I have to say I am disappointed. The Early Show presentation on electronic cigarettes seems to have been tainted.

The facts are clear…that electronic cigarettes have not undergone any serious medical trials and are not FDA approved. Then again what does FDA approval guarantee as we see drug after drug once ‘approved’ being dragged off the shelves because they are found to be a little more deadly than the medical trials suggested. I suppose thats what you get when the industry basically approves its own products!

What upset me most about the coverage on The Early show was the insistance by the Doctor of  untested nature of the electronic cigarette.

To the layman, when faced with a choice between vaporized nicotine mixed with tabacco tars (cigarette)  and vaporized nicotine and water vapour (electronic cigarette), it would seem fairly clear that if you were going to choose the  ‘less likely to give you cancer’ from the book then you would probably go with electric version.

I am sure the doc was being honest about his opinion. The fact that he works at the Rusk Institute in NYC should be great credentials. Until that is you find out that The Rusk Institute has Pfizer as a contributor. Pfizer of course who manufacture a smoking cessation drug!

Kinda puts our doc credentials under question. At the very least it would have been pause for thought at the Early Show’s producers meeting as to whether they could find a doc without such an obvious ‘conflict of interest’

Come on Early Show…not so sloppy next time please.

I came across recently a news item about the pending smoking ban legislation in South Dakota. South Dakota is just the latest in a long line of states where smoking is being banned across the public spectrum in bars, restaurants and all working places.

One of the worst affected industries  when a smoking ban comes into affect is the pub, bar industry. With about 50% of regular drinkers at the local bar or pub being smokers it has been shown that these people either go to the bar less often or buy their beer and liquour at the store and drink at home.

The effect on small local pubs can be dramatic with a 30% loss of regular income.

The good news is now there is a solution at hand that can limit the damage…the electronic cigarette.

Elecric cigarettes simulate the smoking experience and produce only water vapour as a bi-product making them acceptable to be used in all places where smoking is banned. The smoker still gets his nicotine. And more importantly, still gets to enjoy it sitting on a stool at his local pub.

Bar owners in South Dakota would do well to get a distributor licence as soon as possible and start marketing the electronic cigarettes to their regular customers. Not only will this dampen the effect when the bans are effected but the increase in revenue they can make from the sales of refills etc will further make sure they are not losing money because of the ban.

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