| A federal judge has ruled that electronic cigarettes | | | | Commonwealth University. His team put 2 brands of |
| cannot be regulated as drug delivery devices by the | | | | e-cigs to the test to see their effects as against the |
| Food and Drug Administration (FDA). What does it | | | | traditional cigarettes. The findings? E-smokes fail to |
| mean? It means that e-cigarettes will stay in the | | | | deliver much nicotine or help reduce cravings. They |
| market while the case is still under litigation, and FDA | | | | found that actual smoking dramatically increased |
| can do nothing about it. In effect, other manufacturers | | | | nicotine content in the blood, while e-cigarettes |
| of nicotine-based products could have the nerve to | | | | increased nicotine content only nominally. What's more, |
| question FDA. It could also mean birth to a range of | | | | the products did little to reduce cigarette cravings. |
| new nicotine-laced products that FDA has effective | | | | Further studies are being conducted by the American |
| control of. | | | | Medical Association, and we’ll see the results on |
| According to the federal judge, electronic cigarettes | | | | June. |
| aren’t supposed to be regulated by FDA since | | | | One more thing that we should see from the results is |
| they are merely an alternative to traditional cigarettes | | | | whether there is a net benefit for the public health, |
| which are readily available. Medical experts on the | | | | besides whether or not e-cigarettes deliver nicotine. If |
| other hand claim that this alternative is actually a | | | | manufactures are proved to be misleading the public, |
| smoking cessation product, making greater oversight | | | | FDA will have all the right to control electronic |
| possible and critical. But not all of them stand in one | | | | cigarettes. Health care workers in medical scrubs who |
| position as the World Health Organization considers it | | | | have real concern for people’s health will be most |
| being a valid therapy. | | | | happy about this. In the meantime, let responsible |
| The validity of WHO’s stand is supported by a | | | | members of the society be vigilant of the possible |
| Thomas Eissenberg study. Eissenberg is a | | | | risks brought along by e-cigs to the smoking group and |
| psychologist who led a team of researchers from the | | | | to individuals who don’t smoke, like children and |
| Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies at Virginia | | | | young adults. |