Nov 5, 2022·edited Nov 5, 2022Liked by Emil O. W. Kirkegaard
The scientific (and legislative) communities always seem to be about 5 years behind with regards to e-cigarettes and tobacco alternatives.
I recall that around 2017, there were several “bombshell” studies that came out in which heavy metals/carcinogens were found in e-cig vapor. It turns out, the researchers were running their vapes at full power for maybe 60s straight— something which anyone who has ever vaped would know is insane because all e-juice in the cotton/wick is completely vaporized in the first 5s. Since then, I have been highly skeptical of all findings relating to e-cigs. The study in which the researcher mixes semen with e-juice is laughable, no wonder she received so much hate (I’m assuming she used these results to make broader claims about the toxicity of vape juice, I suppose the hatred is unfounded if she only made observations on the direct consequences of mixing semen and vape juice).
From a political standpoint, the US government is still railing against Juul which had a brief period of popularity amongst teens approx. 5 years ago. Anyone under 30 could easily tell you that kids are now almost entirely using disposable vapes which can still be sold with fruity/sweet flavors (Breeze is one brand I believe).
All in all, it feels like people who set out to study and regulate e-cigarettes often fail completely to understand how they are used and by whom.
Thank you for the deep dive— I don’t have the time to do it myself. I would be interested to hear more about the exact set-up they use to generate vapor.
The scientific (and legislative) communities always seem to be about 5 years behind with regards to e-cigarettes and tobacco alternatives.
I recall that around 2017, there were several “bombshell” studies that came out in which heavy metals/carcinogens were found in e-cig vapor. It turns out, the researchers were running their vapes at full power for maybe 60s straight— something which anyone who has ever vaped would know is insane because all e-juice in the cotton/wick is completely vaporized in the first 5s. Since then, I have been highly skeptical of all findings relating to e-cigs. The study in which the researcher mixes semen with e-juice is laughable, no wonder she received so much hate (I’m assuming she used these results to make broader claims about the toxicity of vape juice, I suppose the hatred is unfounded if she only made observations on the direct consequences of mixing semen and vape juice).
From a political standpoint, the US government is still railing against Juul which had a brief period of popularity amongst teens approx. 5 years ago. Anyone under 30 could easily tell you that kids are now almost entirely using disposable vapes which can still be sold with fruity/sweet flavors (Breeze is one brand I believe).
All in all, it feels like people who set out to study and regulate e-cigarettes often fail completely to understand how they are used and by whom.
Thank you for the deep dive— I don’t have the time to do it myself. I would be interested to hear more about the exact set-up they use to generate vapor.