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Basic landing

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Sep ,Mon, 2020 | Activism

Basic info

Since 2016, VAEP has been reviewing the science on vaping. This section reflects the basic information you need to know to make informed decisions about vaping as a harm reduction strategy.

Part 1

Cigarettes

Smoking is the most preventable cause of disease and death in North America.

Part 2

Quitting smoking

For millions of smokers, vaping has been their solution.

Part 3

Vaping

Vaping satisfies the habit of smoking without the devastating consequences.

Part 4

Outcomes

Reducing the toxins improves health.

Part 5

Eliquid & vapour

Simple ingredients in eliquid have been thoroughly analyzed.

Part 6

Nicotine

Nicotine is a stimulant that does not cause disease.

Part 7

Flavours

Humans like flavours; smokers are humans.

First part: Cigarettes

Flavours

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Sep ,Mon, 2020 | Activism

Flavours

All oral nicotine replacement therapies such as gums, sprays and lozenges are flavoured to encourage quitting smoking.

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Flavoured eliquid help smokers quit smoking and stay quit.

100% consumer driven by smokers

The false narrative repeated by media and authority is successfully dissuading smokers from harm reduction. This means more families will suffer as their loved one’s health deteriorates. Smokers have a right to know the truth to make informed decisions.

Flavours are essential

Flavours are key components

Alberta offers over 9000 flavours of alcohol…because adults like flavours! ??? We have rising obesity rates…because adults like flavours!??? There are thousands of eliquid flavours…because adults like flavours! ???

4,618 vapers surveyed

Flavors in eliquid & alcohol

Flavors are KEY to helping smokers switch to vaping & stay off of cigarettes. Gov’ts want to ban flavors in eliquid to save the children although no one has died from eliquid. Each year 4300 youth die from alcohol. They should ban those flavors first.

Compare flavours

Eliquid industry was born from DIY

Explore our lung injury section

Eliquid & vapour

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Sep ,Mon, 2020 | Activism

Eliquid & vapour

Unlike smoking, vaping was invented in a time when we can analyze substances and understand how they effect health.

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Eliquid is made from very common substances that are considered safe.

government oversight

“If you are a smoker, vaping is a less harmful option than smoking.” Health Canada. Normal vaping (nicotine) is 5% the risk of smoking and the government limits what can be put into the eliquids to keep it that way.

Ingredients in eliquid

Indoor vapor has been tested & tested

Top health agencies in the US tested for hazardous chemicals in the air in a vape shop with active vaping. The vast majority of chemicals were not even detected! Friends of vapers can feel comfortable around vaping and support smokers making the switch.

Less than 1% of Threshold Limit Values

Oils are bad for lungs

Lipoid pneumonia is a “vaping-related lung disease’ that is making people sick. It’s caused from inhaling oil. We are happy to remind the public that there are no oils in regulated nicotine eliquids! Eliquid is water soluble and oil won’t dissolve in it.

No popcorn lung

Remember all of the headlines saying that vaping causes popcorn lung? ? It was a lie. Do you feel deceived? Makes you wonder what they are lying about now…

Daily intake of diacetyl

Workers in a ?popcorn butter flavouring factory, (diacetyl was a main ingredient) had higher cases of “popcorn lung”. A study found diacetyl in some eliquids, The amount was 750x less than found cigarettes. Headlines read: “Vaping Causes Popcorn Lung!”

Reduced toxicity

Anyone who suggests that vaping is not safer than smoking does NOT know what they are talking about! Whoever it is, your physician, a nurse or a representative from a health-related nonprofit, question EVERYTHING they say after that… And send them to VAEPworld.com

Carcinogens same as patch

Cancer risk under 0.5% that of smoking

The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) estimates 1 in 2 will get cancer. Cancer is profitable for big businesses that donate to CCS. Citizens also donate because their loved ones get cancer. CCS has made it clear that they are anti-tobacco harm reduction.

Heavy metals found

Unlike decades ago when smoking was recommended by physicians, we have advanced technology & are able to analyze gases, liquids and solids. Vapour was found to have minute amounts of heavy metals just like the nicotine inhalers recommended by physicians.

Next section: Nicotine

Outcomes

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Sep ,Mon, 2020 | Activism

Outcomes

When smokers switch to vaping, their life changes for the better.

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There is plenty of data on what happens to a smoker when they switch to vaping.

Health improvements

Smoking causes adverse health consequences. The good news is that when you stop smoking, the toxic chemicals are no longer entering the body. This means health will improve with quitting smoking. Vaping significantly lowers these toxins.

Lung infection rates

Vaping improves chronic disease

Smoking is a risk factor for many chronic diseases because of the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke. Switching to vaping virtually eliminates these harmful chemicals & chronic diseases improve for many. Which means they needed less pharmaceuticals.

Harm reversal

When asthmatic smokers switched to vaping: Spirometry data, airway hype-responsiveness, exacerbations and subjective signs & symptoms ALL showed improvements. Of the 8 that were still smoking, their dual mean went from of 22 cigarettes a day to 2.

Vaping is a small fraction of the risk

Smoking has over 7000 chemicals; 1500 of them we know cause diseases and 69 cause cancer. Vapour has very few constituents and all of the disease/cancer causing chemicals are virtually eliminated. This is why vaping is a fraction the risk of smoking.

Immediate improved health

We don’t know the long-term effects of vaping but we do know the long-term effects of smoking. Vaping has been mainstream for about 5-10 years without serious adverse effects. Millions of smokers have switched to vaping and reported improved health.

Next section: Eliquid & vapour

Nicotine

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Sep ,Mon, 2020 | Activism

Nicotine

Nicotine is a mildly addictive stimulant that does not cause disease.

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Nicotine is so safe that anyone, including a minor, can purchase nicotine products at the drug store.

