Electronic cigarettes have become a much better alternative used by many previous cigarette smokers. Electronic cigarettes don’t contain nicotine, nor do they have any tobacco, tar, or any of the thousands of carcinogens found in traditional cigarettes. They are less expensive, better for the environment, and don’t put off any secondhand smoke. They are viewed by many as a much safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, as well as an effective way to quit smoking.
And yet, with all of the benefits found with electronic cigarettes, there are still many people that do not support electronic cigarettes. This includes a few major organizations.
Here are 3 major organizations that still do not support electronic cigarettes:
FDA
The Food and Drug Administration has been very anti-electronic cigarettes. The FDA has tried to ban the sale of certain brands of e-cigarettes. They also have publicly discouraged the use of e-cigarettes, stating that they lack necessary health warnings, and that they may be marketed to young people (specifically because of their available flavors). But so far, they have been unsuccessful in their attempts to ban these products (except for selling them to minors).
Health Canada
Health Canada issued an advisory against electronic cigarettes in 2009. In that advisory, they stated that they were “advising Canadians not to purchase or use electronic smoking products, as these products may pose health risks and have not been fully evaluated for safety, quality and efficacy by Health Canada.”
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society has also been critical of e-cigarettes. Russ Sciandra of the American Cancer Society of NY & NJ said: “There are simply too many unknowns when it comes to e-cigarettes. While a new study out today touts e-cigarettes as a potential smoking cessation device, there still is no scientific evidence that e-cigarettes are a safe substitute for traditional cigarettes or an effective smoking cessation tool.”
Most Problems are With the Lack of Research
Although there are some major organizations that still don’t support electronic cigarettes, most of them haven’t come out with statements saying that the e-cigarettes themselves are bad or unsafe. Most of them don’t seem to have a problem with the actual products (except for maybe the flavorings being marketed to children), but more with the lack of research that has been done on electronic cigarettes. Most of these organizations don’t seem to be saying that electronic cigarettes are bad, they have mostly spoken out saying that there haven’t been proper studies done on them yet.
These organizations are asking companies and manufacturers to come out with more research and reports on the safety of electronic cigarettes. The hope is that, as more studies and results are reported on electronic cigarettes, we will be able to see more proof around what they are able to do, and the health benefits of these products over traditional cigarettes. Hopefully, as more research is done, these companies will be able to prove to the FDA and these other organizations the benefits and safety of e-cigarettes. As they are able to do this, hopefully we will see less criticism surrounding electronic cigarettes.
Nicole writes articles for www.ecigarettereviewsforum.com. Visit their site for reviews & FAQs on e-cigarettes.
