Consumer Group Applauds Positive Findings on Electronic Cigarettes

May 3, 2010 - PRLog -- “The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association (CASAA) was delighted to learn of the publication of favorable findings on electronic cigarettes by Swiss researcher Jean-François Etter, from the University of Geneva,” stated CASAA Medical Director Theresa Whitt, M.D.  Etter’s survey of 81 French-speaking subjects verified that electronic cigarettes can serve as an effective substitute for smoking.

“Smoking’s detrimental health effects are well known,” said Dr. Whitt.  “Because electronic cigarettes are battery-operated, users are not exposed to the tar, carbon monoxide, and particulates found in smoke, but not in the vapor produced by the devices.  This factor alone could account for the beneficial health effects reported by users.”

Whitt said it was unfortunate, however, that Etter relied on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Summary of Results: Laboratory Analysis of Electronic Cigarettes for information on product toxicity, rather than consulting the actual lab report, published on the FDA web site.  “There are several errors in the FDA’s publicity about their testing of 18 electronic cigarette cartridges,” Whitt pointed out.  

“For one thing, the FDA’s Summary of Results misleads readers into believing that electronic cigarettes deliver dangerous levels of toxins and carcinogens to the users.  The fact is that the Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamine (TSNA) levels in electronic cigarette liquid is no greater than the TSNA levels in some FDA-approved nicotine products.  Furthermore, no tests – including those conducted by FDA – found harmful substances in the vapor in toxic quantities.”

CASAA is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama USA, and has members from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

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The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association is a non-profit organization that works to ensure the availability of reduced harm alternatives to smoking and to provide the public with truthful information about such alternatives.