May 30th, 2014
From: Reuters
By Ben Hirschler
LONDON, May 29 (Reuters) – A group of 53 leading scientists has warned the World Health Organisation not to classify e-cigarettes as tobacco products, arguing that doing so would jeopardise a major opportunity to slash disease and deaths caused by smoking.
The UN agency, which is currently assessing its position on the matter, has previously indicated it would favour applying similar restrictions to all nicotine-containing products.
In an open letter to WHO Director General Margaret Chan, the scientists from Europe, North America, Asia and Australia argued that low-risk products like e-cigarettes were “part of the solution” in the fight against smoking, not part of the problem.
May 23rd, 2014
From: National Public Radio
by Michelle Andrews
People may think that e-cigarettes are a safer alternative to tobacco, but insurers might not agree.
Tobacco use is one of just four things that insurers that sell health plans on the individual market can when determining someone’s premium: age, geographic location, and family size are the other three. People who use tobacco can be charged up to 50 percent more than nonsmokers.
Under the rules, use of any tobacco product four or more times a week on average in the past six months could subject someone to the tobacco surcharge.
May 21st, 2014
From: New York Times
By SABRINA TAVERNISE
A large study in England has found that smokers trying to quit were substantially more likely to succeed if they used electronic cigarettes than over-the-counter therapies such as nicotine patches or gum. These results offered encouraging but not definitive evidence in the contentious debate about the risks and benefits of these increasingly popular smoking devices.
Researchers interviewed almost 6,000 smokers who had tried to quit on their own without counseling from a health professional. About a fifth of those who said they were using e-cigarettes had stopped smoking at the time of the survey, compared with about a tenth of people who had used patches and gum.
May 15th, 2014
From: The American (American Enterprise Institute)
By Gilbert Ross, M.D.
If the FDA’s proposed regulations go into force, the likely outcome is a severe reduction in consumer choice, and thus fewer smokers quitting and more dying needlessly.
At last, after months of anticipation, the FDA finally unleashed the proposed regulatory plan — the “deeming regulations” — that the drug agency will apply to electronic cigarettes (ecigs). If these regulations go into force — and that may take years — the likely outcome is a severe reduction in consumer choice, and thus fewer smokers quitting and more dying needlessly.
May 8th, 2014
From: ABC News
By LIZ NEPORENT
Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies can charge smokers and other tobacco users up to 50 percent more than non-smokers for a health insurance policy. But where do e-smokers fit in?
E-cigarettes are battery-operated nicotine inhalers that consist of a rechargeable lithium battery, a cartridge called a cartomizer and an LED that lights up during each puff. Although they contain no tobacco, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans on regulating them like cigarettes and cigars. This, it turns out, is complicating things for insurance companies.
