On Thursday, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) joined forces to issue a recommendation for the regulation of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). These two organizations are often at the forefront of cancer research and treatment, and, combined, have over 65,000 members (1).
An example of an electronic cigarette.
E-cigarettes are used to smoke nicotine vapors supposedly free of other cancer-inducing substances found in traditional cigarettes (2). The synthetic nicotine is kept as a liquid in the cartridge of the e-cigarette. The suction the user creates by inhaling activates the heating process that vaporizes the liquid nicotine. The “smoke” that the user exhales is the vaporized form of chemical propylene glycol (2).
E-cigarettes have recently gained tremendous popularity. Although they were introduced to the United States over eight years ago, they managed to earn roughly two billion dollars just in 2014 (1). This dramatic rise in popularity is also seen in the results of a study performed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
That study, which was published in December of 2014, claimed that 17% of high school seniors surveyed had used e-cigarettes at least once a month. This is relatively close to the 14% of high school seniors who claimed to smoke. However, among high school sophomores, the percentage of e-cigarette users (16%) was over double the percentage of traditional smokers (1).
Reports such as these have led to questions regarding the effects of e-cigarettes. While they are supposed to reduce the number of smokers, scientific results regarding their performance remain to be seen. In fact, many people are concerned about the potential of e-cigarettes as a “gateway,” leading users to a habit of smoking traditional cigarettes. Teenagers may be especially vulnerable due to the publicity e-cigarettes receive on television and among celebrities.
The main problem with e-cigarettes, these cancer organizations argue, is simply that not enough is known about the health effects they pose. There are various brands, and the specific identities and quantities of the ingredients they use are largely unknown. The AACR and the ASCO argue that registration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would change this.
The FDA did propose the idea of regulating e-cigarettes in April of last year, but plans have not come to fruition thus far. Regulation would entail the development of rules regarding labeling (such as the display of health warnings), releasing free samples, and selling e-cigarettes in vending machines.
Even these policies do not satisfy everyone, including Stanton Glantz – the director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California, San Francisco. He would prefer the addition of policies related to advertising the e-cigarettes, especially on television. He also lacks confidence in the swiftness of the plan for regulation, remarking, “it’s an especially tortuous political and legal process at the federal level” (1).
This could mean the route to regulation could be more efficient if done in each city or state, rather than through the federal government. Regardless of how it is accomplished, the regulation of e-cigarettes would ultimately put many minds at rest.
Sources:
1. Nielson, J. (2015). Major cancer groups call for e-cigarette research, regulation. Science. Retrieved January 10, 2015, from http://news.sciencemag.org/health/2015/01/major-cancer-groups-call-e-cigarette-research-regulation
2. DeNoon, D. (n.d.). E-Cigarettes Under Fire. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
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