BMA Statement

[esmecullen]

Mar 27, 2012 18:39:39 GMT Anne (fuzzy) said:

Of course they're not going to agree with e cigarettes. They'll lose custom on their patches, gum, inhalators etc.. As we all know, e cigarettes aren't a smoking cessation device, they're an alternative, but they want people to give up using their medically approved extortionately expensive stop smoking aids time and time again (as they don't work.)

That article's a load of twaddle IMHO.

I agree

As an aside I had an appointment to see my Rhumatologist last week. As part of the check up, he asked me if I was still smoking. I told him that I had stopped smoking and was now vaping. Had to explain to him what it entailed and showed him my kit and the e-juices I had with me and gave him one of the leaflets and a card I carry. Bless him, his eyes lit up and said "Well done, I despaired of you ever stopping smoking". Had to explain that I was still getting nicotine but was not getting all the harmful by products. He was so pleased for me and asked if he could keep the leaflet and card as he had a few other patients who were still smoking after being told they should give up. He said "I'd sooner they had one of these than putting a "cancer stick in their mouths!" and told me to carry on vaping !


At least my Rhumatologist appreciates what I am doing

[Karma]

That's good news Esme You could take the BMA statement with you to your next appointment, get his comments on it?

I didn't have a chance to say about vaping at my appointment, they seem to have me logged as an ex-smoker :-[ obviously from one of my failed previous quit attempts!

I don't have blood pressure problems soI did a fair bit of vaping before I went in and my blood pressure was absolutely perfect 120/68.

She tried to do the thing about my weight but before she got a couple of words out I butted in and basically told her not to waste her breath as I'm perfectly happy with my weight. I then proceeded to lie about how much I drink, lol Well it's a joke anyway as they don't know the safe level of alcohol consumption and the probability is that it varies between individuals!

[Globalbloke (Tim)]

Being new to all of this I have to admit to having my doubts, the only thing that would be good would be if there was a more stringent process under which the e-liquids were made, by that I mean some sort of stamp that gurantees that what I think is in the bottle is definately in the bottle. Maybe there is something out there like that, maybe I have just missed it? I have recently questioned the eliquids and what effect they may have on the body, I have done a load of research and from what I can tell they chemicals which are supposed to be in there are not harmful. In fact PG is used in air con units as a sanitiser (in some cases) which means at some point the effects on respiratory system of humans must have been checked?

All I am sure of is that smoking Analogues = certain death, in my eyes removing all the cacinogens from the picture and replacing that with nicotine (of which I am taking in a recuced amount on what I would be with analogues) and a chemical used in every day foods and products must be a winner.

We mustn't forget that the Tobacco industry is a powerful beast and even though they cannot advertise anymore they can use negative advertising against replacements as a form of attack, and they have the budget to do it as well.

>

[jerryrm]

Global, it's not the tobacco industry that stands in our way, it's the pharmaceutical industry. They make a lot of money selling their NRT products, which seldom work. I believe the success rate of NRTs is around 15%. On the other hand, the success rate of e-cigs is around 75 - 85% and the pharma companies don't get so much as a penny from e-cigs.

As far as the safety of e-liquid, that's a good point. I live in the states, so I only buy e-juice, that's made in the U.S.A. If I lived in the UK, I would only buy e-liquid that's made in the UK. That's something that you may want to consider doing.

[dave]

Well both my Doctor and my dental hygienist were delighted I had given up smoking and taken up vaping. I don't think either of them knew much about e-cigs, it was not smoking that was the significant fact. To me that about sums it up!

[Globalbloke (Tim)]

Mar 28, 2012 15:53:07 GMT @jerryrm said:

Global, it's not the tobacco industry that stands in our way, it's the pharmaceutical industry. They make a lot of money selling their NRT products, which seldom work. I believe the success rate of NRTs is around 15%. On the other hand, the success rate of e-cigs is around 75 - 85% and the pharma companies don't get so much as a penny from e-cigs.

Yes I didn't remember that, I think both industries and government would lose a lot of revenue if we all turned to vaping so negative publicity will suit a lot of these industries to keep the public in a worried state about it. Maybe what all these vaping forums should do is set up an account and we all donate what we can to instigate a proper study on ecigs and eliquids....

[alvoram]

Several of the 'references' for that article are American health organisations or similar... Just saying.

[jerryrm]

Alvoram, I don't have any respect for American health organizations, or for anything that they say.

[Karma]

The BMA choose to ignore a lot of guidlines that come from the US, but they're taking notice of these ones?

[alvoram]

I'm with you Jerry, that's why I pointed it out, they've even quoted 'that fda report.'

[vereybowring]

Yeah the antis just ignore anything that contradicts their view like any good zealots.
The BMA is in the pocket of the pharma groups (many GP's get lovely free stuff off them, you gotta love those junkets).
The smoking cessation nurse mentioned should be fired as she obviously didn't know what she was talking about and should read more (I was for a year a nursing student and spent nearly all my free time reading journals and articles).

I talked to a nurse last year who rejected my e cig out of hand and told me Alan Carrs book was the answer (she was using an NRT inhalator herself as it happens) - I politely told her I was not interested in the views of a comedian when it came to my health and that all the regular NRT solutions just reduced my smoking not stopped it.
She had the sense to leave it alone at that point, but I then explained to her how the e cig worked.

Its always going to go in these circular rhythms, selective studies, antis ignoring evidence etc.
We just have to weather it and make sure full open independent studies can get a look in by outing flawed reports and picking holes in them.