Tobacco.org

• CABE: Going up without the smoke 

Need a nicotine hit? Want to beat the smoking ban? A smokeless cigarette could be the answer, for the long - or short - haul. Just be prepared for some funny looks, writes ROSEMARY Mac CABE . . .

Ryanair now sells the other most popular type, in the form of Similar smokeless cigarettes.

Ryanair's head of communications, Stephen McNamara, says the product was introduced due to customer demand. "Some passengers can find it stressful to spend long journeys without a cigarette so we introduced the product based on customer feedback and to cater to passenger demand. It seemed a logical step to introduce a product that could provide smokers with relief from nicotine withdrawal. . . .

I spent a day with Ryanair's Similar branded smokeless cigarettes: a packet of 10, purchased for €6 on board a Ryanair flight, to see how it feels to smoke on the right side of the law.

The first thing I notice is that they smell, to all intents and purposes, like what one's mother might call "sucky sweets" - irrefutably better than mainstream cigarettes, albeit slightly strange. They feel like real cigarettes and, crucially, they look like them. . . .

Smoking a cigarette that looks like a cigarette, acts like a cigarette but neither tastes nor feels like a cigarette (while giving you more nicotine than a cigarette) seems an odd choice.

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OfficialWire: Government Approved Lab Finds E Cigarettes Are Much Safer Than Tobacco Cigarettes 

LPD Services, a U.K. based lab that is fully accredited has submitted the results of its findings on the Gamucci line of e-cigarettes. As most have suspected, the lab indicated that the electronic cigarette is much safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes.

There have been several reports from highly credible labs around the world on the e cigarette. One from South Africa, New Zealand, the U.K. and several others that are high profile in nature and performed by stout anti-smoking advocates that believe in harm reduction. All of these labs came back with the same result: the e cigarette is many times safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes.

There seems to be an air of change on the horizon concerning the e cigarette with strong lab results supporting claims of a smarter and safer choice over the tobacco cigarette. Top anti-smoking advocates like Dr Murray Laugesen, who has been the recipient of top awards from the World Health Organization in his fight against the harm of tobacco, supports the e cigarette.

Professor Michael Siegel is a doctor also and another strong advocate for harm reduction

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ASH in UK Comes Clean on Electronic Cigarette Health Debate 

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) In their October briefing, ASH in the United Kingdom has released a favorable position on electronic cigarettes which is nearly 180 degrees to the position ASH in the United States has taken.

ASH's UK Position on E-cigarettes

"ASH supports a harm reduction approach to tobacco, that is, we recognize that whilst 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."

Kyle Newton of eCigarettesChoice.com is elated at the release. "This is the second piece of good news for the E cigarette industry this week. The first was Governor Schwarzenegger's refusal to ban E cigarettes in California. It is a David vs. Goliath battle for us against organizations that are well-funded by companies who stand to lose a huge market share to the E cigarette."

On the other side of the big pond, ASH, USA has hammered the electronic cigarette industry unmercifully in its public claims against the product. But throughout this entire finger pointing, they have failed to produce any scientific research which tested the electronic cigarette and could trump the positive data "real" tobacco researchers have published.

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As Smoking Rates Rise, Electronic Cigarettes Offer Viable Alternative to Harmful Combustible Tobacco 

The Electronic Cigarette Association (ECA) today urged decision-makers to seek alternatives to combustible tobacco that reduce Americans' exposure to the multitude of harmful chemicals and toxins found in cigarettes. His remarks came in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study released last week showing that smoking rates among U.S. adults have risen for the first time since 1994.

"We applaud the valiant campaigns designed to encourage people to quit smoking and urge that federal, state, and local governments continue to warn people about this unhealthy and deadly habit," said ECA President Matt Salmon. "However, we also believe, given the CDC data, that harm-reduction strategies are desperately needed to reduce smokers' exposure to the thousands of harmful chemicals and toxins that are delivered through combustible cigarettes."

Salmon said that electronic cigarettes, battery-operated products that deliver an inhalable nicotine vapor

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• Physicians Urge FDA to Justify Condemnation of E-Cigarettes 

"We urge FDA to make public the laboratory data behind the July 22 condemnation of electronic cigarettes, along with comparable data on pharmaceutical nicotine products and conventional cigarettes. Then, on the basis of these data, either fully justify or retract the July 22 condemnation of electronic cigarettes," says Joel L. Nitzkin, Chair of the American Association of Public Health Physicians Tobacco Control Task Force in a letter to the FDA.

The letter specifically targets the new tobacco legislation that passed through Congress this summer which gives the FDA power to regulate tobacco products in the United States and notes that the success rate of current smokers who attempt to quit by using pharmaceutical aids is as low as 5%. Making smokers more aware of less harmful alternatives, snus and e-cigarettes included, could significantly reduce the amount of smokers who die due to tobacco-related illnesses.

"Contrary to prevailing conventional wisdom, virtually all the heart and lung disease from conventional cigarettes, and an estimated 98% of the cancer mortality, are due to direct inhalation of fresh products of combustion deep into the lung. Our best estimate (based on the work of Pankow et al and others) is that only about 2% of the cancer mortality from cigarettes is from the named carcinogens commonly found in tobacco products," says the letter. The FDA's study in July found miniscule amounts of carcinogens in a few e-cigarette cartridges, but failed to provide any data on the amount of those same carcinogens in pharmaceutical nicotine products.

