The Sun E-Cigs "Investigation"

[Bubblegum]

The Sun does a "investigation into e-cgis. You need a sun+ account to view but i have copied and pasted it, if that's allowed?

Sun E-Cigs investigation

- Fears they can cause cancer like real cigarettes
- Sales expected to rocket in 'Stoptober' campaign
- Profits are much bigger because only tax is VAT


By LYNSEY HOPE
Published: 6 hrs ago

MILLIONS of smokers have taken up electronic cigarettes as a healthier way to get their daily nicotine fix.

But a Sun investigation has found the devices may not be as guilt-free as they seem.
While there seems no doubt their vapour-delivered nicotine is safer than tar and carbon-monoxide-laden tobacco smoke, some worry we do not know the long-term effects of the potentially cancer-causing chemicals used in the gadgets.

Despite the fears, manufacturers are racing to get in on the spectacular profits being made from e-cigs.

And sales will soar even more next month with the Government’s annual quit campaign, Stoptober.
French researcher Thomas Laurenceau, who has just published a study revealing the cocktail of carcinogenic chemicals found in many e-cig brands, is one voice urging caution.

He said: “Electronic cigarettes don’t contain tobacco, and for this reason there is no doubt vaporising is less risky for your health — but that doesn’t mean they are safe.


“Our study demonstrates some e-cigarettes can deliver potentially toxic compounds in vapours such as formaldehyde, acrolein, acetaldehyde and certain metals.


“Some e-cigarettes deliver levels equivalent to or higher than the levels delivered by some cigarettes.”

So can “vaping” give you cancer?


Laurenceau said: “Formaldehyde is considered a carcinogen component and acetaldehyde a probable carcinogen component, so in theory, yes.




“However e-cigarettes are a relatively new product, so we haven’t seen any reliable long-term studies.
“It is clear that smoking cigarettes with tobacco can cause cancer and these e-cigarettes contain similar levels of some of the same poisons.”


He added: “We need to establish international norms to control the composition of the e-liquids and the resulting vapours delivered.”
Around 1.5million Brits now puff on e-cigs — which are cheaper than the real deal partly because there is no excise duty — and last year UK sales were worth £23.9million.


Profit margins are not made public but are “fabulous,” according to one distributor, Andrew Armstrong.
Dazzled by the cash involved, traditional cigarette makers — who at first tried to pretend e-cigs did not exist — are now rushing to join in.


British American Tobacco — maker of Benson & Hedges and Dunhill — launched the Vype brand in July.
Imperial Tobacco, whose brands include Embassy and Player’s, paid almost £50million this month for an e-cig division. And Marlboro-maker Philip Morris is set to launch soon.

Despite such a booming market, e-cigs are not yet regulated — although medical regulatory body the MHRA will step in from 2016 — and can even be sold to KIDS.

That worries Professor Robert West, director of Tobacco Studies at University College London.
He said: “There is no evidence to say they are 100 per cent safe, but what we can say is that they are 100 per cent safer than cigarettes.
“But the tobacco industry could use them as a gateway to smoking.

“They are working to maximise their profits. If they see e-cigarettes as a way to keep people smoking then that is what they will do.


“Children could use them and progress to cigarettes. And smokers could use them in situations where they would normally be unable to smoke, such as in pubs or at work.The pressure to stop smoking altogether would be reduced.


“At the moment things are heading in the right direction, but things could go pear-shaped very quickly.


“That is why the MHRA is looking at regulation. We need the situation to be monitored very closely.”

Martin Dockrell of anti-smoking charity Ash, agrees that the benefits of e-cigs outweigh the worries.

He said: “At the moment there is little evidence of any harm.


“Aside from nicotine, the main chemical in e-cigarettes is propylene-glycol. Some people are concerned about its effects if you inhale it.


“But it has been considered safe for human consumption for decades.


“You could actually eat the stuff. The Food and Drug Administration in America claims it could make up five per cent of your diet and it would still not cause a problem.”



-------------------------------------------------------------------------

MARKETING manager Lauren Westmore says she started smoking MORE after using e-cigarettes. The 24-year-old from East Dulwich, south east London, says:​

“I started smoking when I was 15 and just a handful of cigarettes a day grew to around ten a day in my 20s.
​

On January 3 this year I went online and looked at reviews of the various e-cigs and plumped for Elites — I’d get my nicotine hit without the smell and damage to my body.

​

It cost me £40 for the gadget and a few cylinders.

​

But within a few days I knew there was something I still missed.

​

Maybe it was the habit of lighting a real cigarette, perhaps the taste?

​

I ended up smoking even more. While trying to keep hold of the idea of the e-cigarettes being a healthier alternative, I’d use them but was still smoking the same amount of real cigarettes as before.​

When I realised the e-cigs didn’t work and I should go back to smoking normal cigarettes, I was accustomed to more “breaks” in the day, so was smoking more than ever.