Nicotine treats neurological disorders

Nicotine is a mild stimulant and addictive, much like caffeine. It’s only when nicotine is abused such as teens seeking a ‘heady’ that it becomes a problem. Nicotine in eliquid helps smokers transition to a source of nicotine that doesn’t kill them.

Nicotine is in your body

It’s the smoke that kills people, not the nicotine. Vaping has no smoke. Dr. John Britton of the U.K. Center for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies explains that nicotine addiction isn’t a big deal because “…nicotine itself isn’t particularly hazardous.”

Nicotine is less addictive than smoke

Over decades, scientists were paid millions of dollars ? to add different chemicals to tobacco & make them more addictive. Many of the chemicals in cigarettes enhance the effects and delivery of nicotine. Some chemicals are addictive in themselves.

The Royal College of Physicians

The Royal College of Physicians reviewed the science on vaping. ?? In April 2016, they released the report, Nicotine without Smoke: “…the likely  harm to health and society  of e-cigarettes at about 5%  of the burden caused by  tobacco smoking.”

Fraction of the harm

Science doesn’t change because of political borders! The effects of cigarette smoke are the same for humans everywhere in the world! It makes them sick then die slow painful deaths. Nicotine eliquid is a harm reduction for smokers anywhere in the world.

Not the nicotine which causes harm

Inhaling smoke from anything has toxins. With cigarettes, up to 600 chemicals are added to the tobacco which makes the smoke even more toxic. Vapour is not smoke, nothing is burned. The ingredients are PG, VG, flavours and maybe nicotine.

Next section: Flavours

Quitting smoking

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Sep ,Mon, 2020 | Activism

Quitting smoking

Once addicted to cigarette smoke, the odds of quitting were very small…until vaping.

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If smokers quit, they stop inhaling all of the chemicals that will give them diseases. Cigarettes are the most harmful source of nicotine.

2014 vaping triples quit rate of patch

Controlled clinical trials are the gold standard of science. A group of smokers who didn’t want to quit were given simple vapes. The one’s today are even more effective. 21% of the smokers quit smoking; compare that to 6% success with patches.

54% of smokers used a vape to quit

Why do vapers care about having a variety of flavors to choose from? Because it is the FLAVORS that helped them quit smoking! Adults like flavours; there are 1000’s of flavors in alcohol. Banning flavors only hurts those that are trying to stay quit!

Smokers failed 9 times to quit

Vaping satisfies the nicotine addiction & smoking behaviour PLUS vaping offers thousands of flavours to help the smoker replace the taste of smoke with something better. That is why it is more effective than sticking a patch to your arm or chewing gum.

4 stages of quitting with a vape

It’s possible for smokers to quit nicotine altogether with vaping! After dual use for a while most vapers toss the smokes. Unlike cigarettes, those that switch to vaping completely naturally lower their nicotine strengths, some all the way down to zero.

Dual users have a 60-80% decrease

The anti-harm reduction advocates say that vaping is ineffective for quitting smoking because many dual use for a while. Dual users significantly reduce the toxins they inhale because of the 60-80% drop in how many cigarettes they smoke. Harm REDUCTION!

Vaping increases success by 300%

Quitting smoking means detoxing off 1000’s of chemicals, some are addictive. A variety of eliquid flavours helps them find a new pleasure for the nicotine. 42% of smokers who vaped for 2 years quit smoking, vs only 15% of those who didn’t use a vape.

Satisfies the ritualistic behaviour

The ritual: bringing the smoke to the mouth; tasting the drag; sensations in the throat & lungs on a big inhale; a visible exhale & a nicotine hit to the brain. A pack-a-day smoker does this 87,600 times a year. Vaping uniquely satisfies that ritual.

Vaping is NRT only better

Nicotine replacement therapy is safe, because nicotine is has very few side effects. Smokers are experts at self dosing nicotine through inhalation. Eliquid is nicotine in a rather benign base & allows the smoker to continue the same routine to switch.

Next section: Vaping

Vaping

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Sep ,Mon, 2020 | Activism

Vaping

Vaping uniquely satisfies the ritualistic behaviour of smoking, without the health consequences.

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Everyday we practice harm reduction such as using a seat belt to prevent injury. We still take a risk by getting into a vehicle but we lower the chances of negative outcomes.

Vaping is a fraction the risk

Citizens have a right to life which means they have a right to all the information to make informed decisions about preserving health. They also should have access to and be able to effectively utilize harm reduction to protect health such as condoms.

Top 9 toxins

“People smoke for nicotine but they die from tar.” -M. Russell WHO prioritized the 9 most toxic chemicals found in tobacco smoke for reduction. Vaping significantly reduces or eliminates these toxic chemicals! As to formaldehyde, it is naturally occurring in exhaled breath.

Science indicates vaping is 5% the risk

Scientific evidence is universal, so why does Britain promote vaping and Canada and the USA have a war on harm reduction? The British health agencies got to the science before the narrative got to them. They even have vape shops in their hospitals!

Relative risk of nicotine sources

The standard scientific tool for measuring the harm from drug use is the MCDA (multi-criteria decision analysis). Experts compared 12 different sources of nicotine using the MCDA. The most harmful source were cigarettes so they were given the value of 100%. The other 11 sources show the relative risk of harm compared to smoking.

Reduced toxicity

Anyone who suggests that vaping is not safer than smoking does NOT know what they are talking about! Whoever it is, your physician, a nurse or a representative from a health-related nonprofit, question EVERYTHING they say after that… And send them to VAEPworld.com

Cancer risk under 0.5% that of smoking

The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) estimates 1 in 2 will get cancer. Cancer is profitable for big businesses that donate to CCS. Citizens also donate because their loved ones get cancer. CCS has made it clear that they are anti-tobacco harm reduction.

