US
A recently issued report by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) containing an analysis of electronic cigarette contents in the Journal of Liquid Chromatography appears to be as biased as all of its previous efforts to regulate and even ban the sale of e-cigarettes.
In spite of growing evidence that the e cigarette might be the best smoking cessation aid, the FDA has spared no effort in trying to paint the gadget in a negative light, and the latest report, performed by the FDA’s own Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis, is no exception.
“The variable level of nicotine in e-cigarettes doesn’t mean that they’re less helpful, or dangerous,” according to Dr. Gilbert Ross from the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH). “The truth is, the amount of so-called ‘carcinogens’ in e-cigarette vapor is no greater than in any other nicotine replacement product. The e-cigarette happens to be a very useful smoking cessation device that is much, much less toxic than cigarettes. We don’t yet have all the answers about their benefits and risks; these data are being accumulated now. For government authorities and other groups to condemn and attempt to ban them makes no sense: it blocks a product that’s clearly safe in the short term, while another, highly dangerous one remains on the market.”
