E-cigarettes: The vapor this time

E-cigarettes have exploded on to the scene with millions of novice users, mainly existing smokers, many purporting the safety, efficacy and cessation potential of these items. However, while research is growing, still there is a paucity of studies looking at the spectrum of issues surrounding e-cigarettes. Moreover, recent longitudinal studies on e-cigarettes as a cessation aid have found either no effect or that after follow-up people were still smoking regular cigarettes.

The public health community needs a thorough review and appraisal of the existing literature on the subject of e-cigarettes. A better informed public health community is a better prepared public health community. From whence e-cigarettes? Who are using these devices? What do we currently know about the vapor emitted and inhaled from this objects? What is the harm reduction potential of e-cigarettes? Now that the tobacco industry has stepped in and begun to produce and market these items, what does this mean for the tobacco control movement? Will public use of these devises erode the decade's long work to de-normalize smoking? And how should e-cigarettes be regulated?

This presentation will begin to address the many thorny issues cited above. Only by confronting the issue of e-cigarettes head on can we begin to get a handle on what we are dealing with and what we need to do about it.