply a battery operated device that vaporizes a nicotine solution.  They are very realistic and even have a cloud of water vapor when someone exhales which makes it look even more like a regular cigarette.  An e-cigarette allows you to inhale your nicotine without all of the harmful carcinogens.  So you can enjoy your nicotine and only your nicotine. 

G. King is a health advocate and electronic cigarette expert.  You can visit her sites at http://www.e-cigarettedirect.com  or http://www.veppocig.com

E-CigaretteDirect.com supports the endorsement of the electronic cigarette by ASH UK.

Action on Smoking and Health, also known as ASH, has just released an endorsement of the electronic cigarette as a safe alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes.  The group typically is a big proponent of anti-smoking campaigns.  The US ASH has opposed the electronic cigarette in the past, but ASH UK has a more logical approach.

"ASH supports a harm reduction approach to tobacco, that is, we recognize that while efforts to help people stop smoking should remain a priority, many people either do not wish to stop smoking or find it very hard to do so. For this group, we believe that products should be made available that deliver nicotine in a safe way, without the harmful components found in tobacco. Most of the diseases associated with smoking are caused by inhaling smoke which contains thousands of toxic chemicals. By contrast, nicotine is relatively safe. Therefore, e cigarettes, which deliver nicotine without the harmful toxins found in tobacco smoke, are likely to be a safer alternative to smoking. In addition, e-cigarettes reduce secondhand smoke exposure since they do not produce smoke."

The electronic cigarette has been under scrutiny in the United States.  Biased reports have been released by the FDA that have tried to create a negative perception of the e-cigarette.  Gina King of E-CigaretteDirect.com states that “finally, there is some reason here.  ASH UK is taking a reasonable, logical approach to the electronic cigarette industry.  The quote above is exactly what we have been trying to communicate to the American government”.

Prominent doctors and tobacco researchers, such as Dr. Michael Siegel at the Boston University School of Public Health and Dr. Joel Nitzkin of the AAPHP Tobacco Control Task Force continue to publish unbiased reports of the electronic cigarette based on scientific testing, not political and corporate strategy. These reports are available on E-CigaretteDirect.com’s website.

Information the media ignored

A few months ago, the FDA announced that their laboratory tests detected carcinogens (tobacco-specific nitrosamines) in electronic cigarettes and warned electronic cigarette smokers to stop using electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes.  This scare tactic certainly made front page news, but it was not the entire story. 

Nitrosamines are compounds that are in tobacco cigarettes, but are also found in beer, fish, meat and cheese. The levels of these compounds were found in trace amounts in electronic cigarettes, especially when compared to tobacco cigarettes.  Dr. Michael Siegel, a physician who specializes in public health and preventative medicine, states that the nitrosamine levels found in electronic cigarettes are comparable to levels in nicotine replacement products, such as NicoDerm CQ, which are approved by the FDA. "In contrast, the level of tobacco-specific nitrosamines present in tobacco products are 300 to 1400 times higher."

The FDA seems to be trying to sway public opinion by not providing all the facts to the consumer.  Gina King of www.E-CigaretteDirect.com stated that the "FDA scare intimidated some of our customers.  After learning all the facts, customers continued to place their electronic cigarette orders.  We feel that electronic cigarettes are a healthier option for cigarette smokers.  Our sales have increased at astounding rates every month.  This demonstrates the need of these potentially life-saving products by consumers."

Electronic cigarettes are touted by some to help them quit smoking.  Many e-cigarette smokers claim they feel better and breathe easier using electronic cigarettes versus traditional tobacco cigarettes.  Distributors of electronic cigarettes say that their products have helped many people kick the habit. 

Electronic cigarettes are intended to replace traditional cigarettes.  They produce no second-hand smoke, allowing e-cigarette smokers to 'smoke' inside establishments that normally ban tobacco cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes contain only 20 ingredients, as opposed to tobacco cigarettes that contain over 4,000 chemicals, including known toxins and carcinogens. 

Several leading tobacco researchers, including Dr. Siegel and Dr. Joel Nitzkin of the AAPHP Tobacco Control task Force have criticized the FDA and request that the FDA validate their warning with more substantial scientific evidence.  You can read Dr. Siegel's analysis of the FDA data and a comparison of electronic cigarettes versus tobacco cigarettes at E-CigaretteDirect.com

E-Cigarette - E-CigaretteDirect.com is an online resource, store and community for electronic cigarette smokers.  Visit www.e-cigarettedirect.com