Clean Your Drip Tips NOW Says Scientist!
You’d better clean your drip tips right now unless you want to get ill or worse says a scientist.
Last week it was ‘slime cloak‘ and this week the warning is about the gunk lurking in your drip tips being ‘dangerous‘ to health.
Psychologist and epidemiologist, Dr Suzi Gage, from the University of Liverpool also reckons ‘surprisingly little‘ is known about the health effects of nicotine…
Dr Gage is a specialist in ‘drug use’ and freely admits that lit tobacco – especially the tar – is the main killer in smoking – and says whilst e-cigarettes don’t contain the carcinogenic byproducts – vaping could still be dangerous:
For example, perhaps the moisture associated with vapour could harbour bacteria, particularly as these devices are re-used rather than single use in the way that cigarettes are.
If you’re an e-cigarette user, have a little think about how often you clean the mouthpiece that you’re putting in your mouth and inhaling your vapour through.
She also manages to link the recent deaths and illnesses in America – caused by what has become known as EVALI.
The world that bothers to learn knows this outbreak was caused by a thinning agent – vitamin E acetate – added to illicit cannabis cartridges and NO cases have been reported here in the UK or indeed Europe – despite some quarters hinting at the possibility.
Though to be fair, Dr Gage says:
This is something that’s known to be toxic or very, very harmful if inhaled.
Individuals have been using unregulated e-cigarette liquids often containing cannabis or more, usually THC extracted from cannabis, often obtained on the black market and absolutely not a regulated product.
The outbreak of illnesses and deaths was of course extremely worrying but it led to some countries calling for e-cigarettes to be banned.
Now, in my opinion, this is akin to someone going blind after drinking bathtub moonshine and suggesting this means we should ban gin and tonics.
It’s not e-cigarettes themselves that were causing the harm. It was unregulated products being used in any cigarette device.
Thanks for clarifying that too – you’re one of the very few health professionals that has.
Sooo…and a shameless plug for Harley’s review of the Aspire Degerm Drip-Tip Sterilizer coming up!
If you’re really concerned about your drip tips becoming filled with deadly bacteria [lol] then do as 99.9999% of vapers do and wash them under a hot tap…
No drama – just common sense really…
If you’re really concerned check out Harley’s review and buy a drip tip sterilizer 😉
And it goes without saying – during these COVID-19 days – don’t share a drip tip!
Health Experts Attack WHO’s Anti-Vape Policy
World No Tobacco Day descended into a vape bashing load of bollox as far as the World Health Organization was concerned.
Compare that to the day before – World Vape Day – where hundreds of thousands of vapers and former smokers – celebrated what is in effect a life saver – the e-cigarette.
Apart from the European arm of the WHO seemingly starting to see the light from vaping – the WHO continues to make ridiculous false claims about the ‘dangers‘ in effect keep billions smoking with all the deaths that brings.
It’s OK the likes of me and vape advocates – advocacy groups and a select bunch of health experts to promote vaping as safer, that tends to not make the headlines.
So it was refreshing to see such an eminent groups of real globally recognized health experts attack the WHO’s dangerous and quite frankly childish attitude to the benefits of vaping.
The coalition of experts was led and formed by none other than the Iowa Attorney General Miller’s office!
It included former members of the WHO’s inner circle and such luminaries as:
Professor David Abrams, School of Global Public Health, New York University – Emeritus Professor Robert Beaglehole, University of Aukland, New Zealand and former Director of Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion, World Health Organization – Attorney General Tom Miller of Iowa, United States – Professor Tikki Pangestu, University of Singapore and Former Director, Research Policy & Cooperation, World Health Organization – Professor John Britton, University of Nottingham and Director, UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies – Professor Rajesh Sharan, University of North-Eastern Hill, India – Adjunct Professor David Sweanor, University of Ottawa, Canada and Clive Bates, Counterfactual and former Director Action on Smoking and Health, UK.
Like I said about a respected group as you could get.
Tom Miller said:
It’s as if the WHO has forgotten what it is there to do – to save lives and reduce disease.
We can do that by helping and encouraging consumers to switch from cigarettes to lower-risk products.
This means being honest about the much lower risks and by using smarter regulation to make switching more attractive.
Absolutely.
Professor John Britton said the WHO policy made “no sense“:
On World No Tobacco Day, the WHO should be driven by one overriding question: How do we get smoking down for the greatest number at the greatest rate?
We know WHO embraces harm reduction in other areas of public health, including for illicit drugs and sexual health.
If WHO wants to even come close to meeting its targets to reduce disease, it needs a strategy for smokers who can’t or won’t quit nicotine, and the rise of smoke-free products since 2010 makes that a practical option.
WHO’s ‘quit or die’ approach to smokers and opposition to harm reduction makes no sense.
Clive Bates asked the questions most of us want an answer to:
When smoking is by far the dominant cause of disease caused by tobacco, why would the WHO use World No Tobacco Day to target one of the most effective and popular alternatives to smoking?
We rarely see the vaping industry advertise to adolescents and we never see kids used in commercial vaping ads – but on World No Tobacco Day we have the absurd spectacle of WHO promoting adverts with children vaping.
What on Earth do they think they are doing?
Exactly…
Vape Companies Under Investigation
Over 20 vape companies are under investigation in Florida for apparently ‘marketing‘ to kids.
The state’s Attorney General, Ashley Moody, made the announcement last week and says it is her belief the named companies are also guilty of not verifying customers ages.
She said:
I am appalled at the marketing of these addictive products to minors by the defendants in this case.
These companies’ marketing practices include labeling and advertising similar to children’s breakfast cereal products, among others, and video game giveaways, to entice our children to buy their addictive products.