No legitimate scientific debate

For those of us who know the truth about vaping, it is frustrating to watch authorities deceive the public about tobacco harm reduction. Are they knowingly lying or are they just repeating the false narrative? If so, who is dictating the narrative???

Types of people that vape

1% of people that never smoked vape. 15% of smokers and 13% of ex-smokers vape. The data illustrates that SMOKERS are vaping to either quit smoking or stay quit. ? The focus ? needs to switch to harm reduction and away from the 1%.

harm reduction reduces risk

Most of us are familiar with and support harm reduction such as seat belts or bike helmets. Smoking is the most preventable cause of disease and death in North America! It’s hard to quit smoking, so maybe harm reduction is the answer. ?

Vaping is a small fraction of the risk

Smoking has over 7000 chemicals; 1500 of them we know cause diseases and 69 cause cancer. Vapour has very few constituents and all of the disease/cancer causing chemicals are virtually eliminated. This is why vaping is a fraction the risk of smoking.

Scaring smokers away from harm reduction

Science has tested & cataloged 1000’s of known substances & how they effect health. Eliquid and vapour have been analyzed & assessed as a fraction the risk of smoking. Why is our tax dollars spent on focusing on the small risk instead of harm reduction?

Vaping doesn’t normalize smoking

Next section: Outcomes

Cigarettes

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Sep ,Thu, 2020 | Activism

Cigarettes

Everyone knows smoking is bad for you. But do you really understand what that means or how that effects our communities?

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Smoking is the most preventable cause of disease and death in North America. Once hooked, smokers have a very small success rate at quitting.

Deaths in Canada

Smoking kills 2 out of 3 smokers when used as intended. Smoking-related diseases slowly deprive the smoker of quality of life such as being able to play with their grandchild or have the retirement they planned for. They have a right to all the options.

2.5% annual quit rate

Tobacco companies spent millions to make the modern cigarette. Up to 600 chemicals are added to cigarettes to make them the most addictive product in North America. Smokers that can’t quit have 2 choices: smoking-related diseases or harm reduction.

Psychoactives

Social cost CA

The last report on the smoking costs to Canadian taxpayers was conducted in 2012. Total cost: $16.4 billion, including: -Long-term disability costs: $6.8 billion -Healthcare costs: $6.5 billion -Fires: $74 million

kills 2 in 3

100% of smoking-related diseases are preventable! “The harm from tobacco is overwhelmingly due to its combustion … E-cigarette vapour, in contrast, does not include any combustible by-products,” – Action on Smoking and Health

Smokers have 2 options

Harm reduction is a public health approach to reducing the consequences of risky behaviours like drug use. Nicotine does not cause disease, it’s the other 7000+ chemicals made when chemically leaden cigarettes are burned. Vaping reduces the harm by 95%.

Clearly there’s an epidemic

Epidemic: A widespread disease that affects many people. Smoking kills 17,000 people EVERY DAY! These deaths are 100% preventable. A safer source of nicotine means millions of lives saved, not to mention the quality of life for these people improves.

One American dies every minute from smoking

It takes years of smoking before the diseases take a hold of the smoker. These adults often have families & can no longer provide for them as their health deteriorates. Smoking-related diseases effect the whole family as it destroys the smoker’s health.

Smoking kills a Canadian every 12 minutes

Over one million Canadians suffer with smoking-related diseases. Cigarette smoke contains 1500 known disease causing toxins & 69 carcinogens. If smokers switch to tobacco harm reduction, they reduce the toxins & their risk for smoking-related diseases.

Next section: Quitting smoking

Expert warnings

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Aug ,Sat, 2020 | Activism

Ethical experts tried to warn you

Not all health professionals deceived the public about the cause of EVALI. In 2014, the United Kingdom conducted independant review of the science on vaping and as a result, they promote vaping to smokers.

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The true heroes of EVALI are the health professionals that defied the false narrative and told the truth.

Quote Dr. John Britton

When asked about the USA authority’s reaction to EVALI, Dr. Britton said that it was “complete madness.” We can argue that Canada’s reaction has been and continues to be madness because people are being deceived about tobacco harm reduction and the cause of EVALI.

Prof. Newton reassures smokers

Smoking kills over 40,000 Canadians and over 400,000 Americans every single year! How many North Americans have been diagnosed with a chronic smoking-related disease because they didn’t know they had an effective and safe harm reduction option?

Dr. Shahab addresses false belief

Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable disease & death in North America. Yet, health-related authorities and nonprofits in Canada and the USA, blame nicotine vaping as the cause of the lung injuries and demand stricter restrictions on tobacco harm reduction.

Dr. Scott Aberegg quote

Utah remained true to the evidence as the balance of health authorities and media lied to the public. Dr. Aberegg identifies the false self-reporting by lung injury patients: people are afraid to say they used illegal drugs.

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Govt THC carts

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Aug ,Sat, 2020 | Activism

Government and THC cartridges

The Canadian government controls the sale of cannabis products. On October 19, 2020, during the EVALI outbreak, THC cartridges were approved for sale.

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The truth about THC cartridges could threaten the government’s THC cartridges sales revenue. The public has still not been told the truth.

HC acknowledges cause

Health Canada (HC) was questioned by CBC as to the cause of EVALI because the Gov’t of Canada approved the sale of THC cartridges during the EVALI outbreak. HC clearly communicates that they understand EVALI is cause from illegal THC carts and not from nicotine eliquid.

Myths or facts

In late February 2020, the CDC closes the case on EVALI because they had identified the source, took action and the injuries disappeared. However, in Canada during the same time, Health Canada continued to resist telling the truth to Canadians.

