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Some e-cigarette flavors may have toxic effects on lung cells
E-cigarettes may be a popular alternative to the traditional smoke sticks, despite contrasting opinions on how safe they are. Adding to the list of harmful effects, the American Thoracic Society published research at its annual conference that certain flavors used in vaping liquid may alter cells in lung tissue. During the study, researchers exposed human airway epithelial cells to doses of 13 e-cig flavors for periods of 30 minutes and 24 hours. 5 of the 13 displayed "adverse effects to cells in a dose-dependent manner." Of those five, three flavors -- Hot Cinnamon Candies, Banana Pudding (Southern Style), and Menthol Tobacco -- were toxic to lung cells at higher doses in the 30-minute test. What's more, when cells were exposed for 24 hours, the same trio of flavors stunted cell growth as the dosage increased. Also of note: the flavorings' negative effects didn't occur with nicotine or the e-liquid vehicle on its own (propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin).
Trading addictions: the inside story of the e-cig modding scene
There is a rapidly growing subculture of e-cigarette users across the globe who spend countless hours tricking out their hardware. Vape modding, as it's known, blends technical craftsmanship, engineering creativity and artistry into one -- and unbeknownst to most, it originated right here in the UK. Some do it to get better hits, while others do it to give their e-cigs a unique look. The modders are also the staunchest of users, who credit vaping with allowing them to kick the tobacco habit. But as I found out, through the process of modding, these ex-smokers may have just traded one addiction for another.
The World Health Organization is officially against e-cigarettes
Doctors think that the World Health Organization should ease off against electronic cigarettes, if only because the dangers have to be less harmful than the real thing. For its part, however, the WHO disagrees, publishing a report saying that it wants these nicotine delivery systems to be regulated with the same scorn as cigarettes and cigars are today. Research into the relative harm of "electronic nicotine delivery systems" is still pretty nascent, but the report claims that while the water vapor they emit has a smaller concentration of nicotine, it may spread more widely in the air -- increasing the risk to children and pregnant women in the vicinity. The WHO concedes that e-cigarettes are preferable to the real thing, at least for now, but only in nations where tobacco smoking is being rapidly reduced. The downside, of course, is that there's no consensus -- beyond a few studies -- that the technology actually helps people to kick the habit.
NY medical marijuana law could mean big bucks for vaporizer makers
New York is against second-hand smoke of any kind; even beneficiaries of the state's new medical marijuana law will need to avoid lighting up. Government restrictions do allow vaporizers, however, which got their (legal) start with tobacco and are about to become big business in NY. The handheld devices will play a key role in the treatment of medical marijuana recipients, who will be permitted to inhale the drug through vaporizers, but not by using cigarette paper and a lighter. You'll also be able to consume marijuana in food or through a concentrated liquid called a tincture, but there's no question that vaporizers will become more prolific as more New Yorkers get their hands on closely regulated prescriptions in the days and months to come.
Doctors urge the World Health Organization to lighten up on e-cigs
The World Health Organization suspects that e-cigarettes should be treated with the same regulatory scorn as Tobacco, even if it hasn't yet made this conclusion legally binding. A group of 53 doctors, however, are now urging the WHO to take a gentler approach. They've signed an open letter admitting that while the dangers of vaping aren't fully known, the technology is vastly preferable to people choking down on the real thing. One of the signatories, Professor Robert West, can back up his claims with the study he published last week, which says that e-cigs are much more effective at getting people to quit than patches or cold turkey. We're expecting a lot more back-and-forth on this matter in the next few months, since the WHO's anti-smoking treaty group doesn't meet to reveal its final decision on the vaping issue until mid-October. [Thanks, Ronny]
Study suggests e-cigs trump patches for quitting smoking
The use of e-cigs, or vaping as it's often called, is not only more acceptable as far as stink factor and convenience go, but may now finally be considered a real tool in the quest to kick the habit. Fans of vaping have always claimed that this was the case, but there's never been a real study to back them up, and let's face it: "We think it is," is a bit vaporous. Researchers from the University College London followed some 6,000 people's efforts at quitting between summer 2009 and February 2014. The adjusted results suggest that e-cig users were 60 percent more likely to succeed than those trying nicotine replacement or quitting cold turkey. Of course, all of these people have had to find their own path or program, seeing as the e-devices aren't a recognized method to most in the health industry. Perhaps now we'll start to see programs put together tailored to help smokers butt out. While this research does bode well for the e-cig industry, bear in mind this is only one study and we've yet to hear anybody weigh in on the health concerns. By the by, we expect a study claiming the exact opposite findings from the nicotine patch people to land in three, two, one... [Image credit: Shutterstock/PhotoSGH]
Lighter tracks your smoking habits to shame you to quit
Ask any smoker: quitting is hard. Cigarettes become a part of your daily life, a habit that's not only hard to break, but hard to keep track of. "Tracking is one of the most important factors in one's health," Ata Ghofrani told us at a recent Haxlr8r event. "Being cognizant of our smoking behavior." Ghofrani and his partner, Kuji Nakano were looking for a way to track and reduce their smoking behavior, but found most health apps were dedicated to promoting positive behavior, not reducing negative ones. They soon teamed up to create Quitbit: a cigarette lighter that keeps track of how much you smoke.