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• Will Cigarette Maker Reynolds Try Kicking the Habit?  

It would be either one of the most cynical diversifications ever--or a brilliant stroke of synergy.

If a report in The Wall Street Journal is correct, America's second-largest seller of cigarettes may soon be peddling products that help people quit smoking. The Journal reported on Nov. 9 that Reynolds American (RAI), the distributor of Pall Mall, Camel, and Natural American Spirit cigarette brands as well as smokeless tobacco, is in "advanced talks" with Niconovum, a Swedish manufacturer of nicotine replacement products such as gum and mouth spray. University of Ottawa law professor David Sweanor told the Journal he was briefed by people close to the deal.

The move would mark the first time that a big tobacco company also sold smoking-cessation products, according to industry analysts. But it would be in line with the industry's efforts to diversify as cigarette purchases shrink in the U.S. One analyst referred to a purchase of Niconovum as a "cheap hedge" against the smoking decline. . . .

But as Morningstar's Gorham points out, Reynolds can make far more money convincing people to smoke than helping them quit. The cost per unit to produce cigarettes is extremely low—operating margins average 25%-30% industrywide, he says, which is high for consumer goods. (Pepsi (PEP), by comparison, which enjoys enormous scale and volume operating margins, reaches into the high teens, according to Gorham.)

It's unlikely that returns from smoking-cessation products can compete with that anytime soon. "I think we're talking 20 years-plus at this point before tobacco sales are offset by other sources," says Gorham.

Indeed, some view any talks between Reynolds and Niconovum as more of a publicity stunt, designed to place Reynolds in a better light.

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Star Scientific, Inc. Reports NASDAQ Notification Regarding Minimum Bid Price, Files Third Quarter Report with SEC  

Star Scientific, Inc. (Nasdaq: STSI) reported today that on November 5, 2009 it received a deficiency letter from NASDAQ staff indicating that the company is not in compliance with the NASDAQ minimum bid rule. The letter noted that for the previous thirty consecutive trading days the company's minimum closing bid price per share had been below the $1.00 minimum bid price requirement set forth in NASDAQ Rule 5450(a)(1). In accordance with Marketplace Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), Star has 180 days, or until May 4, 2010, to regain compliance. In its notice NASDAQ indicated that if at any time during this period the minimum closing bid price is $1.00 or more per share for at least ten consecutive trading days, NASDAQ will provide confirmation that the company has regained compliance and the matter will be closed. The deficiency letter has no effect on the current listing or trading of Star Scientific shares.

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Electronic Cigarettes Do What Tobacco Companies Have Refused To Do For The Past 38 Years 

At the time it was believed that the tobacco companies did not want to market the improvements and make cigarettes safer as it would force them to acknowledge that normal cigarettes are unsafe. This was a time when there were a lot of legal cases from cancer sufferers who were blaming the tobacco companies for their bad health and it would prove very difficult to fight against them.

The patents which date back to 1971 range from reducing tar through removing carbon monoxide and polonium (A radioactive compound used to assassinate an ex KGB agent a few years ago in London).

It is widely believed that if the Tobacco companies had acted responsibly over the past 38 years of these patents then we would all be living in a society where Electronic Cigarettes may not even be needed but instead they protected their income and left users to die.

"I honestly find it shocking that the research and development has been available to some of the biggest financial budgets in the world and they refused to act on them purely out of self protection of their cigarette sales."

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• E-Cigarettes Under Fire  

As more cities ban smoking in restaurants and bars, there is a newer product to the United States that makers claim you can still smoke indoors. It's under fire from cities across the country, the Food and Drug Administration and a metro parent.

If you've been to the mall lately, you may have seen a kiosk selling electronic cigarettes. We've found the kiosks at Independence Center and Oak Park mall.

If you walk past the kiosk at Oak Park, a salesperson will ask if you smoke.

At Smoke51 we were shown a product that closely resembled a real cigarette. It comes with a battery and filter and even comes in flavors.

"There's a heating element that steams water, nicotine, and flavor so you're going to see me blow out smoke but it's actually steam or water vapor," the salesman said.

There are many questions about how this product is marketed.

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Star Scientific Plans Worldwide Marketing and Sales of CigRx(TM) Nutraceutical 

Star Scientific, Inc. (Nasdaq: STSI) announced today that the company plans to introduce the CigRx(TM) nutraceutical product developed by its subsidiary, Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals, for worldwide marketing and sales in partnership with inVentiv Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: VTIV). inVentiv Health offers a complete range of commercialization solutions for every stage of the product lifecycle, in a range of healthcare categories that includes nutraceutical products. The company has marketing and sales capabilities in 40 countries around the globe. Jonnie R. Williams, Star's CEO, stated, "Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the world. However, the global cigarette business, which now exceeds $300 billion, continues to grow. Our goal is to make CigRx(TM) available to adult smokers worldwide who wish to maintain a nicotine-free metabolism." Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals will be responsible for the manufacturing of CigRx(TM), and the company anticipates that inVentiv Health will be involved in the product marketing and sales, with a focus on product education for physicians and health care professionals, as well as consumers.

