Electronic Cigarette, Electric Cigarettes, E-Cig, E-Liquid

Paul Bergen

An interview on various aspects of the Electronic Cigarette with Paul Bergen of the
Tobacco Harm Reduction project


www.tobaccoharmreduction.org


How harmful is the E-cigarette, and how true are reports such as Put Down that E-Cigarette which claim that e-cigarettes could be poisonous?

 

That particular posting is somewhat misleading. The main concern WHO had regarding electronic cigarettes was that some distributors were inappropriately saying that WHO had endorsed them. Apart from that, like much of the other opposition to ecigarettes, WHO are also being inappropriate in concentrating not on whether these devices will actually get people to quit nicotine rather than whether they will reduce the harm associated with tobacco use.

 

The author of the posting, Summer Johnson, who specializes in bioethics, might be more cautious in her academic arena but she has previously posted that “Public health ethics says that almost any measures are okay to get smokers addicted to nicotine to kick the habit to stop inflicting harm on themselves and others.” (http://blog.bioethics.net/2008/09/say-goodbye-to-tobacco/). It is bad enough when activists say any measures against smokers are reasonable (in some places you can bar them from fostering children, holding jobs, or even their spouses being denied jobs) but it is much worse when professed ethicists say it.

 

"Though there is not perfect certainty on how safe electronic cigarettes are, we are pretty certain that they are a lot safer than cigarettes are."

 

However, this hardly needs responding since the comments on the blog show that most people can easily see that her piece was written without really learning anything about the topic. Her main error, common to most anti-tobacco activists, is that when you are discussing a harm reduction alternative what matters is not how absolutely safe a product is but whether it is safer than the comparison. Though there is not perfect certainty on how safe electronic cigarettes are, we are pretty certain that they are a lot safer than cigarettes are. (Oddly enough given Johnson’s statement about any measures to get smokers to quit being good, why is she not supportive of electronic cigarettes?)

 

How does the electronic cigarette compare to real cigarettes?

 

Though not many good studies of electronic cigarettes exist yet, but of those that do, no negative health effects have been found. The devices are quite simple so there is not much to worry about. They are for the most part, traditional cigarettes with all the known dangers removed. And this is why we are quite certain they are much safer than smoking. The major danger in smoking has always been tobacco smoke, and that has now been removed.

 

What is left is a tube of some sort you put in your mouth (no danger unless you poke it in your eye or swallow it), nicotine (which is no more dangerous than caffeine unless you are a fetus), a flavoring component, and propylene glycol (which though toxic if you drink a lot of it is quite harmless if you inhale it). The possible harm is if something slips in with the nicotine and flavoring compounds.

 

We also now have a few years of population use and though you really need decades of use to be certain, at least we know nothing major and short term has appeared. The one reasonable concern is that there is little regulation on the manufacture of these devices and some might inadvertently harbor some potentially toxic contaminant (though it would have to be remarkably robust to approach the toxicity of cigarette smoke).

 

Can it stop people smoking?

 

Personally I have seen it work, and not. And though"I tried this and found it utterly satisfying to the point where I could not imagine real smoking any longer..."  I haven’t smoked tobacco in some time, I tried this and found it utterly satisfying to the point where I could not imagine real smoking any longer. And this was for a non nicotine version. For some people, smoking is not about the nicotine but about the pleasures of the physical act of smoking and for those, this is a godsend.

 

What is promising about this is that it is so similar to smoking that people immediately imagine it as supplanting their other habit. Most other alternatives require some getting used to, and rather than optimism, many start thinking about how it doesn’t do certain things. Whether most people will switch over completely is beside the point. Saving just a few lives is worth promoting a safer alternative. I suspect that e-cigarettes will actually end up having a major impact on smoking levels but as I said, though great, that is not required to promote this. Smoking is bad for you but it is still a choice; our job is not to make people quit smoking but to make safer choices so attractive or effective that they want to make the choice to move away from cigarettes.

 

I suspect that in time, people will investigate the quitting potential of ecigarettes but like all these studies, you need a few years to really know if it works. In the meanwhile, anytime someone is smoking an ecigarette they are not smoking something else which is a good thing.

 

"There is a pressing need for better alternatives... the best and most effective alternatives in the market right now appears to be smokeless tobacco and electronic cigarettes"

 

If the usual quit smoking alternatives such as the gum and the patch were judged on how successful they were in long term quit rates, many people might argue that they should be taken off the market. There is a pressing need for better alternatives for smokers and to the distress of the anti-tobacco crowd the best and most effective alternatives in the market right now appears to be smokeless tobacco and electronic cigarettes. The former we have plenty of data that shows it is safer and that people can switch, and the latter less data but positive indications that it might end up as safe and maybe even more effective since it mimics smoking so well.

