FDA to America: We are Unwilling To Compare Safety Of Electronic Cigarette To Tobacco Cigarettes. But we will regulate them.

On December 26, 2011, in Opinion, by HeavyD

This was the email response given by an FDA official when asked why the FDA can’t offer more substantive criticisms than simply, “We think it’s bad, so don’t do it. That is, until we find a way for Big Tobacco to buy the licensing rights and charge you all a licensing fee!” I think it [...]

Nurses’ Health Study links tobacco use and psoriasis.

On November 27, 2011, in Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

The objective of the study was to evaluate the relation between smoking and incidence of psoriasis in a women. The study found that women who smoked at  one time in the past and those women who were classified as “current smokers” were at increased risk for developing psoriasis. However, the risk was greater for those [...]

Forbes: Ecigs should be …promoted

On September 28, 2011, in Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

Forbes.com has a recent piece titled: “E-Cigarettes Should Be Promoted, Not Banned” Written by Tim Worstall, the article references the ecig article in The Guardian and the “Nudge Unit” (now that’s a great name for a… unit) employed by the government to, apparently, utilize electronic cigarettes in their efforts to help smokers manage nicotine addiction. [...]

UCLA Nursing study shows nurses who smoke tobacco die at 200% the rate of those who do not smoke tobacco.

On September 11, 2011, in Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

2 nurse images in a row? How’d that happen? This one was just too good. Anyway…A study from the UCLA School of Nursing reveals the tragic consequences of smoking on the nursing profession. The study was published in the journal Nursing Research outlines smoking trends and death rates among U.S. nurses and highlights the importance [...]

Just for fun: Nicotine enema to cure Crohn’s disease?

On September 10, 2011, in Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

A study from researchers at University Hospital Cardiff Wales in the UK suggests that Crohn’s disease may very well be treated by, get this – nicotine enemas. That’s right, you heard it here first. Nicotine, as it turns out, has some positive benefits as an anti-inflammatory, particularly within the gut. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease [...]

Blu Cigs: Social Media Savvy?

On August 29, 2011, in About eCigs, BluCig Products, by Smokey the Barrister

The LA times has a write up covering Blu Cig’s new initiative  that will enbable Blu Cig users to find — other Blu Cig users — nearby. That’s kind of interesting, and we agree here that some people may be interested in this sort of random connection-making. (Me, I’m a misanthropic loner, no way would [...]

Ecigs and Hollywood: let’s get together

On June 30, 2011, in Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

The Washington Post has a new article touting the arrival of eCigs in Hollywood. Interesting. They even feature a shot of the Blu ecig pack as the lead image. Do celebrities know something the FDA doesn’t? Apparently Mr. DiCaprio, Ms. Lohan, and well, the cool kids, are vaping it up. The article is pretty much [...]

Curcumin a Cure for Tobacco Cancers?

On June 15, 2011, in Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

Curcumin, the compound found in turmeric that gives curry its orange-yellow color, may block nicotine-induced cancers of the head and neck.  A study recently reported at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology in San Diego, found that curcumin was able to block the activation of an important pathway in the promotion [...]

Quit Smoking: Allen Carr’s good advice

On May 14, 2011, in benefits of quitting smoking, Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

“Great Smoking Myths” Allen Carr was a 30 year smoker, describing himself as one of “the worst nicotine addicts there has ever been”. Not a casual smoker, but an all-day every day smoker. He eventually was able to quit, and came up with his myths of smoking cessation. Allen Carr’s Smoking Myths Smokers Myth #1: [...]

Do anti-smoking groups advise lung cancer as alternative to e-cigs?

On May 7, 2011, in Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

Dr. Michael Siegel of Boston University writes eloquently and convincingly about the absurdity of most allegedly anti-smoking groups’ position on electronic cigarettes. Dr. Siegel points out that nearly all of them claim or imply that they recommend that smokers KEEP SMOKING CIGARETTES than migrate their nicotine usage to other less harmful means. This flies in [...]