​

I’m not sure I would recommend e-cigs unless you are sure it’s just the nicotine you’re addicted to — and not the whole smoking habit with its social elements and rituals.”
​

---

SAM JAGELMAN believes he is MORE addicted to nictotine since taking up e-cigs. He also thinks they are over-priced and badly made. The musician, 29, from Leeds, says:


​

“I’m sure I’m just as addicted to the nicotine as I was when I was smoking, perhaps more so.​

I get more stressed out when I haven’t got any in me than I did with real cigarettes. It might be because there is more nicotine in them.

​

I started smoking when I was ten. By 16 I was on ten a day, then in my 20s I was on 20 a day.​

I’ve tried almost everything to quit — gum, patches, but nothing worked. I’m a singer in a band and knew it wasn’t doing my voice any favours. I’d read about e-cigs and gave them a go.

​

The motion of putting it in your mouth and sucking in really helps, as well as the nicotine.​

I’m much fitter now and my voice is coping with my six gigs a week.

​

But it’s not all positive. The hardware isn’t very well made and keeps breaking.

​

E-cigs are billed as a cheaper alternative, but I’ve spent £800 in the last 18 months, about the same as conventional smoking.​

Most of that is down to the fact they are badly made.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

MIKE OLDHAM, 76, credits e-cigs with kicking his old smoking habit AND saving him a fortune. His wife Maggie, 55, is also a fan. The retired engineer, of Grendon, Warks, says:​

“I didn’t start smoking until I was 40.
​

I had my own business, which was going through a tough patch, and I found it hard to switch off.
​

One morning for no known reason I decided to buy ten menthol cigarettes and lit one up. Within a year I was on 30 a day.
​

I switched to rolling my own to save money, but smoked them without filters and had a hacking cough.
​

The turning point came in April last year when my youngest son, Mike, 34, gave me two refills and one e-cig and told me to give it a try.​

In a few days, I could breathe better and had more energy.
​

I’ve saved a fortune. I was spending £70 a week — money I’ve put towards a Lotus Elise sports car.
​

I now spend around £1.20 on the equivalent of 30 cigarettes. Maggie began using e-cigarettes a month after me, so we’re both free now. It has saved our lives.”

----------------------------------------------------------------

E-CIGS are even more popular with makers than smokers, thanks to the gigantic profits involved.

​

A single cigarette sells for about 40p, of which 36p is tax and duty – making a profit of 10 per cent for the maker.

​

But an e-cig is 2p, of which 0.33p is VAT and no duty applies – a profit of 80 per cent.

​

They are also cheaper to smoke. £8 – the cost of a pack of cigarettes – would keep you going for three to four weeks, according to tests by watchmywallet.co.uk.

​

This includes the initial outlay for a starter kit, plus the disposable cartridges and liquids which keep you puffing.
​

Link: h..p://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/5166146/Investigation-asks-if-vaping-is-safer-than-smoking-
cigarettes.html

 

[Bubblegum]

Think this would be better in the: campaigning-discussions section?

 

[Izan]

Any article that even mentions the "French" report is immediately dismissed.


I

 

[Bubblegum]

The fact the sun has anything to do with it should be the first clue LOL

 

[djsvapour]

Interesting read, thanks.

£8 for 3-4 weeks. They are having a laugh with that one.

This is odd...

“I started smoking when I was 15 and just a handful of cigarettes a day grew to around ten a day in my 20s.
On January 3 this year I went online and looked at reviews of the various e-cigs and plumped for Elites — I’d get my nicotine hit without the smell and damage to my body.

It cost me £40 for the gadget and a few cylinders.

But within a few days I knew there was something I still missed.

Maybe it was the habit of lighting a real cigarette, perhaps the taste?

I ended up smoking even more. While trying to keep hold of the idea of the e-cigarettes being a healthier alternative, I’d use them but was still smoking the same amount of real cigarettes as before.

When I realised the e-cigs didn’t work and I should go back to smoking normal cigarettes, I was accustomed to more “breaks” in the day, so was smoking more than ever.

I’m not sure I would recommend e-cigs unless you are sure it’s just the nicotine you’re addicted to — and not the whole smoking habit with its social elements and rituals.”

I used E-Lites and discovered I smoked as much as normal. Maybe they aren't very good?

 

[KatyTheCleaningLady]

I thought that was actually pretty fair and balanced.

Not everyone gets on with vaping, and it sounds like that singer was struggling to find decent equipment. Would love to know what he's been using.

I think it's possible to vape very cheaply. A couple of basic ego's, clearos with replaceable coils, and being able to stick to one flavour lomg enough that buying larger bottles of liquid could mean spending about £400 a year:

batteries:
need to be replaced every year or so? Two of them (plus a charger, as those things will probably wear out) would be maybe £25

Atomizers:
Decent ones with replaceable heads... maybe need four or so a year? £30

Coils:
2 a month maybe, at a cost of £2.50. Per year, maybe £60

Liquid: assuming 3ml a day (I know this varies a lot) means almost 37 30ml bottles... £9 at Vape Escape, so £333

total: £448 a year.

