There is so much miss-information about the Electronic Cigarette out in the news, I thought it would be prudent to squash some of the lies you may have heard. I get really upset when I talk to someone who states some ‘fact’ about e-cigarettes that I know to be completely untrue. Here is my list of the top 6 myths about the electronic cigarette:

Myth #6: Nicotine causes cancer

When smoking a traditional Tobacco cigarette, it is not the Nicotine that is doing harm to your body. The primary reason cigarettes cause cancer is because they are ignited. When you burn the tobacco, you release the toxic chemicals in the tobacco, which you then inhale into your lungs. This cigarette smoke contains the 4000 chemicals and toxins everyone has heard of (tar, carbon monoxide, arsenic, lead, etc.) Nicotine alone is about as dangerous for your body as regular caffeine. It is known to increase blood pressure, reduce heart rate, and constrict arteries. Caffeine is known to cause blurred vision, dizziness, fast heartbeat, and hyperglycemia.

A scientific study was done on the long term effects of inhaled nicotine. In the study, rats were placed in a chamber with twice the plasma concentration of nicotine found in heavy smokers. Nicotine was given for 20 h a day, 5 days a week for two years. Results: “We could not find any increase in mortality, in atherosclerosis or frequency of tumors in these rats compared with controls. Particularly, there was no microscopic or macroscopic lung tumors nor any increase in pulmonary neuroendocrine cells. Throughout the study, however, the body weight of the nicotine exposed rats was reduced as compared with controls. In conclusion, our study does not indicate any harmful effect of nicotine when given in its pure form by inhalation”.

Myth #5: E-cigarette Manufacturers produce electronic cigarettes in unsafe and unsanitary environments

Electronic cigarettes are produced in clean and professional factories in China. They are required to pass certification standards to produce and sell their products. These certifications are just as strict as any that are used in Canada and the United States. Watch this Youtube video as Vapor walks through an e-cigarette manufacturing plant and see the top level of quality control they use.

As you can see, the procedures that take place at these manufacturing plants are completely up to standard. The distributor I purchase my electronic cigarettes and e-liquid from has 8 different certifications for their products. You must realize it is in the best interest of the companies making these products to follow strict safety and health policies to ensure their products are safe to use, with no contaminants.

Myth #4: Non-smokers will suddenly start reacting to use e-cigarettes

This one is really quite silly in my opinion. There are currently many different alternates to smoking cigarettes that non-smokers could try, like snuff, nicotine gums and lozenges. Have you ever heard of a non smoker deciding to try some nicotine gum? Or throw on a patch? Electronic cigarettes are designed specifically for current tobacco smokers who can’t stop smoking cigarettes. They are not made for non-smokers, and should not be marketed for non-smokers.

Myth #3: There are issues with the additives in E-cigarettes (Propylene Glycol or Vegetable Glycerin)

Both propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin have been used in everyday items for years in North America. These products have been tested and re-tested for possible toxicity with humans, and have been deemed safe to use both by health Canada and the FDA. For more information, read the research completed on Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin.

Myth #2: Our government is looking out for our best interest

This myth is simply laughable. The government is looking out for all of its interests, including big tobacco and pharmaceutical companies, who make the two products that are in competition with the electronic cigarette. Any smoker turned electronic cigarette user is one less pack-a-day purchaser of tobacco, of which the government taxes. This tax totals 9.3 Billion Dollars annually. Even though smokers cause a larger burden on our health care, it is estimated . billion dollars annual are the result of smokers. This is a net profit of 7.8 billion dollars for our Canadian government’s pocket. They do not want to give this up. Any smoker turned electronic-cigarette user won’t need the current quit smoking products made by the drug companies: The patch, the nicotine gums, the nicotine inhalers, and the drugs. –Which by the way have a 95% failure rate. The pharmaceutical companies made a net profit of 1.3 billion dollars in Canada in 2009, of which the Canadian governments receives its taxes. The worldwide sales o smoking-cessation products surpassed 1.6 billion dollars in 2009. This is a big business ladies and gentleman, and the pharmaticudical companies have a vested interest in seeing electronic cigarettes off the market. They have a lot of money, and a lot of power.

Myth #1: Electronic cigarettes may not be any safer then tobacco products

This is again absolutely laughable. Tobacco cigarettes are one of the worst things you can do to your body. They attack all areas of your body, slowly breaking down and destroying them. They cause cancer of the everything, and reduce energy, mess with sleep, harm the lungs, heart, brain, and so much more. Electronic cigarettes have now been on the marketplace for nearly seven years, and almost without exception, every single user who used to use tobacco has had a dramatic and drastic improvement in all of the areas for testing. People are going to their doctors and they are saying ‘you’ve quit smoking’, or ‘according to medical science, you are now considered a non-smoker’. Without the burning, and without the tobacco, there is simply no way for electronic cigarettes to be anywhere near as dangerous or physically harming then tobacco cigarettes.