E-cigarettes have the potential to help users quit smoking, but Wardenburg community health worker Anne Schuster warns that they still contain addictive nicotine. The FDA is also investigating the product. (CU Independent illustration/ Kelly Kaoudis)
The Food and Drug Administration is jumping in front of the electronic cigarette industry, something many students are unaware of but that Wardenburg officials say is a good move.
According to the FDA, e-cigarette manufacturers are violating the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act by making unsupported claims and using unapproved manufacturing practices.
E-cigarettes work by using a rechargeable battery to heat a mixture of water, nicotine and optional flavorings into a breathable vapor that simulates smoke. They look just like regular cigarettes and even illuminate at the end when smoked, imitating a tobacco ember. E-cigarettes are marketed heavily on the claim that they are a healthy replacement for cigarettes and an effective method of quitting smoking, according to a manufacturer website.
According to the manufacturer of a brand of e-cigarettes called No.7, “electronic cigarettes are really becoming the best alternative to smoking.”
Anne Schuster, who works with Wardenburg’s community health program, said that a survey conducted by the American Cultural Association estimates that about 5 percent of students at CU are everyday smokers. According to the Wardenburg Health Center website, CU offers several free services to students who are trying to quit smoking such as counseling, prescription drugs, nicotine patches and nicotine gum.
“What we know about quitting smoking is that it usually takes multiple approaches,” Schuster said.
Not only are e-cigarettes a new and untested product, but they carry a hefty price tag as well. No.7 brand e-cigarettes can cost well over $100.
“It doesn’t sound like something that the average college student can afford,” said Adam Fugate, an 18-year-old freshman integrative physiology major.
However, some students at CU say the cost may be justified.
“If you consider that you wouldn’t have to buy cigarettes anymore, $100 isn’t bad … especially if it helps you quit smoking,” said Daniel Hill, an 18-year-old freshman open-option major.
The e-cigarette itself costs about the same as 10 or 15 packs of cigarettes and its disposable nicotine cartridges cost about 80 percent less than cigarettes, according to a manufacturer website.
Schuster said that while e-cigarettes may seem like a good alternative they may not be.
“Students need to realize that e-cigarettes are just another form of nicotine and can be addictive just like cigarettes,” she said.
Despite some hype around e-cigarettes, they are not yet widely known about. Many students at CU haven’t even heard of them before.
“Sounds like exactly what I need,” said Trevor Rothman, an 18-year-old freshman pre-journalism student.
Rothman also said that he feels the FDA should analyze e-cigarettes before they are allowed to be marketed further.
“Better safe than sorry, right?” Rothman said.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Kevin Stockton at Kevin.stockton@colorado.edu.
The ingredients found in the liquid used for e-cigs are propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine and flavoring, all of these ingredients are FDA approved for human consumption. Yes nicotine is addictive but no more so in and of itself than is caffiene. E-cigs are meant to be used as smoking alternatives, not as nicotine cessation devices.
They have no more carcinogens in them than do FDA approved nicotine patches. In the 5 years that they have been on the global market, there have been no reports of serious health problems or deaths reported. Many users of e-cigs find that they completely stop smoking tobacco cigarettes and use their e-cigs only. This only means that they stop smoking tobacco cigarettes they do not stop using nicotine, which they receive from the use of their e-cigs.
while this one manufacturer you’re highlighting may, they don’t all “look just like cigarettes.” There are many, many styles, colors and sizes. They come in all different price ranges, too, some as low as $30 for a whole kit containing enough for two complete e-cigarettes with chargers and cartridges. You don’t even have to use prefilled cartridges, you can buy juices or get creative and mix your own. The variety of choice with these is endless and since I make my own juices, costs me about $40 a month for supplies, including extra parts when needed. I wish people would stop being so cut-and-dry about them. I’d love to read just one article outlining the choices that we have when purchasing them.