Protecting THC cartridges revenue

Health Canada website: “In Canada, most cases of vaping associated lung illness do not appear to have been associated with the use of THC-containing products.” When reading this statement, consider that Health Canada relied on patient self-reporting during a time that THC carts were illegal. They did not conduct biopsies, product analysis or toxicology screening.

Hiding the truth

As of April 16, 2020, the Government of Canada’s webpage on EVALI mentions nicotine 5 times but only mentions the cause of EVALI (vitamin E acetate in illegal THC cartridges) just once. This is the source of information that all provincial health authorities and all Canadian health professionals would consider to be the most current, unbiased and accurate.

Last section: Ethical experts tried to warn you

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What went wrong CA

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Aug ,Sat, 2020 | Activism

What went wrong in Canada

During the investigation into the cause of EVALI, governments, health-related nonprofits, health authorities, medical professional agencies, anti-smoking groups and media repeatedly claimed that vaping was injuring people without specifying that the injuries were caused from illegal THC cartridges. Over and over again, they included nicotine eliquid in their conversations, statements and announcements.

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A false narrative that blamed tobacco harm reduction (vaping nicotine eliquid) for the lung injuries spread throughout the public and the health community.

First case of EVALI in Canada

Dr. Chris Mackie, the medical officer for the Middlesex-London Health Unit in Ontario declared the first of 19 cases in Canada. His diagnosis was lipoid pneumonia. Countless headlines, articles, TV news programs and experts repeated the narrative and blamed harm reduction.

The science is clear

A 2016 study “Respiratory infections and pneumonia: potential benefits of switching from smoking to vaping” concluded vaping cannot cause lipoid pneumonia. Water based vapor cannot cause a oil based lung injury.

Fake news

The United Kingdom (UK) promotes vaping for smokers. They are different than most of the world because they reviewed the science on vaping before the global false narrative got to them. The lies were so pervasive that even their citizens became misinformed.

Deceptive authority

With endless resources and funding, the government is fully capable of reviewing the evidence on vaping. Yet, they are still deceiving the public by blaming nicotine eliquid for EVALI. Eliquid has been legal & regulated in Canada since May 2018.

The lies are working

The pervasive misinformation has successfully convinced the public that eliquid is a source of EVALI. In 4 months, the lies convinced 13% of people that vaping is MORE harmful than smoking, The public now demand tobacco harm reduction bans.

More information on what happened.

Enduring false causation

For weeks, Dr. Mackie continued to blame nicotine vaping for the lung injury during interviews with media. Anti-smoking agencies across Canada and the US demanded banning flavours in eliquid making tobacco harm reduction less attractive to smokers.

Anti-harm reduction advocates

Daily, health authorities & media deceived the public about EVALI. Experts repeatedly referred to vaping as causing the injuries without specifying that it was illegal THC cartridges that was hurting people. They repeatedly include vaping nicotine eliquid in their discussions!

Recommends inhaling nicotine

Dr. Tereza Martinu, respirologist, was a guest on media. She admitted that vitamin E acetate was found in all the EVALI biopsies & is used in THC concentrates. She suggests that inhaling nicotine through vaping may be the cause. Then she encourages people to use nicotine inhalers.

Trying hard to blame harm reduction

Question: since vaping has been around for 10 years, why the sudden outbreak of EVALI? Dr. Martinu’s answer was there was such an increase in vaping that there are now enough cases to see it. She failed to give the percent of increase or the time frame.

Next section: Government & THC cartridges revenue

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What happened

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Aug ,Sat, 2020 | Activism

What happened

The outbreak happened suddenly after over 10 years of smokers safely vaping nicotine eliquid for harm reduction. Investigation into the cause of EVALI quickly identified vitamin E acetate in illegal THC cartridges as the cause.

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Suddenly, there were hundreds of cases of severe lung injuries in areas around the USA. They all had vaped.

Lung injury timeline

In August of 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced they were investigating an outbreak of lung injuries. Over 2800 cases were identified, causing 68 deaths in the USA; in Canada there were 19 cases and no deaths. 76% of the patients were under 35 and 66% were male.

Injuries were isolated to North America

Vaping nicotine eliquid is a harm reduction strategy used by millions of smokers all over the world. Since the injuries only occurred in North America, it was clear the injuries were being caused by something other than standard nicotine eliquid.

Admitted illegal drug use

Almost 100% of the injured patients reported using illegal THC cartridges. Despite the evidence, the injury was named EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping product use-Associated Lung Injury) implying the cause was nicotine eliquid.

Lung biopsies show vitamin E acetate

To identify the substance causing the injuries, lung samples from the patients were analyzed. The fat based substances identified as causing the injuries are not found in water based nicotine eliquid because they would separate in the container (oil and water).

Vaping products used were analyzed

The patients submitted the products they were vaping to help identify the cause of the injuries. Nicotine eliquids contained no unexpected or harmful chemicals but 9 out of 10 illegal THC carts contained vitamin E acetate which is used as a thinner.

Warnings from the FDA

The Food and Drug Administration issued warnings that were specific to the injuries. To best ensure the public can make informed decisions about safety, the more specific information about the dangers, the better.

lung injuries declined rapidly

EVALI vs control

Vaping habits of 66 vapers that suffered with the lung injury were compared to the vaping habits of 519 vapers that didn’t have the lung injuries. The injured vapers clearly showed a significant increase in THC vaping, illegal THC use and purchased the illegal brand that was associated with the lung injuries. This study further confirmed the safety of nicotine eliquid.

Law enforcement seizures

Confiscated illegal THC cartridges from 2018 and 2019 found that the vitamin E acetate that caused the injuries were detected in the 2019 cartridges. This shows that the causative agent was recently introduced to illegal THC cartridges.

Nicotine eliquid is proven safe

Illegal THC cartridges caused the death of 68 people. Smoking kills half a million Americans and over 45,000 Canadians every year. Vaping nicotine eliquid has only helped smokers quit and has killed no one.

