About Nicotine

What is Nicotine? Is it like Caffeine?

Nicotine is a naturally occurring liquid alkaloid. An alkaloid is an organic compound made out of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sometimes oxygen. These chemicals can have definitive effects on the human body.

For example, many people regularly enjoy the stimulating effects of another alkaloid, caffeine, as they enjoy a cup or two of coffee in the morning. Both caffeine and nicotine are classified as secondary stimulants because they affect the sympathetic nervous system more than the central nervous system. Also, unlike stimulants that are abused for recreational purposes, caffeine and nicotine produce an increased energy level, but not a feeling of intoxication. Nicotine acts as a stimulant mostly in new users, whereas long-term users claim that it relaxes them.

Nicotine in a Electronic Cigarette

Our mission is to dispel the hysteria surrounding the E-Cig and the current attempts by government agencies and “health advocacy” group who mislead the public about E-Cigarettes.

The E-Cig is the first technology that smokers actually prefer as their logical alternative to smoking tobacco, which is the one product we know kills over 400,000 Americans annually.

 Nicotine and caffeine are enjoyed by millions of Americans, but now there are attempts being made to classify nicotine as a drug and limit its availability to adults. This potential action is a threat to American adults’ freedom to utilize the pleasurable effects of nicotine when delivered via an Electronic Cigarette.

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Below are the facts and links to studies regarding nicotine, ingesting nicotine “only” and the FDA’s most recent comments on the E-Cigarette:

• Nicotine Replacement Therapy Failure Rates as High as 96% – http://thorax.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/62/11/998

• FDA Initially Says E-Cigs Contain Toxins and Now States That E-Cigarettes Contain “Just Nicotine” – In an interview in September 2009, the FDA  states they “want to regulate electronic cigarette(s) so it can be sure that the people who use them are getting a reliable dose of nicotine” and “There are no long-term studies on the health effect of just nicotine, minus the tobacco component.” In teh same articles that quotes the FDA,  they also state “A federal Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman said the FDA has not moved to ban e-cigarettes, which heat a liquid and nicotine to a vapor so people can puff them.”

It’s very disconcerting that the FDA who has providence to regulate consumer products makes the very misleading statement that there are “no long-term studies on the health effects of just nicotine” when in fact long-term tests have been done on nicotine only ingestion as the FDA has approved Nicotine polacrilex lozenges in 2002, and Pfizer’s Nicotrol inhalers. From Dr. Murray Laugesen who has actually done testing on the E-Cig:

“(The) FDA does not seem to have heard about the famous 5 year Lung Study wherein thousands with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) used Nicotine gum, with no increase in hospitalization or mortality. Since then 7.5 additional years of follow up for lung cancer show no added risk for gum users but plenty for smokers. If the FDA needs references for longer term nicotine only effects, Nicotine gum has been used widely in many countries since 1984.”

• Results of the “Safety of Nictotine Polacrilex Gum Used by 3,094 Participants in the Lung Health Study.” – The rates of hospitalization for cardiovascular conditions and cardiovascular deaths during the 5 years of the study were not related to use of NP, to does of NP, or to concomitant use of NP and cigarettes. About 25% of NP users reported at least one side effect, but most were very minor and transient. Side effects associated with discontinuance of NP in 5% or more of users included headache, indigestion, mouth irritation, mouth ulcers, and nausea. There was no evidence that concomitant use of NP and cigarettes was associated with elevated rates of reported side effects. Participants in the smoking cessation intervention who received intensive levels of instruction and monitoring of NP use (initially at 12 meetings during 3 months) appeared to report significantly lower rates of side effects (dizziness, headache, and throat irritation) than control participants, presumed to have less instruction and monitoring.

Conclusions: NP, as used in the Lung Health Study, appears to be safe and unrelated to any cardiovascular illnesses or other serious side effects.