Electronic Cigarette on CBS and AP Newswire

Today has been a whirlwind as far as press is concerned. First, we started off the morning, waiting for the feed from the E-Cigarette featured on the Early Show on CBS. Then it came. Our jaws dropped to the floor as we watched a doctor and two news anchors literally spew lies from the set. Needless to say, we do hope that the watching public takes some time to further educate themselves on the electronic cigarette as obviously, the CBS Early Show has no desire to do any research.

The acting by the hosts Julie Chen and Harry Smith were most definitely “Big Brother” worthy and it was very apparent that they are non-smokers who wish the habit did not exist. But even more amazing than this were the comments made by Dr. Jonathan Whiteson, Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine and Medicine, with NYU.

When asked if electronic cigarettes are safe, he responds with “we don’t know, but we don’t think so?” Ok. Why do you not think so? Data? Have you run your own tests? There have been three separate liquids tested and all of them were found to contain ingredients that are approved and safe world wide. 

Yes, we agree that more testing can and should and will be done on both the vapor and the liquid itself. However, all results have indicated that these are safer than tobacco  cigarette. Isn’t it time that you as a doctor maybe use some of that e-cigs “magic” and do some testing of your own? We would definitely love to hear your professional diagnosis on this. Certainly not your personal opinion.

Furthering on his safe argument, he then goes on that the electronic cigarette are “unregulated, certainly not FDA approved and Made in China”. Here is all we need to say about this: The Committee on Energy and Commerce just completed a hearing on the salmonella outbreak plaguing our food supply. What we also find interesting is that in 2007 and 2008, the FDA notes that 12 times Peanut Corp tested positive for salmonella, yet they shipped anyways. 

And recently, Keith Ledger died from using Ambien. Granted, there is more to this story, so please follow the link, but it proves that not everything approved by the FDA is safe. Finally, the FDA has some issues internally where the scientists allege mismanagement at the Agency. According to a letter obtained by CNN from the FDA scientists, “The agency is “fundamentally broken” and “failing to fulfill its mission”. Is it possible the FDA has too much power and not enough control?

The salmonella outbreak also proves that American manufacturing and processes can be just as bad as Chinese processes. The persons responsible for the melamine in the milk fiasco plead guilty and brought to very harsh, yet swift justice. We will see what happens to the American business responsible for the contamination and those who obviously covered up the 12 instances of positive testing.

As far as his comments that some companies are marketing to adolescents: We are on the Internet 24 hours a day. We research the daylights out of our products, our competitors products, and see just about every article there is to see. We have come across websites that do offer these as a smoking cessation device (even though we take a different opinion), but we have never, ever run across anyone who has ever suggested even with color scheme, that the electronic cigaretteis for adolescents. That is simply, a shameful, boldfaced lie.

So… enough about bad journalism. Here is some great journalism! It deserves its own post so we will provide you with a link so you can see what a good article is supposed to look like. This article was written by Audra Ang with the Associated Press, and is a very well researched bit of writing. Chinese e-cigs gain ground amid safety concerns.