Electronic Cigarettes – The FDA’s Apparent Confusion Over Electronic Cigarettes

The FDA has recently sounded an alarm about an ingredient found in electronic cigarettes. Evidently small traces of the toxin 'diethylene glycol', an ingredient found in anti-freeze, was detected in ONE sample of several ecigarette products the FDS looked at. Ironically this same ingredient is also found in toothpaste, mouthwash, cough syrup, wine and countless other every day consumer products. Yet this same agency has deemed them safe for human use/consumption. Uh... go figure.

The FDA has also expressed concern that the variety of flavors available for use with the electronic cigarettes are being marketed to teenagers who shop in malls. They worry that this is but another ploy to create nicotine addiction in young people. This is a legitimate concern but let's not be too quick to concede to the banning of a product before looking at the benefits it may provide.

Most tobacco smokers are aware that their products contain dozens and dozens of known carcinogenic substances. We might not like to think about it but there are plenty of daily reminders all around us. We might have started because we thought it was cool and continue to smoke now to maintain the high caused by the nicotine that we have become addicted to. Tobacco cigarettes provide that nicotine 'fix' but also expose us and everyone around us to thousands of toxins. Electronic Cigarettes eliminate nearly all of those toxic substances by doing away with having to 'light up'. When there's no fire, there's no smoke.

If we are struggling to give up the smoking habit altogether, electric cigarettes would appear to be a quite viable solution.

Here in the U.S. our society's young people are constantly on the look out for the latest, greatest thing. We adults owe it to them to teach them about the hazards that we are aware of. while electronic cigarettes may be considered 'cool' by some it is every adult's responsibility to explain that it is no more than a mere tool to help us kick the tobacco habit. We're still addicted and may always be but at the very least we now have a mechanism at our disposal that will keep the air they breathe clean.

I seriously doubt that even the heaviest user of any substance likes being dependant on any drug to get them through the day. But when a less harmless alternative becomes available we should have the freedom to choose it over a proven more dangerous product such as tobacco cigarettes. As of yet I have not seen any electronic cigarette advertisement targeting young people. They appear to be marketing for adults who already smoke and are looking for a healthier alternative. The starter kits are also not cheap which makes them less practical and appealing for most teenagers.

Since they still contain nicotine electronic cigarettes should be regulated the same as any addictive substance such as tobacco and alcohol and not be allowed to be sold to underage kids.