Flintstones Cigarette Commercial

On May 1, 2011, in Opinion, The Smoke Business, by Smokey the Barrister

Flinstones and Winston Cigarettes, this is a from roughly 1960-61. Winston was one of the sponsors of the first few years of the Flintstones. TImes change …

Considering quitting tobacco? What you should know about Zyban.

On April 10, 2011, in Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

Zyban is a prescription medication designed to help smokers quit more easily than without the drug. It comes in a pill form. It does not contain nicotine Zyban’s history is interesting. Smokers who happened to be users of the anti-depression medication Wellbutrin (bupropion hydrochloride) often reported a lessening in the desire for cigarettes. Through further [...]

Univ. Chicago study uncovers what women want. More cigarettes.

On December 1, 2010, in Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

While it is true that Freud once said, “sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.” However, when it comes to phallic symbols, it’s hard to beat a cig. NIH is running a clinical trial of the drug efficacy study of Naltrexone in Women’s Smoking Cessation. Here’s what the abstract of the test says: Women may [...]

eCigarettes ‘maybe, potentially unsafe’… or maybe not.

On September 23, 2010, in About eCigs, Opinion, by HeavyD

While both sides await the shakeout on e-cigarettes, the products are on the market (kits with the e-cigarette and nicotine cartridges generally sell for $70 to $150). And contrary to the old adage, what you don’t know can hurt you. Among the reasons to be wary of what you read on Ecigarettes: — Most e-cigarettes are made in [...]

Toothpaste giant, Tom’s of Maine, admits to using same chemicals as electronic cigarettes

On September 14, 2010, in Opinion, WTF is Propylene Glycol, by HeavyD

Here’s what Tom’s of Maine Toothpastes and Deodorants has to say: Tom’s of Maine uses Propylene Glycol “Propylene glycol is considered a safe and appropriate ingredient not just for cosmetic products, but also for ingested products like food and pharmaceuticals. It is on the US Food and Drug Administration’s list of ingredients which are Generally [...]

Report claims Hollywood conspired with Big Tobacco to promote smoking in movies. No, really?

On September 8, 2010, in Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

A report claims to have smoked out secret contracts between Big Tobacco and old-time Hollywood, where movie stars received big bucks to endorse cigarettes. Researchers at the Tobacco Control journal reveal that many of the biggest names of Hollwyood’s golden age – including Clark Gable, Henry Fonda, and Lauren Bacall – took money to endorse [...]

Propylene Glycol & electronic cigarettes: FDA approved substance or Chinese conspiracy?

On August 22, 2010, in Opinion, WTF is Propylene Glycol, by Smokey the Barrister

What the heck is propylene glycol? Propylene glycol is used as a ‘humectant’ which means it maintains moisture levels in food products, cosmetics and tobacco products. Humectants are what make hair conditioning products work as well as create the ‘moisterizing’ effects of many common cosmetics and consumer products we take for granted such as: make [...]

Big Tobacco Avoid Taxation via Tobacco Labeling Switcharoo

On August 18, 2010, in Opinion, by HeavyD

You got to hand it to Big Tobacco. They may called a lot of things but “stupid” is not one of them. A recent Associated Press Article highlights antics Big Tobacco took to circumvent federal tobacco taxes. Shrewd marketing on behalf of Big Tobacco helped them avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars in tobacco [...]

New Zealand: Smokers support increased tobacco tax (and head shrinking), national survey says.

On August 9, 2010, in Opinion, by HeavyD

Very interesting. But ask yourself this – as taxes on cigarettes mount and governments come to rely on these taxes to manage their budgets, what is the likelihood that smoking cessation will honestly be pursued? Whenever a government is funded on the act of smoking it will do what it can to keep that funding [...]

8 million Americans search Web for help quitting tobacco. (Between porn and free credit reports)

On August 8, 2010, in Opinion, by Smokey the Barrister

A clinical trial aims at understanding how smoking cessation products such as nicotine gum and the patch might work in conjunction with online cessation programs. (Not yet recruiting participants) We at SmokeShopTalk wonder why electronic cigarettes might not also be a part of that study? One would think that a USB drive and computing data [...]

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