Sanjay,
Saw your initial good reporting on Vaping this morning. I've never written to a journalist before. I am not associated with the tobacco or e-cigarette industry but though it might be useful to you to provide so feedback/insight for your consideration for future reporting as I think all news outlets have fell far short of providing a comprehensive reporting on this subject and situation and digging deep on health subjects like this is your 'schtick" so to speak.
I'm a 50-yo male who was previously just a "social smoker" (meaning very rarely at social gathering where there were others smoking).
First let me say that I loved your question to the CDC about balancing the benefits to adults who quit tobacco (a far more detrimental habit) versus providing a more attractive habit to young people.
I think the important thing when investigating and reporting on this is to think logically.
I think the first big unanswered question is why the deaths and outbreaks of lung damage all of the sudden? People having been vaping since the mid 2000's. Is it just because the CDC and/or FDA chose not to make any statements about it until now, therefore the media was unaware? That seems to be the case based on the just recent Congressional testimony.
Second big unanswered question is obviously what is different between the hundreds of cases and the millions of other vapers that are not ending up in hospitals? Is it volume/frequency of vaping? THC vaping versus nicotine vaping? Specific ingredients in the e-liquids that are not in others? An allergy to the ingredients? (I've found propylene glycol makes my chest tight like a mild allergic reaction where vegetable glycerin does not - how many vapers don't understand the differences in the major components?)
Thirdly, I've seen no media coverage that explains what the common ingredients are in e-liquid and what is known as far as their interaction with the body compared to the components in burning tobacco. I think viewers/vapers would find it interesting and educational. I realize media outlets are going to be extremely conservative and don't like to report on something as being probably not that dangerous for fear something comes out later. But I think the reporting is being dumbed down too much. The main components in e-juice are Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin. The additives for flavor can be all over the map but they are a very minor component relatively. I think not including basic coverage of what "e-juice" is and made up of is doing a disservice to the public.
The other thing that hasn't really be delved into in detail is that some e-juice that is salt based nicotine (like JUUL) which is absorbed by the brain quicker, more similar to a tobacco cigarette, and other juice is freebase nicotine that is not as quickly absorbed. It was touched on lightly in your piece this morning. Many think the salt based juice is more addicitve. Furthermore, a juice with 5% nicotine (the most common JUUL strength) represents a much much highed nicotine content than cigarettes! There is debate though that due to other chemicals that the tabacco is treated with, a higher percentage of the nicotine in cigarettes makes it to the brain. I have no idea. But I think people using 5% e-salt liquid are taking in far more nicotine than the strongest tobacco cigarettes. That is what I think is the biggest issues with e-cigarettes. Note that I use an 1.8% salt based e-juice (it's hard to find anything under 2% in the salt based liquids - maybe another good question is why is that?)
One thing no one has reports on that I think is huge omission is that vaping is much more convenient than smoking. Let me explain....
So I was just an occasional social smoker. Now I'm a regular everyday vaper, taking in more nicotine than I ever did. Why? When I was an occasional/social smoker. Even though you can smoke in someone's home (including your own), or your car, you wouldn't because of the smoke smell being offensive to many around you and potentially leaving a permanent smell. With vaping, both myself and many others I know that were social smokers, you can easily smoke inside your house, sitting at your desk working from home or while watching TV. It's not offensive to people around you as much as cigarette smoke, it doesn't make your home, car, and clothes smell like smoke. In fact despite vaping in my home and car multiple times a day, no one I've asked can smell the menthol from my vaping (guess my e-liquid isn't strong smelling enough and/or I don't do it enough.) Before though, smoking cigarette was a lot more inconvenient: find your lighter, get your jacket on, and go out on your deck, find a place to put your ashes and your buts. Not with vaping, just press the button. I think I represent a significant population of adults that were not regular smokers that are now regular vapers because of the cleaner and more convenient delivery method.
Hope you'll find these comments useful in planning your future reporting.