Obviously, people use more or less liquid (and therefor coils) and people can spend more or less time searching for the best prices. I'm sure it can be done for £300 and some people would struggle to get below £400.

 

[Codz]

The key point in that report, and the main point of interest to me is that they are safer than cigarettes. No-one can say, or does say that they are 100% safe, but safer to any degree is enough for me. The fact they are cheaper too is a (admittedly large) bonus.

 

[snout71]

Safer. Better for your health. Better flavour. Cheaper. And we dont smell of cigarettes

Katy. I can knock £200 off the ejuice costs cause i use joosejuice 60ml for £7

And you shop for spares at fastech you can save on batteries etc

 

[Chrissie]

I've been using e-cigs for over 5 years & not experienced one bad side effect. Just the opposite.

I used to be a very heavy smoker &would often wake up during the night gasping for breath That stopped happening just after a few weeks of changing to e-cigs & the changes continued. Within a couple of months I could climb up a steep hill without getting out of breath (plenty of them in the part of Cornwall I live in )I used to constantly get chest infections - not any more, in fact I now hardly ever even get a cold (touch wood).

Plus of course, I've saved thousands of pounds ....... I could go on but I've said it all so many times before

 

[Kycap]

Same as Chrissie, I was a 50 year smoker, stopped on day one (Feb 1st) with an ecig. Feel better, breathe better, everything tastes better and i no longer wheeze and cough. I have not saved too much money though - too many shinies.

What annoys me with some of these stories are the BT and big Pharm paid lackies that sprout scare tactics.

It is nice to see more and more references to vaping though, shows how its growing.

 

[Codz]

It is nice to see more and more references to vaping though, shows how its growing.

I see a good and bad side to more publicity.

The good being it makes more people aware of the possibility of using ecigs instead of / or at least cutting down on cigarettes. The bad being that as it gets more and more popular then the powers that be become more aware of it and start rubbing their hands together at the prospects of taxing it, along with the huge pharma companies and BT noting that it is increasingly eating into their profits and looking for ways of stemming the tide through regulation / restriction or production of their own potentially highly priced products (i know the few there are on the market now arent highly priced, but if licensing comes into effect and they are the only ones left on the market then the prices will rocket).

Having said all that, the more people that stop smoking and start vaping the better. The idea that people who never smoked (particularly the younger audience) who are now going to start vaping seems crazy. I have yet to see a study that proves there is a significant increase in the number of new smokers when taking vaping into account as opposed to the natural increase in new smokers without the presence of vaping. Even if there is an increase in the number of people trying vaping without ever smoking, is it a significant enough number to justify legislating vaping out of existence and sending millions back to smoking? I doubt it.

 

[Kycap]

Im afraid the number of people vaping will not save us, unless the powers that be change their outlook.

I remember as a teenager listening to pirate radio from the North Sea (London & Caroline etc') - 25 million people tuned in.
It did not stop them from changing the laws to suit themselves. I know they were illegal but they could have licensed them onland. Think BBC/Adverts.

Unfortunately its not about the numbers or the health issues, follow the money. Many times in history people want something, many times they do not get it, pirate radio was just an example that i lived through.

All i am saying is - numbers do not matter if they want to do something, then they will, we have no say in the matter.
But we must try our best to sway their decisions even if history says its futile in the majority of cases.

 

[Rizzyking]

Starting to see a lot of this anti ecig rubbish coming out and you don't norrmally have to dig too deep to find the money of big tobacco and pharma behind most if not all of it. I had smoked since i was nine im' now 42 gave up tobacco last year for vaping took what i think is the normal route cigalikes to ego onto a mod when it arrives. I no longer cough my guts up in the morning no longer wake up short of breath taste buds have rrecoverred my lungs are clear. Add to that we worked out between me and the wife we were spending close on two hundred pounds a month (mostly me) now on a bad month replacing heads both of us needing liquid thats down to less then a hundred.

Also i don't know where they are buying their ecigs from and can only assume they are classing the filling in cartos or something for all the toxins they are finding. Way i look at it society asked smokers to be more considerate many of us did by moving onto ecigs leave us alone now we are not harming ourselves and definately no longer harming anyone else.

 

[ria__x]

the usual fear mongering cr*p. i'm surprised this wasn't on daily mail first, they're the king and queens of 'what cause's cancer'

imho, anything can 'cause' cancer if you do it enough. everyone's already got cancer it depends whether it gets triggered or not in your life.

and people who quit ecigs are just misinformed/misguided but don't want to admit it! the concept is so much more customizable then regular cigs. i get non smokers telling me they want to try the nicotine free versions of what i smoke 'cause it smells good!