 

What, in your opinion, is the reason behind the suppression of information and testimonials by the Government?

 

"...some people ... are vehemently anti-smoking and will fight any product that makes smoking more acceptable."

 

Some cynics say that the government worries about losing tobacco tax revenues if everyone switched over to this product. I might be naïve but I do not think that is their motive (though since tobacco taxes have become prominent in many budgets it should be). At this time, I think it comes from two sources 1. simply that it is a product that confuses them because it does not fit neatly into a category (like for instance the Segway is illegal still in many places because no one quite knows where to put it; not that there is a motor industry conspiracy against it) and 2. some people in those positions are vehemently anti-smoking and will fight any product that makes smoking more acceptable.

 

As it is, the government can place barriers on the product, but information suppression is bound to fail given the internet. News sources are covering this well, and for the most part accurately and positively, so short of shutting down the presses, and the net itself, the government can interdict the product at borders, not allow the sale in stores etc but the information is still fairly free. (Not to say some haven’t tried; they do have the power to apply restrictions on commercial sites).

 

Can you give us any further examples of the sale of/information about e-cigarettes being suppressed?

 

As far as restricting the sales of e-cigarettes, right now the most famous example is Australia which has banned the sales on or off line of these products. A few countries like Finland allow the sales on line or for personal use but not for sale in stores. Others only allow the sale of ecigarettes as medical devices, and yet others allow the sale but do not allow any advertising of the product. What we might see is a “Swedish” example emerging, that is a country that does not stand in the way of this alternative, and where the alternative becomes as available and more popular that cigarettes, and then over time a decrease in all the smoking related conditions. If it is anything like the smokeless tobacco case, that won’t ensure any spread of the solution but at least it would furnish good evidence that this could work.

 

What misinformation has been spread about e-cigarettes?

 

There is not a lot of misinformation about e-cigarettes in comparison to smokeless tobacco. The one fear some mention is about unknown contaminants. This is probably partly based on the Chinese origins of the product. The only major source of this fear appears to be WHO, who did not actually say it was true but said that there were no studies to rule out the possibility. This is not entirely unreasonable. Though the potential is not strong enough to warn smokers away from this product, given the many producers and lack of regulatory oversight, there is little real quality control in the production of this product. Of course, once the WHO said that, journalists who thrive on spreading fears turned this into various headlines about poisonous products. However, there is more skepticism about this reporting than most fear reporting such as the various food scares.

 

What damage is being caused by the suppression of e-cigarettes?

 

I don’t think the “suppression of information” is that effective or influential but rather the lack of the product being commonly available. We need these products to be sold where other tobacco products are sold and to be seen on the streets and in the bars and on planes and anywhere smokers might notice them, and then consider switching.


Click Here For More Health Information.


Link to original interview

Customer Review


Quote LeftThe EVO black was my third e-cig and it came highly recomended by a fellow vaper in my office, the first e-cig I had was very expensive and not very good and the second was also expensive and nevr worked as it should have. After using other e-cigs an...Quote Right

Newsletter


The Intellicig Experience

 

We now take this opportunity to invite you to experience the latest most realistic smoke free electronic cigarette, here at Intellicig today. Placing much emphasis on our current success rate for those who have tried the Intellicig experience, our specially designed kits provide an experience that is highly realistic, giving you the sensation of inhaling and getting that smoke ‘hit’, without the harmful side effects of smoking regular cigarettes such as exposure to all the harmful chemicals, including formaldehyde and carbon monoxide; tar and the foul smelling nature of burnt tobacco. An exceptionally well received and genuine option for smokers to consider, the Intellicig range is already being enjoyed by thousands of customers across the UK to date, giving them a hope and a healthier positive outlook on life. Not just a cleaner alternative to smoking cigarettes, the Intellicig electronic cigarettes can offer a cheaper alternative for as long as you feel the urge to smoke.

More a psychological addiction, the realism of experiencing smoke hitting the back of your throat and the sheer sensation of smoking that results from using our electronic cigarettes here at Intellicig, we have done exactly that; developing a range of different strength cartridges to help you make the transition, whilst still experiencing that refreshing and much anticipated realistic hit. That is the real catalyst for any smoker, the hit telling the brain that nicotine is on its way. With a choice of varying strengths, Intellicig has created the most accurately realistic smoking sensation in their specially designed cartridges. The Intellicig cartridges offer suitable levels of satisfaction from Very High Nicotine (25mg) all the way down to the specially formulated Zero Nicotine cartridges which offer you the chance to continue with your Nicotine Replacement Therapy at the same time.