Saw your initial good reporting on Vaping this morning. I've never written to a journalist before. I am not associated with the tobacco or e-cigarette industry but though it might be useful to you to provide so feedback/insight for your consideration for future reporting as I think all news outlets have fell far short of providing a comprehensive reporting on this subject and situation and digging deep on health subjects like this is your 'schtick" so to speak.
I'm a 50-yo male who was previously just a "social smoker" (meaning very rarely at social gathering where there were others smoking).
First let me say that I loved your question to the CDC about balancing the benefits to adults who quit tobacco (a far more detrimental habit) versus providing a more attractive habit to young people.
I think the important thing when investigating and reporting on this is to think logically.
I think the first big unanswered question is why the deaths and outbreaks of lung damage all of the sudden? People having been vaping since the mid 2000's. Is it just because the CDC and/or FDA chose not to make any statements about it until now, therefore the media was unaware? That seems to be the case based on the just recent Congressional testimony.
Second big unanswered question is obviously what is different between the hundreds of cases and the millions of other vapers that are not ending up in hospitals? Is it volume/frequency of vaping? THC vaping versus nicotine vaping? Specific ingredients in the e-liquids that are not in others? An allergy to the ingredients? (I've found propylene glycol makes my chest tight like a mild allergic reaction where vegetable glycerin does not - how many vapers don't understand the differences in the major components?)
Thirdly, I've seen no media coverage that explains what the common ingredients are in e-liquid and what is known as far as their interaction with the body compared to the components in burning tobacco. I think viewers/vapers would find it interesting and educational. I realize media outlets are going to be extremely conservative and don't like to report on something as being probably not that dangerous for fear something comes out later. But I think the reporting is being dumbed down too much. The main components in e-juice are Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin. The additives for flavor can be all over the map but they are a very minor component relatively. I think not including basic coverage of what "e-juice" is and made up of is doing a disservice to the public.
The other thing that hasn't really be delved into in detail is that some e-juice that is salt based nicotine (like JUUL) which is absorbed by the brain quicker, more similar to a tobacco cigarette, and other juice is freebase nicotine that is not as quickly absorbed. It was touched on lightly in your piece this morning. Many think the salt based juice is more addicitve. Furthermore, a juice with 5% nicotine (the most common JUUL strength) represents a much much highed nicotine content than cigarettes! There is debate though that due to other chemicals that the tabacco is treated with, a higher percentage of the nicotine in cigarettes makes it to the brain. I have no idea. But I think people using 5% e-salt liquid are taking in far more nicotine than the strongest tobacco cigarettes. That is what I think is the biggest issues with e-cigarettes. Note that I use an 1.8% salt based e-juice (it's hard to find anything under 2% in the salt based liquids - maybe another good question is why is that?)
One thing no one has reports on that I think is huge omission is that vaping is much more convenient than smoking. Let me explain....
So I was just an occasional social smoker. Now I'm a regular everyday vaper, taking in more nicotine than I ever did. Why? When I was an occasional/social smoker. Even though you can smoke in someone's home (including your own), or your car, you wouldn't because of the smoke smell being offensive to many around you and potentially leaving a permanent smell. With vaping, both myself and many others I know that were social smokers, you can easily smoke inside your house, sitting at your desk working from home or while watching TV. It's not offensive to people around you as much as cigarette smoke, it doesn't make your home, car, and clothes smell like smoke. In fact despite vaping in my home and car multiple times a day, no one I've asked can smell the menthol from my vaping (guess my e-liquid isn't strong smelling enough and/or I don't do it enough.) Before though, smoking cigarette was a lot more inconvenient: find your lighter, get your jacket on, and go out on your deck, find a place to put your ashes and your buts. Not with vaping, just press the button. I think I represent a significant population of adults that were not regular smokers that are now regular vapers because of the cleaner and more convenient delivery method.
Hope you'll find these comments useful in planning your future reporting.