More information on what happened.

Confirmation with mouse study

30 mice were studied: 10 for vitamin E acetate; 10 for eliquid (propylene glycol & glycerine); and 10 for air (control). The first group were given the equivelant of human dose for a THC cart user and labs results showed the same lung injury. The injury was not present in the eliquid nor air groups.

Cannabis was/is still illegal

Because illegal drug use has very serious legal consequences, patients sometimes lie about what they have taken because they are afraid of getting into trouble. Canadian authorities neglected to test lung samples, perform toxicology screening and analyze vaping products used.

Wording matters

When we say “smoking” we think of smoking cigarettes. When people smoke something else, we specify such as smoking a pipe or cannabis. Just the word “vaping” or “e-cigarettes” is referring to nicotine eliquid. Vaping THC carts is vaping cannabis products.

Buy products from legitimate sources

Since May, 2018, eliquid has been regulated by the Canadian federal government. Nicotine based eliquid from a vape shop is a 95% reduction in risk compared to smoking. This is called tobacco harm reduction or simply “vaping”.

Warnings were not specific enough

North American health authorities recommended people stop all vaping and did not specify the injuries were caused from THC cartridges. Cannabis users were left at risk because “vaping” is commonly known as vaping nicotine eliquid.

Utah Department of Health warnings

The public was bombarded by media, gov’t, nonprofits and health authorities blaming tobacco harm reduction (vaping regulated nicotine eliquid) for what was causing EVALI. Utah Department of Health were one of the few health authorities that told the public the truth.

Utah activated vape shops

With a disease outbreak, it ‘s important to notify the public & the population at risk. Vape shops across Utah were utilized to get the word out about the cause of EVALI & ensured their customers could make informed decisions about harm reduction

Shocking images alarmed the public

Despite the overwhelming evidence, the public were constantly bombarded with claims that nicotine eliquid caused EVALI. Thousands of vapers that had successfully quit smoking with vaping, returned to smoking out of fear.

Next section: What went wrong in Canada

Next section: What went wrong in the USA

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Bioethics

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Feb ,Mon, 2020 | Activism, education, health professionals

Bioethics

Patients are a vulnerable population⁷⁹.

They trust health professionals with their health, well being and their lives.

They deserve to know all their options.

Advocate for utilization of harm reduction

From first year of post-secondary education, health professionals are trained to trust “credible sources” such as health-related nonprofits, health authorities, regulatory bodies and internal information sources in the work place. Health professionals trust that the information that comes from credible sources are unbiased, accurate, and ethical⁷⁹.

However, in reference to the Syphilis Study at Tuskegee, health professionals are required to think critically and challenge unethical practices⁸⁰. This study, from 1932 to 1972, recorded the untreated effects of syphilis in 399 males against a control of 201 uninfected men. Subjects were poor and illiterate. They were not informed that they had syphilis, nor were they offered penicillin when it was found to be an effective treatment in 1945. In 1969 the Centers for Disease Control backed by the American Medical Association and the National Medical Association refused to inform the subjects of their infection nor offer treatment despite concerns voiced by citizens. Public outcry ended the study in 1972⁸⁰. Over 40 years, multiple doctors, nurses and other health professionals violated informed decision making and promoted harm.

Health professionals have a responsibility to resist blindly following authority, review the evidence and advocate for harm reduction to promote improved health outcomes⁷⁹.

Tobacco harm reduction

Compassionate and just approach

Health professionals’ primary bioethic is nonmaleficence; to do no harm. Miscommunication about tobacco harm reduction has compromised health professionals’ ability to promote autonomy in their smoking patients, specifically facilitating informed decision making⁸¹. Ensure beneficence by reviewing the credible evidence.

Basic vaping information

Misinformation

Supports continued profits

Public Health England estimates vaping helps at least 18,000 and as high as 57,000 smokers quit each year in the UK⁸². Not only have pharmaceutical smoking cessation prescriptions dropped more than 50% since vaping has been introduced but current vapers⁸³, and subsequently former smokers, are reporting a decreasing need for their medications for managing their smoking-related diseases⁸⁴.

Youth vaping epidemic

What about youth smoking?

Why are all the credible sources omitting significant data such as youth smoking rates are plummetting^85,86; vaping is a fraction the harm of smoking⁸⁷; nicotine is less addictive than cigarette smoke⁸⁴; and smokers are quitting using tobacco harm reduction⁸⁸? The hysteria over youth experimenting with vaping disregards the reduction in youth smoking uptake. One must look at the potential reduction in harm if youth are choosing to experiment with vaping instead of smoking due to the significant reduction in health destroying toxins and reduction in addiction potential⁸⁹.

Long term effects

We know the LT effects of smoking

Unlike with cigarettes, vaping has been developed in an age when science has studied and catalogued thousands of substances and how they effect human health⁹⁰. Eliquid and vapour have been thoroughly analyzed and the results consistently indicate that vaping is a very small fraction of the harm compared to smoking⁸⁷.

Bad science

False claims

Omitting significant data is coupled with false claims such as youth smoking rates are inclining⁹¹ and vaping causes heart attacks⁹². These questionable researchers have the audience of the most powerful tobacco control bureaucrats in Canada⁹³. It’s time the health community review the evidence and advocate for the effective utilization of vaping before these bureaucrats enact oppressive regulations which will destroy the industry that supplies Canadians with tobacco harm reduction⁹⁴.

Media

Click bait headlines

Mainstream media has been instrumental at spreading false narratives. Is the free press particularly Canada’s publicly funded CBC not responsible to report the facts so Canadians can make informed decisions on issues of public health⁹⁵? One must consider that media is significantly funded by the pharmaceutical industry⁹⁶.