NYC lumps electronic cigarettes with tobacco-filled brethren, bans vaping in public places
New York City's war on smoking continues unabated. Today, the city council voted to equate electronic cigarettes with real ones by extending NYC's public smoking ban to cover both types of smokes. That's bad news for folks who liked to do their vaping in public parks, or the hangers-on looking to get a fake contact high from their fumes. It also means that all you Gothamites who've been passionately tracking the progression of e-cig technology are now stuck testing the latest battery powered suck pipes in the privacy of your own homes.
The Daily Grind: Do narcotics belong in MMOs?
Be it a sci-fi cantina or a fantasy tavern, your MMO's local watering hole no doubt offers a very specific sort of drug: alcohol. But you might have noticed that non-alcoholic drugs aren't usually given the same chance to virtually corrupt you as do more comfortable vices like extreme violence, gore, thievery, and physics-defying cleavage. Immersion-centric players might argue that narcotics add to the gritty realism of many game worlds and aren't really different from other mind-and-body-altering substances like booze, but developers seem wary of wading into that territory. Star Wars Galaxies, for example, launched with canon-correct spice (complete with "downer" effects) but ended spice production with the NGE. And Lord of the Rings Online implemented Tolkien's famous pipeweed but has resisted bestowing beneficial effects on those who smoke it, probably for fear of encouraging "bad" behavior, triggering political drama, or jeopardizing its age rating. What do you think -- do narcotics belong in MMOs? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Smoking iPhone emphasizes importance of authorized repair work
An iPhone self-ignited during a Regional Express flight in Australia due to a faulty repair. According to a Sydney Morning Post article, the smoking phone was spotted by a cabin crew member, shortly after the plane landed at the Sydney Airport on November 25, 2011. The crew member asked the passenger to throw the overheating device into the aisle and blasted it with a fire extinguisher. The iPhone was sent to the US for analysis where it was discovered that a faulty repair created a short circuit in the device. According to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau report, an unauthorized repair facility had pierced the battery's casing when it misplaced a screw during re-assembly of the iPhone. This created a short circuit which caused the battery to overheat and smoke.
Cigarette case made from an iPod
Cigarette packages will soon get their much-needed updated warning labels, but that doesn't mean smokers have to keep their cigarettes in the new packages. They can always opt for carrying them in their own cases like this custom-made iPod cigarette case. Marianne Wilson gutted her iPod after if broke and found that it was the perfect size for the cancer sticks. Now there's one more place for parents to check when they suspect their kids of smoking.