As Florida’s Attorney General, and a mother, I will not allow these companies, or any other vaping business, to violate the law and target our children with products that are addictive and particularly harmful to their still developing minds and bodies.
Not much to add really, apart from if any of these companies are flouting the law then I guess justice will be done.
What I will say is the last thing the USA needs right now is vape companies acting with total disregard to the rules – no matter how stupid the legislation may be.
Vaping has the mark of the devil attached to it in the USA and the last thing we need is anymore ammunition being given to the anti-vape brigade.
Which brings me to the next vape news item…
Plant Stem Cell Vape Company Slammed By the FDA
STEMJUICE is a relatively new USA based e-liquid company that has fallen foul of the FDA for quite frankly being absolute knob heads.
For our American readers that’s UK slang for dick weeds or dumb asses…please let me know your own word/s in the comments below 😉
All joking aside, and as I mentioned above, vaping in the USA is under threat from all sides and the last thing it needs is this bunch of bull shitting braggarts.
OK, STEMJUICE and it’s associated Instagram name STEMSIX, claims to have the world’s first ‘plant stem cell vape‘.
They say:
We use plant stem cell extracts from fresh green apples grown in Switzerland, providing a natural source for our e-juices.
These are not only safe to include in e-juices, but can even improve your lung vitality.
All sounds innocent enough and intriguing and something we’d definitely be interested in reviewing…
However, the claims the company makes are the worry and rightfully picked up by the FDA that is now demanding the false claims are rectified or face:
…civil money penalties, seizure, and/or injunction.
The FDA picks out a number of ‘fallacies’ the company is using on its website including:
- STEMJUICE is the least toxic vape on the market”
- “Lose the toxic chemicals, not the flavor”
- “#STEMJUICE is Made in the USA us [sic] We removed toxic chemicals to give you a cleaner vape experience…Revitalize your lungs with STEMJUICE.”
- “We replaced the bad stuff with the good”
- “Breathe easy, with STEMJUICE” followed by “MADE WITHOUT…Aldehyde, Formaldehyde, Diacetyl, Propylene Glycol, Hydrogen Cyanide, Vitamin E Acetate”
- “We use plant stem cell extracts from fresh green apples grown in Switzerland, providing a natural source for our e-juices. These are not only safe to include in e-juices, but can even improve your lung vitality.”
- “Our e-liquid has undergone tests with the Food and Drug Administration, ensuring its quality and safety. We gave [sic] begun the PMTA process, so you can be assured that our product is safe for consumption and use.”
Some of those statements could be forgiven for being ‘enthusiastic marketing‘, however the FDA is rightfully pissed about some of it.
Dear stupidest e-liquid manufacturer on earth…https://t.co/Nk0uo9ikqx
— Jim McDonald (@whycherrywhy) June 5, 2020
“False and Misleading”
Especially the last line concerning testing and PMTA, the FDA says:
Specifically, the first sentence above is false and misleading.
It states that your products have “undergone tests with the Food and Drug Administration”, and states that the testing ensures the quality and safety of your products.
This statement is false because FDA has not conducted testing on your products, and it is misleading in that it implies that FDA has ensured the quality and safety of your products when in fact FDA has not.
The second sentence is misleading because, among other things, it suggests that, because you have begun the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) process, your e-liquid products are necessarily safe for consumption and use.
The company now has 15 days to respond or face the consequences.
So why in this instance am I backing the FDA and NOT a vape juice company?
As I’ve said above – the last thing vaping in the USA needs right now is vape companies blatantly lying to get ahead of the competition and in turn giving politicians even more ammo to shoot us all down.
There’s no word from STEMJUICE on this that I can find, however the company’s mission statement says:
We look for safety and transparency in things like our shampoo to our plastic.
Shouldn’t we be asking that of everything we use and consume?
Right down to our tobacco products?
STEMJUICE formulas have removed PG and added plant stem cells.
For a start stop using the term ‘tobacco products‘ and a ‘cleaner smoke‘ to describe your e-liquid – it’s vaping and vapour NOT smoking or smoke – that might help.
And secondly you want transparency?
Then stop misleading your potential customers it’s that simple.
Saying all that – I’m very open to reviewing your products and of course putting your side of the FDA’s issues out there.
Until then, please be 100% accurate in your marketing for all the reasons above.
Dinner Lady Donates Hand Sanitizers
From the murkier side of vaping to the brighter with news Vape Dinner Lady has donated hand sanitizer to the National Care Association.
The UK vape company known for its award winning much loved e-liquid has sent 10,000 bottles for staff working in care homes and in the community across the country.
Not only that, by switching part of the production line to produce the essential PPE gear, they’ve created 24 new jobs – win win!
Nadra Ahmed, executive chairman of the NCA said:
All forms of PPE are essential for frontline staff in the fight against this virus and the demand across the UK is enormous.
We expect the demand for these items to continue over the coming months if not years. We believe it is crucial for our workforce to have access hand sanitizers in general but to personal use hand sanitizer bottles at this time is essential.
So we’re delighted to receive this extremely generous donation from Vape Dinner Lady – it will provide reassurance and protection for carers right across the country at a time when their role in supporting some of the most vulnerable citizens in our communities is critical.
Vape Dinner Lady chief executive, Mohammed Patel, said:
Teaming up with National Care Association we will help support those most in need at this difficult time with the best interests of our loyal customers and community at heart.
We were moved by the issues raised by the NCA, particularly those facing privately run care homes across the country and we wanted to help.
Nice one guys and great to hear the UK vape industry is still stepping up at this crucial time.
BTW, article and image via: Home Care Insight.
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More Vape News on Wednesday
A reminder if you have a vaping story please let me know
Contact me: neilh @ ecligclick.co.uk