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Electronic Cigarette Association Urges Unbiased Evaluation of E-cigarettes as Debate Intensifies Around These Devices  

As the debate heats up concerning the use of electronic cigarettes, Electronic Cigarette Association (ECA) President Matt Salmon today encouraged those involved in this discussion to carefully and honestly study how these devices work and recognize that the more than one million adult committed smokers, who use electronic cigarettes, are seeking an alternative to combustible cigarettes that contain a multitude of toxic, harmful chemicals.

The debate on these devices has intensified in recent months as events have fueled and focused attention on electronic cigarettes, including a front-page story last week and a follow-up editorial in yesterday's edition of USA Today and stories or editorials in other major newspapers such as the New York Times and Los Angeles Times. Governor Schwarzenegger's veto of a bill that would have denied California citizens the right to purchase electronic cigarettes and a warning by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on a flawed, narrow study have also contributed to the growing debate.

"Unfortunately, many of the arguments we've seen recently against electronic cigarettes have been driven by fear of the unknown, insufficient evidence, political agendas, and ignorance about our members' products," said Salmon. "As in the case of California Governor Schwarzenegger, we've found that reasonable people, when willing to honestly and intellectually evaluate the information about electronic cigarettes, find that these products provide smokers a viable alternative to combustible tobacco cigarettes."

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Call for moratorium on new tobacco products 

At the 6th Conference on Tobacco or Health being held in Montreal this week, numerous stakeholders are urging government authorities to declare a moratorium on new tobacco products to counter the innovative product launch and marketing strategies of cigarette manufacturers.

Several public health and tobacco control experts point out that tobacco companies are constantly developing new marketing strategies to circumvent the laws and regulations currently in force in Canada. These strategies include the introduction of new products such as 'activated carbon filter cigarettes' and flavoured cigarillos, which are alone responsible for increasing smoking rates in young people in Quebec.

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The truth about electronic cigarettes  

The country that gave us killer dog food, corrosive drywall, lead-based toys, and poisonous toothpaste. Now has a new surprise for you. It's a mystery chemical...completely unregulated. You buy it, vaporize it, and suck it into your lungs.

And it's right here in Tucson where some fear your kids could get hold of it. Nine on your side investigator Dan Spindle takes a look.

Smokers, lighting up in the middle of the Foothills Mall, it raises more than a few eyebrows...... But what looks like smoke, is actually a vapor ... Like the kind you might see coming out of a fog machine.

This vapor is from the latest electronic cigarette to hit the market which has the green light to be sold at malls all over Arizona. These e-cigarettes save smokers the smell and high prices of traditional smokes.

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MOHEN: Renewing an old addiction 

Envision five years from now teachers telling students not to vaporize tobacco.

However unlikely this scenario may seem now, vaporized cigarettes will become a well-known and warned-against product in the near future. . . .

Hardly any tests or evidence have been conducted on the smokeless cigarettes, establishing a strong caution amongst health officials of the product, but no regulation from the FDA.

With its increasing popularity, the FDA holds a responsibility to the American people to conduct greater research into the E-Cigarette and the true effects it has on users.

Strict regulations must be imposed on the device to prevent its trendy appeal from influencing the young and old alike who do not need to become hooked on such an equally, if not more, addictive version of the common cigarette.

According to a representative from ECigarettesChoice.com, Electronic Cigarettes are unavailable to minors across the country as they contain nicotine.

However, this does not mean kids and teens are unable to get their hands on the tobacco gadget.

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• E Cigarettes May Be More Effective Than Swine Flu Vaccine  

According to the Centers for Disease Control, during 2000-2004, "An estimated 443,000 persons in the United States died prematurely each year from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. During 2001-2004, the average annual smoking-attributable health-care expenditures nationwide were approximately $96 billion. When combined with productivity losses of $97 billion, the total economic burden of smoking is approximately $193 billion per year."

Comparing the health risks of tobacco smoking to the Swine Flu brings out some interesting and thought provoking statistics. According to President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology on H1N1, "A plausible scenario is that the epidemic could cause between 30,000 and 90,000 deaths in the United States." That puts the comparison of real deaths of 443,000 smokers to a "war games guess" of 30,000 to 90,000 for the H1N1 influenza for which the government recently declared a Health Emergency. That declaration and the shortage of the H1N1 vaccine has caused a panic in the U.S.

No study or statistic has been offered that points to the Swine Flu as being more deadly than tobacco cigarettes in causing death, yet a disproportional effort in preventative measures are currently being channeled to defend against a lower risk health issue. Toxic tobacco smoke contains many additional chemicals, including carbon monoxide and tar which is a sticky substance that accumulates in the lungs, causing lung cancer and respiratory distress. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the world and is responsible for more than 5 million deaths each year.

What the flu vaccine is to H1N1 as a preventative, the electronic cigarette may be for the tobacco smoker. An electronic cigarette is a futuristic advancement in science

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