E-Lites electronic cigarette review: no one ever said healthy was delicious
I have the unfortunate distinction of being what people disgustedly refer to as a "smoker." Personally, I prefer tobacco inhalation enthusiast -- but idiot works just as well. For more than half of the time I've been breathing under my own power, I've felt the need to periodically interrupt the life-giving flow of oxygen with a delicious, but cancer-causing mix of carbon monoxide, nicotine, and tar. Sure there are gums and patches and even pills that can supposedly help you kick the nasty habit but, I'm a twenty-first century man, and I need a twenty-first century solution. Enter the electronic cigarette. These "smokeless" nicotine delivery devices aren't exactly new, but we figured it was about time we put one through its paces and for me to try (yet again) to quit smoking. So, I grabbed a "pack" of the newest offering from British company E-Lites and spent a couple of weeks giving the latest trend in smoking cessation technology a go. %Gallery-128444%
Research suggests text messaging could help smokers quit
We've heard plenty about the perils of cellphones in general and text messaging in particular, but are there some instances where it might actually be good for your health? Well, sort of. Some researchers at the University of Oregon and a few other participating institutions have now found a way to pinpoint the areas of the brain that are most active in controlling the urges to smoke, and they say that information can also be predictive of real-world behavior and the individuals' ability to respond to various smoking cessation programs. One of those such programs tested by the researchers involved sending eight text messages a day to an individual, which they had to reply to in order to document their cravings, mood and cigarette use. That's similar to other programs that rely on a dedicated device to collect data (which have been shown to be effective in helping smokers quit), but the researchers found that using text messages proved to be at least as effective, and is obviously a simpler and cheaper solution.
New research says e-cigarettes are safer than real ones, no cigarettes safer still
Research swayed back and forth on the health risks associated with e-cigarettes since their debut in the US about three years ago. The faux cigs, which are essentially nicotine inhalers intended to help smokers kick the actual smoking habit while still getting their dose of nicotine, the main addictive ingredient in tobacco. In the first truly comprehensive study of the somewhat controversial nicotine replacement method, researchers at Boston University's School of Public Health has found that not only are e-cigarettes much safer to "smoke" than normal ones, they may also aid in kicking the addictive habit altogether. According to the researchers, "few, if any" of the chemicals found in e-cigarettes pose serious health risks, and carcinogen levels in them are up to 1,000 times lower than in actual tobacco. This research, of course, disagrees with the FDA's findings that essentially, the chemicals found in e-cigarettes were risky and unknowable. The FDA has yet to evaluate e-cigarettes the way that they have done with all medications and other nicotine replacement products, so we can't be sure, but it's looking more and more possible that if you just need to smoke, an e-cigarette may be a safer route... for everything but your dignity, of course.
Avatar uses smoking as a metaphor for (online) gaming obsession
For all of you who saw Avatar (and we're pretty sure that's a lot of you) we imagine the analogy between James Cameron's sci-fi techno masterpiece and our beloved genre of gaming didn't fully escape many of you. So, when anti-smoking outfits began to boil over about Sigourney Weaver's character lighting up after "logging off" from her big blue cat woman for the evening, Cameron took to the defense. According to the mastermind behind Avatar, the character of Grace was never meant to be a role model. "We were showing that Grace doesn't care about her human body, only her avatar body." Cameron continued by saying her destructive behavior "is a negative comment about people in our real world living too much in their avatars, meaning online and in video games." The message is clear, although not too overbearing. We love our online games, there's no doubt about that, but getting the occasional exercise routine or two in doesn't hurt, either. It's all very interesting given the ending to Avatar, which we won't spoil for those of you who somehow haven't yet seen it. Still, regardless of whatever "anti" sentiment you think Cameron was sending, there's no doubt plenty more MMO metaphor to be found within Avatar -- a movie ostensibly about a real life fantasy world and avatars to play within it. [via Wired]
Smoking kills... your Mac
It should be pretty obvious by now that smoking cigarettes is bad for your health. What's not as obvious is that it might be bad for your Mac, too. According to The Consumerist, two different people got turned down for AppleCare maintenance because their Macs were used in a house with a smoker. Both people appealed their cases all the way up to Steve Jobs, and both of them lost. I've opened up a few computers that spent time in a house full of heavy smokers, and the insides weren't pretty. There was this disgusting brown resin built up all over everything, and it pretty much smelled like an ashtray stuffed full of 5-year-old cigarette butts. Though it's probably a stretch to call this "a biohazard" like in one of the cases The Consumerist cites, AppleCare agreements are worded loosely enough in their limitations of coverage that Apple seems perfectly within its rights to deny coverage in these two cases: The Plan does not cover: Damage to the Covered Equipment caused by accident, abuse, neglect, misuse (including faulty installation, repair, or maintenance by anyone other than Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider), unauthorized modification, extreme environment (including extreme temperature or humidity), extreme physical or electrical stress or interference, fluctuation or surges of electrical power, lightning, static electricity, fire, acts of God or other external causes. It's that "other external causes" clause that's the catch-all, although you could probably argue that an atmosphere filled with smoke counts as an "extreme environment" as well. Bottom line: if you have to smoke, you might want to step away from the computer first. With the investment that your Mac represents sitting there on the desk, why take the risk of messing it up in an easily preventable way?