Credible sources

Are they trustworthy?

Health-related nonprofits⁹⁷, health authorities, regulatory bodies and universal health care agencies have close and often financial relationships with industry that profit from ill-health such as the pharmaceutical, medical supply, and medical equipment industries. These industries fund a large portion of our scientific research, medical schools⁹⁸, tobacco control conferences⁹⁹ and so on.

Health-related nonprofits

Revenue contingent on disease

Health professionals trust these agencies as credible sources of information because they have been trained to. It’s time to start questioning sources of information that revenue comes as a result of diseases. These agencies do not have answer to the bioethics of professional codes of ethics that guide the practice of health professionals.

Regulatory bodies

On the bandwagon

Professional regulatory bodies make professional conduct and responsibilities for their members. But do these ethics apply to the agencies as well? The Canadian Nurses Association has been a leader in harm reduction for illicit drug users since 2007¹⁰⁰.

Front line workers

The final fail safe

When the system fails, it’s the front line workers that must advocate for appropriate application of science to improve population health outcomes. These health professionals witness the suffering caused from smoking everyday. Will they review the evidence, challenge the opinion of majority and do the right thing?

What is VAEP?

79. Canadian Nurses Association. (2017). Code of ethics for registered nurses.

80. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee.

81. Huang. J. et al. (2019). Changing perceptions of harm of e-cigarette vs cigarette use among adults in 2 US National surveys from 2012 to 2017.

82. Public Health England. (2018). Key questions and findings from our e-cigarette evidence update

83. NHS Digital. (2019). Statistics on smoking, England – 2019.

84. Farsalinos, K. E., Romagna, G., Tsiapras, D., Kyrzopoulos, S., & Voudris, V. (2014). Characteristics, perceived side effects and benefits of electronic cigarette use: A worldwide survey of more than 19,000 consumers.

85. Government of Canada. (2015). Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey.

86. Government of Canada. (2019). Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey.

87. Abrams, D. B., Glasser, A. M., Pearson, J. L., Villanti, A. C., Collins, L. K., & Niaura, R. S. (2018). Harm Minimization and Tobacco Control: Reframing Societal Views of Nicotine Use to Rapidly Save Lives. Annual Review of Public Health.

88. Farsalinos KE, Barbouni A. Association between electronic cigarette use and smoking cessation in the European Union in 2017: analysis of a representative sample of 13 057 Europeans from 28 countries.

89. A Consensus Study Report of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. (2018). Public Health Consequences of E-cigarettes. Page 33.

90. Canadian Centre for Health and Safety. (2020). Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS).

91. Hammond, D. et al. (2019). Prevalence of vaping and smoking among adolescents in Canada, England, and the United States: repeat national cross sectional surveys.

92. Journal of the American Heart Association. (2020). Retraction to: Electronic Cigarette Use and Myocardial Infarction Among Adults in the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health.

93. University of Ottawa Heart Institute. (2020). Top Smoking Cessation Authorities Gather at Ottawa Conference – Day 1. Retreived Feb. 19, 2020 from https://www.ottawaheart.ca/media-release/top-smoking-cessation-authorities-gather-ottawa-conference-day-1.

94. Public Health Agency of Canada (2020). Statement from the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health on Nicotine Vaping in Canada.\

95. Canadian Broadcast Corporation. (2017). Code of Conduct: Working together: Our values, ethical principles and expected behaviour. Retrieved Feb. 19, 2020 from https://site-cbc.radio-canada.ca/documents/values-ethics/values-ethics/code-conduct-en.pdf

96. Kantar US Insights. (2017). Retrieved Feb 19, 2020 from https://us.kantar.com/business/health/2017/drug-advertising-booms/

97. Women and Health Protection (WHP). (2005). Marching to Different Drummers: Health Advocacy Groups in Canada and Funding from the Pharmaceutical Industry. Retrieved Faeb. 19, 2020 from http://www.whp-apsf.ca/pdf/corpFunding.pdf

98. Canadian Medical Association Journal. (2013). Pharma influence widespread at medical schools: study. Retrieved Fab. 19, 2020 from https://www.cmaj.ca/content/185/13/1121

99. 12th Annual Ottawa Conference State of the Art Clinical Approaches to Smoking Cessation. (2020). Conference program. Page 17. Retrieved Feb. 19, 2020 from https://ottawamodel.ottawaheart.ca/sites/default/files/2020_program_-_web.pdf

100. Canadian Nurses Association. (2020). Harm reduction. Retrieved Feb. 19, 2020 from https://www.cna-aiic.ca/en/policy-advocacy/harm-reduction.

Health professionals

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Feb ,Sun, 2020 | Activism, education, health professionals

Health professionals

Smoking is the most preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in Canada.¹

We invite you to make informed decisions about tobacco harm reduction.

Optimal patient care

If you are a health professional, you have chosen a caring profession that entrusts you to advise your patients with accurate information to improve their health outcomes.² You are trusted by the public, authorities and your colleagues to communicate relevant information and you rely on your sources to provide you with current, unbiased and credible evidence³.

Undoubtedly, you care for and treat patients that are hopelessly addicted to cigarette smoke. As much as you communicate the devastating health effects of smoking and witness the patients’ resulting decline, they are powerless and you are frustrated that they can’t quit⁴.

If cessation of high risk behaviours (in this case cigarette smoking) is not happening, the next best strategy is harm reduction³. Would you want to know if your current best educated advice for smokers is actually causing great harm? We invite to look at the credible evidence to ensure best practice.

Section 1

Smoking

Before you can understand the relevance of harm reduction you first must understand what is causing harm⁵. Learn about what goes into cigarettes, the constituents of the smoke, and the social cost.

