[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by Toilet & Bowels

If I remember my chemistry lessons then smoke and vapor are not the same thing for a start vapor is a gas and smoke is a solid.
From what I've read these e-cigs are far less bad for your health that real cigs.
In summary:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...oncarcinogenic

Not that I smoke those things, or cigarettes.

The difference between smoke and vapor is the content. When it contains soot, ash, and particulate matter caught up in the vapor, it becomes smoke. When it is just water and other gases it is said to be vapor, and it is generally a lower temperature. Tobacco smoke CONTAINS VAPORIZED GASES FROM CARCINOGENIC CHEMICALS native to the tobacco plant. These vapors are the gaseous part of the smoke, blended with water vapors (which give smoke the grey color) as well as soot and ashes which have stuck to the water vapors.

However, in California at least, second-hand smoke is banned because the smoke contains carcinogenic gases (vapors), and the ban also explicitly states nicotine, which is what is in the "vapor" from the E-Cigs. In other words, while obviously smoke and second-hand smoke from cigarettes is more dangerous, E-Cigs are not "a safe alternative." If the E-Cigs contained PURELY WATER VAPOR, then they would be, but E-Cigs contain nicotine.

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

Most of the carcinogens found in mass-produced cigarretes come from the additives, chemicals used in the cigarrette making process that enhance flavor, protect from rot, enhance color, cover up bad smells or tastes, etc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._in_cigarettes



Here is a german study showing the effects of just certain select additives. http://www.dkfz.de/de/tabakkontrolle...cts_Report.pdf

That is simply not true Rob. I smoked true taste Winston or American Spirit. The ingredients were water and tobacco. However, in the tobacco plant are naturally occurring carcinogenic chemicals, including several radioactive elements. Simply put, its the tobacco plant itself that carries these cancer causing risks, not the preservatives and flavors. That would be like saying breakfast cereals cause cancer, because the preservatives and flavors added to cigarettes are largely the same ones. It is a tragic urban legend that cigarettes only cause cancer because of additives, the reality is you could dip organic, home-grown tobacco and still inevitably will develop cancer. In fact, even Nicotine itself is classified as a carcinogen.

For example, here are the ingredients to those lovely tasting Camel Turkish Royals

• Tobacco
• Water
• Glycerol
• Honey
• Propylene Glycol
• Cocoa
• Cellulose Fiber
• Diammonium Phosphate
• Ammonium Hydroxide
• Natural & Artificial Flavors

Diammonium Phosphate is the chemical which is accused of enhancing the effects of nicotine, though this is purely theoretical, almost a gimmick. Same with Ammonium Hydroxide. However NEITHER of these additives is considered carcinogenic either by the FDA or the OSHA