[1.Local]: Speaking of patch week chatter
Reader comments -- ahh, yes, the juicy goodness following a meaty post. [1.Local] ducks past the swinging doors to see what readers have been chatting about in the back room over the past week.Patch week? Oh, yeah. Speaking of patch week, we all knew that patch week was going to be rough. We knew there would be delays, and bugs, and restarts, and false starts. We knew that hardcore players would gripe, that newbies would be confused and that there would be plenty of contentious debate from all sides.What we didn't know is that we could be caught unaware by even geek crafts. Take it from mibluvr13, who took one look at the baby Hordie shirtfeatured in this week's World of WarCrafts column and began groping for the Escape key. "Ooooh, god," mibluvr13 moaned. "I never thought WoW.com would punch me in the biological clock. BRB, having a kid."The week in reader comments, through the bleary eyes of our punch-drunk, patch-distracted readers, after the break.
US Dept. of Defense splashing out on anti-smoking game for soldiers
We can think of a ton of better ways the US Department of Defense could spend the nearly $4 million it's investing in an anti-smoking game for soldiers. For instance: a bonfire; a rocket ship to the sun; or even a ton of Nintendo DS systems and the already-in-existence Easyway to Stop Smoking game. Instead, Alexander Prokhorov of M. D. Anderson Cancer Center will be taking the reins on the project, in tandem with Radiant Creative, and creating something akin to his past work with the company, Escape With Your Life (an anti-smoking game targeted towards "at-risk youth").Meant to teach players the dangers of cigarette smoking, the game will share many similarities with the developers' previous work, including a "standard-looking video game kiosk" presentation and a "depth of knowledge" education program meant to encourage soldiers to quit tobacco for good. Apparently, the game will also take around the same development time as most modern, AAA, console games, as Prokhorov's positing playtests for 2011 and a full release by 2013. [Via GameBizBlog]
"Fifty-One" e-cigarette will ensure you have no friends even after you quit smoking
We've seen e-cigarettes before, and no one was really surprised to hear that inhaling liquid nicotine might not be the safest way to kick the habit. Fifty-One, a new, more cigarette-looking e-cig, claims it's better than previous products because you change the mouthpiece with every use so you're not inhaling old leftover nicotine again and again... plus they've added a fake smoke effect when you exhale, which makes you look and feel cool. Sound safer? Nope, probably not. There are a host of other things just completely wrong with this product: it comes in five flavors (tobacco, menthol, chocolate, vanilla and coffee) and seems to be marketed to only the shadiest sectors of society -- gangsters, card sharks, thieves, private dicks, AKA our kind of people. The starter kit also apparently includes a membership card in addition to all the regular stuff -- batteries, USB charger, poker chips -- and it'll run you a not-so-affordable $149.95, but you can probably score that at tonight's shakedown, right?
E-cigarettes banned in WHO-ville
As it turns out, the World Health Organization (WHO) isn't condoning e-cigarette products -- shockingly -- as some manufacturers might like you to believe. In fact, the lawsuit flag is being waved at a few companies who brazenly plastered the organization's name and logo across promotional material, suggesting an endorsement of the product. The WHO's Douglas Bettcher asserts that the product is untested as a nicotine replacement therapy, stating, "If the marketers of the electronic cigarette want to help smokers quit, then they need to conduct clinical studies and toxicity analyses." So while e-cigs might not carry the same carcinogenic risks as traditional smoking, there are still plenty of health issues surrounding liquid nicotine and all the nasty additives it's served in... and the WHO isn't about to let you forget it.[Via PhysOrg]