Section 2

The current context

Since summer of 2019, the media, health-related nonprofits, regulatory agencies and health authorities have been repeating the same congruent narratives about vaping without debate nor deviation. The current discourse about harm reduction omits significant data⁶.

Section 3

Tobacco harm reduction

Vaping has been thoroughly studied in labs and in real life context. A search on a medical data base resulted in over 22,000 published articles. We take you through the 10 most common myths about vaping and link you to more evidence.

Section 4

Bioethics

In this section we challenge health professionals to apply bioethics to the current context. Health professionals care about their patients’ outcomes and are required to advocate for change when current practice is causing harm³.

Section 5

Vaping Advocacy and Education Project Inc.

Since 2016, VAEP, our Canadian nonprofit, has been reviewing the evidence and producing open source learning tools to facilitate informed decision making about tobacco harm reduction. In this section, we link you to more of our resources to your further knowledge.

First section: Smoking

1. Health Canada. (2014). Health concerns: Notice of proposed order to amend the schedule to the Tobacco Act.

2. Canadian Nurses Association. (2017). Code of ethics for registered nurses.

3. Canadian Nurses Association. (2018). Harm reduction and substance use: Joint position statement.

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). A report of the surgeon general: How tobacco smoke causes disease: What it means to you.

5. Canadian Nurses Association. (2017). Harm reduction and illicit substance use: Implications for nursing.

6. Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs. (2020). Miscommunication about the causes of the US outbreak of lung diseases in vapers by public health authorities and the media.

Tobacco harm reduction

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Feb ,Fri, 2020 | Activism, health professionals

Tobacco harm reduction

Smokers who aren’t willing or simply cannot quit smoking face a future of pain and suffering⁵⁰.

As health professionals, you have a responsibility to help these people with the best available strategies to improve health outcomes⁵¹.

Learn how smokers are made

The biggest myth: there isn’t enough evidence

Health professionals are busy people, working long shifts in high stress environments. We understand that research is the last thing you want to do on your days off. VAEP was developed to make learning about tobacco harm reduction easy for health professionals and the public.

This image is a screen shot from a medical data base. The search results for “e-cigarettes or vaping or vape or electronic delivery systems” provided over 22,000 published articles on vaping.

Myth 2

We don’t know if vaping is less harmful than smoking

The multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is a decision-making tool that takes into account multiple factors and enables comparison of related subjects. Twelve experts compared sources of nicotine using 14 criteria of harm. Cigarettes are the most harmful source of nicotine at 100%. Vaping was assessed at less than 5% the harm⁵².

Myth 3

Second hand vapour is dangerous

Over 9000 observations of the constituents of vapour were compared to universally recognized workplace exposure standards known as Threshold Limit Values (TLVs). All constituents were valued at <1% TLV, except two constituents acrolein amd formaldehyde were <5%⁵³. It’s important to note that acrolein and formaldehyde are normal constituents of exhaled breath⁵⁴.

Myth 4

Nicotine causes disease

Nicotine is an addictive mild stimulant. It elevates mood, stimulates cognitive function and increases energy⁵⁵. It’s physiological effects and therefore addictive effects are similar to caffeine⁵⁶. It is not a carcinogen and without the adjunct chemicals, nicotine presents as less additive than cigarette smoke⁵⁵. Nicotine is so safe you don’t need a prescription or to be age of majority to buy nicotine patches, gums etc.

Further

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP)

RCP has been an authority in medicine for 500 years. ‘Nicotine without Smoke’, released by RCP in 2016, is a 200+ page report investigating the scientific research on vaping. Some of their key recommendations: “… the hazard to health arising from long-term vapour inhalation from the e-cigarettes available today is unlikely to exceed 5% of the harm from smoking tobacco…in the interests of public health it is important to promote the use of e-cigarettes⁵⁷…”

Myth 5

Vaping is a gateway to smoking

During the last 6 years, vaping has been mainstream in Canadian society⁵⁸. This is the first generation of youth that have experimented with vaping⁵⁸. It is normal adolescent behavour to experiment with adult taboos⁵⁹. 20% of youth have tried vaping in the last 30 days⁶⁰. If vaping was a gateway to smoking we would observe an increase in youth smoking prevalence. As per the biennual Canadian Student Tobacco and Drug Survey, grade 12 smoking prevalence has decreased 63% in the last 6 years^58,60.

Further

The Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research

at the University of Victoria released in January 2017 ‘Clearing the Air: a systematic review of the harms and benefits of e-cigarettes and vapour devices’⁶¹. Tim Stockwell, an investigator on this review, stated: “The public has been misled about the risks of e-cigarettes. Many people think they are as dangerous as smoking tobacco but the evidence shows this is completely false⁶².”

Myth 6

Flavours are to attract youth

Considering that one in four Canadians are obese, and that alcohol comes in thousands of flavours we can deduce that adults like flavours⁶³. This is why nicotine gum, lozenges and sprays come in flavours⁶⁴. When smokers are detoxing off the 7000 chemicals found in cigarette smoke and transitioning to just pharmaceutical grade nicotine, pleasing flavours encourage continuation of harm reduction⁶⁵. Further, the novelty of flavours encourages the continued compliance with vaping⁶⁵.

Myth 7

Vaping’s ineffective for cessation

Considering that Canadian public health officials have utilized millions of our tax dollars to only oppress tobacco harm reduction by disseminating fear-based narratives about vaping⁶⁶, the vaping industry has been driven solely by consumer demand; smokers’ demand for an alternative that reduces harm⁶⁷. If vaping was ineffective it would not exist. From 2015 to 2017, the preferred smoking cessation method for Canadian smokers was vaping at 32% vs 24% with patches and 16% with gum⁶⁸. In the United Kingdom, 54% of successful smoking cessation attempts were with vaping⁶⁹.