The secret behind our Zero Nicotine cartridges is the infusion of no more than 3 different chemicals and all cartridges are professionally manufactured right here within the UK. Providing a benchmark service here within the United Kingdom and in fact the world, here at Intellicig we were the first to invent, develop and subsequently manufacture our own brand of electronic cigarette vaporising liquid called Intellicig ECOpure. Setting industry wide standards the world over, we remain at the forefront in providing the electronic cigarette and nicotine liquids for smokers across the world, not just the UK.

Holding many benefits, primarily the huge beneficial health implications, there are so many more great aspects to trying the Intellicig Experience yourself. One of the many scenarios that can be attributed to using our products is as follows. As any avid smoker and ex-smoker will tell you, the one thing you wish to do after travelling over a long distance such as on a plane or coach, or perhaps dining in a restaurant, where the chance of having a cigarette for a few hours is next to none, is have a cigarette. Just that feeling of heading out into the open, hastily opening your cigarette packet and lighting up a cigarette is the one thing you have been concentrating on for all that time. From the exceptionally satisfying first drag to the relief you feel throughout your whole body, it is an experience all smokers and ex smokers remember the most. This sensation is the one thing that is faithfully recreated in the Intellicig electronic cigarette’s technologically advanced design producing a fine vapour that hits the back of the throat to recreate a real cigarette.

We invite you to try our products for yourself, here at Intellicig and we guarantee you will be amazed. Much thought and expertise has gone into creating our exclusive range of electronic cigarettes and whatever level a smoker you may be, the Intellicig Experience should be a completely natural, comfortable and enjoyable change over to a healthier more intelligent cigarette alternative. The one important thing to remember is that when participating within the Intellicig plan, you can go at a pace that suits you, as slow or as quickly as you like. This gives you the best way to adjust to suit your needs and requirements.

Below are three of the main selling points to the Intellicig electric cigarette. As stated earlier, our products are:
The most health conscious and healthier option compared to smoking filtered cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco;
One thing we can say here at Intellicig is this. ‘We are pioneers in creating the next generation electric cigarettes and provide a service like no other.’
Unique to Intellicig, the next generation of electronic cigarettes offers a sensation like no other.
Such is our confidence and faith in the Intellicig range being the most effective you will experience anywhere, we offer one of the best no quibble money back guarantees and look forward to seeing you soon!

Our specially patented ‘EVOlution’ electronic cigarette was the result of our dedicated ongoing design, research and testing. Through taking the time to listen properly to our clients and customers, we never stop striving to improve our products even further.

Introducing the ‘EVOlution’ Electronic Cigarette was a milestone eagerly awaited by us, developing a superb, astonishingly realistic alternative to a regular cigarette which offers a beneficial healthy substitute to tobacco, setting the standards for our competitors to wish to aspire to. Designed and manufactured solely within the UK, here at Intellicig we are proud of the EVOlution electric cigarette, the one true outperforming electronic cigarette on the market. Unique in its internal components to Intellicig, the EVOlution electronic cigarette may share similar aesthetic qualities to other products on the market, but it is the technology behind this ingenious invention that separates it from any other competition. Featuring patented components such as the all electronic auto activation system and 4 Hole Atomisation or 4HA, the Intellicig EVOlution is a must for anyone wishing to make the transition from harmful cigarettes to a healthier alternative.

Listing the 5 main Unique features of the Intellicig Evolution:



1) Our patented Smart Battery (TM) Technology (what this does is protect the vaporiser when cartridge is expired)

2) Privately sourced Genie Lithium Battery from outside of the China market! (giving you at least twice as many recharges, around 600 compared to the average 300)

3) Incorporating our very own Smoke-Safe (TM) software (to actively manage the EVOlution’s vapour distribution and to provide constant power between charges)

4) State of the art 4HA Vaporiser that easily outlasts and outperforms all the competition (typically lasting on average over 12 thousand inhalations)

5) All new vaporising action and activation device (100% electronic, giving consistent and perfect activation time and time again)

Electronic Cigarette - Electric Cigarette - Electronic Cigarettes



The typical average cigarette contains no less than 4000+ different chemicals, not to mention tar and other harmful substances, in addition to being often anti social and odour wise, quite off putting. Quite a worry even before going into detail about the risks we take to get our hit of nicotine and what chemicals and gases are found in tobacco smoke and what they can do to you. But that isn’t what we wish to do here at Intellicig. We are sure you have read all the dangers of smoking and as such our ambition was to design a product to successfully recreate the smoking sensation but without the nasty harmful effects of inhaling tobacco smoke.

Intellicig is one of the most innovative and ingenious products released; users experience the same instant hit as they would get from a regular cigarette but without all the chemicals, carcinogens, harmful tar and unpleasant smelling smoke. Intellicig are the leading manufacturer of the best electronic cigarettes (technically advanced over similar looking electric cigarettes) that look and taste like a normal cigarette but which create a fine vapour that acts to recreate the all important smoke hit. Our electronic cigarettes altogether provide the smoker with a healthier and more viable option to smoking standard filter cigarettes.

