Tobacco companies can’t tell their arse from their elbow

Thought I’d have a stab at making a sensationalist headline for once.  I’ll admit, it needs work. Some work. OK a lot of work, but it sure as hellfire beats the headline gracing the on-line Mirror today.

In a way, that headline can be seen as positive. In a bad light, if you squint.  It isn’t the usual scaremongering headline that normally accompanies an article on personal vaporisers in the Mirror that’s for damn sure.

Cigalikes are less effective at helping you quit nicotine than the “tank” model of e-cigs

Huh.  This is one of those told you so type moments isn’t it? Every vaper I know thinks that the cig-a-likes are, to put it bluntly, shit.  Now we have proof.  I mean, c’mon it’s in the Mirror so it must be true right?

Thing is, it is the Mirror and they have a worse than terrible reputation when it comes to vaping stories so what makes this one different?  Well, they look at a recent study which look at how effective certain device types are at helping folk quit smoking.  Sounds good doesn’t it? That is, until you get to this snippet.

In the study around 76% of participants used cigalikes while 24% used tank models.

The study had 1500 (give or take) participants so less than a quarter of those had used, or were using 2nd or 3rd generation vaporisers, so a little over 300. Whilst useful data, it isn’t exactly conclusive is it?

At the very least, the author of this article was able to tell the difference between a cig-a-like and a 2nd / 3rd generation device.

Reading through the first part of the article isn’t too bad until I spotted this:

That’s at the same time as tobacco giants are using MASSIVE lobbying power to dilute EU regulation of the industry.

That could easily be read as saying the vapor industry. It’s the God-Awful Vox article again. Do they not get that most vape stores are owned and operated by families?  True, tobacco companies are in the e-cig business, but they are a few years behind and from the looks of things, have no intentions on playing catchup.  They just want to see the 2nd / 3rd gen stuff disappear, why do you think Phillip Morris lobby so hard?

“At this point we don’t know why people who use tank type e-cigarettes daily are more likely to have quit,” said the study’s author Dr Sara Hitchman.

Uh, here’s a thought Doc maybe it is because the cig-a-like e-cigs are actually pretty fucking awful? But then you didn’t actually ask vapers did you?

“Research suggests that tanks might deliver nicotine more effectively and perhaps be more satisfying to users, but there may also be other factors, including price and the ways that tanks allow the user to adapt the product, such as the nicotine content and flavour of the liquid.”

If anything, the cig-a-likes are much cheaper at time of purchase than 2nd / 3rd generation devices.  The difference being of course, is that once you buy a Vuse, Blu, or whatever you are stuck with buying their refills.  The more advanced devices give us the user much greater flexibility in that respect. Nautilus tank on a Hana, sure no problem. The variety of mods and tanks makes it much more than just a habit, there are many that like to experiment.  Others, such as myself find a setup that works for them and pretty much stick with it.

Furthermore, the small group was very different in terms of age and education so it’s hard to prove the causal link between the type of vaping device and quitting smoking.

Still trying to figure out the reasoning why they would want to learn what age groups are using which type of device.  I suppose that is so they can come up with some really stupid legislations about marketing. You know, the children. Yawn.

Finally the study is from 2013; e-cigs have evolved a lot since then.

Yep, you could say that. The trouble with most of these surveys and studies is that they take far too long to reach the press. Of course, the vapor industry is akin to the IT industry in many respects in that technology moved on at such a pace, you could buy a PC or laptop and it’d be obsolete as soon as you bought it or near enough.  The pace of the vapor industry is pretty similar, although it does seem to be slowing down somewhat. Of course, that could be down to other aspects like, oh I don’t know… bobblegom perhaps?

“If this really does, eventually, turn out to be a true effect, then it argues for the use of these products within a regulated cessation programme, rather than using them as a consumer good,” said Professor Martin McKee from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

“Given other concerns about the toxicity of long term inhalation of nicotine and the flavourings contained in these products, it seems that the precautionary approach adopted by public health authorities in many countries remains justified,” he added.

Warrior give me strength. Changed his tune a little hasn’t he? First he wanted them gone, end of. Now, seeing that 2nd / 3rd generation are doing exactly what we’ve been saying all along he doesn’t want them gone, he wants them under medical regulation as a cessation aid. FFS.

No Mr McPhee, the precautionary approach you claim to be ‘adopting’ is nothing more than draconian. You wanted them taken away to be studied then released once they were deemed ‘safe’. Well tough chuff boy-o.

“Concerns of long term inhalation”, we pretty much know what they are. Non-existent.  There are many vapers who have been using these devices for 6 years or more. Don’t you think, for one second that if there was going to be any kind of ‘harm’ from these it would have happened by now? No? Guess not, too busy spouting your usual rubbish in that really irritating tone of yours.

Come out of your crumbling ivory tower and talk to people, learn what these devices actually are instead of blindly repeating bullshit.

At least the article did include one of our own, albeit briefly and tacked onto the end like some kind of distasteful afterthought.

Tom Pruen from e-cig trade body ECITA says he doesn’t think tobacco companies are producing ineffective products deliberately.

“I think it’s more a reflection that the simple,sealed, cigalike products are better suited to the wholesale distribution channels they use, and the poor understanding of the market they had when buying up e-cig companies,” he said.

Although Tom is mentioned, I would suspect that the statement printed isn’t quite what he actually said. But it just goes to show, we already knew that cig-a-likes were shit, now we have ‘evidence’ to prove it.

Vape ’em if ya gotta ’em

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