Over the last 3 years or so, electric cigarettes have in one form or another been around to encourage the recreational properties of regular cigarettes in non harmful variations. Needless to say the majority of these designs have been short on the revolutionary side and instead were slightly unreliable or weren’t a very realistic match for a cigarette. With the 4th Generation Electronic Cigarette, exclusively found here at Intellicig, all obstacles have been successfully overcome, offering cost effective renewable cartridges in five different stages to offer you a personal choice of nicotine strength. From Very High Nicotine to Zero Nicotine, we have the right cartridges to successfully assist you, with each cartridge lasting approximately the same duration as 5-7 regular cigarettes.

With many benefits, including being able to use the Intellicig electric cigarette in public places, indoor areas such as pubs and restaurants and when travelling, the Intellicig electronic cigarette really is a winner.

With the Intellicig Electronic Cigarette you get the same hit, taste and rewarding smoking sensation but without the damaging chemicals, constant chesty coughs and lethargy associated with smoking tobacco. Pollute yourself no longer and see the light at the end of the tunnel thanks to the expert professionals here at Intellicig.

Alternative Cigarette - Alternative Cigarettes



Due to the fact that the Intellicig Electronic Cigarette contains and emits no harmful and toxic chemicals, tar and anti social smell or smoke, it is a fantastic example of alternative cigarettes now available directly online or over the counters of many high street pharmacies.
The major achievements include the effective removal of the thousands of deadly chemicals to produce a tasteful and easy way to enjoy the smoking sensation wherever you may be. Discover a revolutionary way to enjoy the relaxing qualities of electronic cigarettes without all the downsides brought about by traditional cigarettes, such as high levels of carbon monoxide, traces of hydrogen cyanide and many others.

Our range of alternative cigarettes offers you the chance to make the transition from tobacco burning products and with the right amount of willpower they can help you achieve that healthier option. Aesthetically, the Intellicig Electronic Cigarette looks and tastes the same as your normal cigarette choice and can be purchased in a range of colours to recreate your normal brand even further. Not only is the cost of our alternative cigarettes lower than what you would spend on average for filter cigarettes but the health benefits are absolutely outstanding and well worth the effort.

We invite you to discover how realistic the Intellicig Electronic Cigarette is today.

E Cigarette - E Cigarettes



The one drawback to smoking is having to go out and brave the weather when at a restaurant or any indoor public space. Generally considered anti-social on many levels, smokers’ choices are few and far between. The solution is the E Cigarette. E Cigarettes are the latest innovation, researched, designed, tested and manufactured in the UK by the leading experts here at Intellicig. Electronically reproducing the sensation that you get from smoking a regular cigarette but without the harmful chemicals that are present in their thousands in standard cigarette smoke, E Cigarettes allow you to enjoy your smoking experience wherever you are, at any time in the day, evening or night.

As E Cigarettes are completely smoke free, creating instead a vapour that faithfully recreates the all important ‘hit’ at the back of the throat, it offers the unique fact of being highly effective and completely legal, allowing you to take it on flights or even the theatre or cinema at the discretion of the management. Once again, Intellicig brings you the possibility of enjoying a cigarette whilst having a drink in your local public house. Aesthetically resembling a cigarette and recreating the taste, which for many is more favoured than their previous brand of cigarettes, E Cigarettes have the benefits and potential to give you the right steps to a healthier alternative. One thing you notice with the E Cigarette is the lack of odour, leaving no unpleasant smell or discolouration on your fingers, furniture or your clothing, making them acceptable to use around other adults. Without the guilty feeling being present, you can relax, knowing that no passive smoke is produced.

The environmentally friendlier approach to smoking, in addition to being the healthier option, the E Cigarette is altogether the perfect way to change from tobacco and cigarettes for good, giving you the peace of mind that you are heading toward a cleaner, healthier lifestyle, one you can cherish for evermore.

E Cig - E Liquid:



Our groundbreaking ECOpure E Liquid is the exciting and exceptionally effective new addition to the Intellicig family.

Designed to work with the Electric Cigarette EVO cartridges for your Intellicig Electronic Cigarette, and producing a variety of flavours which deliver that unmistakeable ‘hit’ all smokers crave after, our E Liquid selections offer a clean and pure taste that is enjoyed by many. Producing a smoke free, enjoyable experience without the choking smell and anti-social properties of regular smoking, the E Cig offers you all the benefits and enjoyment without the exposure to harmful cigarette chemicals, passive smoke and foul smelling breath, clothes and much more.


Follow intellicigevo on Twitter