Further

Controlled clinical trials

In 2014, smokers that did NOT want to quit smoking were given eliquid and vape pens (which aren’t as effective at nicotine delivery as the current devices). At 2 months, 34% of the subjects reported smoking cessation. eCO levels decreased significantly and continine (nicotine metabolite) remained the same. At six months, 21% remained exsmokers compared to 6% cessation with patches⁷⁰.

Myth 8

Approved cessation methods are effective

Prior to vaping, only 2.5% of smokers quit long term even though 52% attempted cessation annually^71,72. They had a 4% success rate with cold turkey; 8% success with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) such as patches or gum; if adjunct counselling was added, success can reach 16%^71,73. Smoking cessation methods currently approved by Health Canada have an 84% failure rate at best! Of those successful ‘quitters’ 80% relapsed in the first month⁷⁴. Psychoactives have adverse effects such as suicidal ideation, violent outbursts, depression and psychotic episodes⁷⁵.

Myth 9

Vaping is ineffective for smoking cessation

A significant aspect of smoking is the ritualistic behaviour of bringing a smoke to the mouth; tasting the smoke with a drag; feeling sensations in the throat and lungs with a full inhale; and observing the visible exhale⁷⁶. The behaviour is repeated 240 times a day for a pack-a-day⁷⁶ smoker; 87,600 times a year! This physical ritual is coupled with an immediate increase in serum chemicals⁶¹. Further, smokers are proficient at maintaining therapeutic nicotine serum levels through inhalation⁷⁷. Vaping uniquely satisfies this ritual and provides nicotine through the same route⁷⁶.

Myth 10

Dual user isn’t quitting smoking

Utilizing vaping to transition from the most addictive product in Canada to nicotine-free is a process consisting of 4 stages⁶¹. The first stage is dual use which is when the smoker becomes familiar with how to use their vaping device to achieve therapeutic nicotine serum levels⁶¹. This may include trying different devices and eliquids to find what is right for them⁷⁸. Stage two is smoking cessation and continued vaping⁶¹. Invariably, after a few months to adjust to the decrease of serum chemicals, vapers decrease their nicotine dose and some then titrate off of nicotine completely⁶¹.

More information on vaping

Listen to the experts

Quotes from those that have done the research

“The most important

toxins in cigarette smoke are missing – those that remain are orders of magnitude lower.”

Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos

“Vapers should

be more concerned of the air they breathe in polluted cities rather than their vaping!”

Dr. Riccardo Polosa

“Saying e-cigs

are 95% safer is not a medical claim, it’s a truth.”

Professor Hajek

“People smoke

for nicotine but they die from the tar.”

Professor Michael Russell, 1976

Dr. Konstaninos Farsalinos

“The most important toxins in cigarette smoke are missing – those that remain are orders of magnitude lower.”

Dr. Riccardo Palosa

“Vapers should be more concerned of the air they breathe in polluted cities rather than their vaping!”

Professor Hajek

“Sayong ecigs are 95% safer is not a medical claim, it’s a truth.”

Professor Michael Russell, 1976

” People smoke for nicotine but they die from the tar.”

Next section: bioethics

50. Polosa, R., Rodu, B., Caponnetto, P., Maglia, M., & Raciti, C. (2013). A fresh look at tobacco harm reduction: the case for the electronic cigarette.

51. Canadian Nurses Association. (2017). Code of ethics for registered nurses.

52. Nutt, D. J., Phillips, L. D., Balfour, D., Curran, H. V., Dockrell, M., Foulds, J., Fagerstrom, K., Letlape, K., Milton, A., Polosa, R., Ramsey, J., & Sweanor, D. (2014). Estimating the harms of nicotine-containing products using the MCDA approach.

53. Burstyn, I. (2014). Peering through the mist: systematic review of what the chemistry of contaminants in electronic cigarettes tells us about health risks.

54. Filipiak, W., Ruzsanyi, V., Mochalski, P., Filipiak, A., Bajtarevic, A., Ager1, C., Denz1, H., Hilbe W., Jamnig, H., Hackl, M., Dzien, A., & Amann, A. (2012). Dependence of exhaled breath composition on exogenous factors, smoking habits and exposure to air pollutants.

55. Laugesen, M. (2013). Nicotine and health. New York, NY: American Council on Science and Health.

56. Royal Society for Public Health. (2015). Nicotine “no more harmful than caffeine”.

57. Royal College of Physicians. (2016). Nicotine without smoke: Tobacco harm reduction: A report by the Tobacco Advisory Group of the Royal College of Physicians.

58. Government of Canada. (2015). Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey.

59. Jackson, C. A., Henderson, M., Frank, J. W., Haw, S. J. (2012). An overview of prevention of multiple risk behaviour in adolescence and young adulthood.

60. Government of Canada. (2019). Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey.

61. O’Leary, R., MacDonald, M., Stockwell, T., & Reist, D. (2017). Clearing the Air: A systematic review on the harms and benefits of e-cigarettes and vapour devices. Victoria, BC: Centre for Addictions Research of BC.

62. University of Victoria: UVic News. (2107). Clearing the air around e-cigarettes. Retrieved Feb. 19, 2020 from https://www.uvic.ca/news/topics/2017+e-cigarettes-carbc-macdonald-stockwell+media-release

63. Statistics Canada. (2017). Canadian Health Measures Survey.

64. Aslani, A., & Rafiei, S. (2012). Design, formulation and evaluation of nicotine chewing gum.

65. Russell, C., McKeganey, N., Dickson, T., & Nides, M. (2018). Changing patterns of first e-cigarette flavor used and current flavors used by 20,836 adult frequent e-cigarette users in the USA.

66. Government of Canada. (2019). The risks of vaping.

67. Institute of Economic Affairs. (2013). Free market solutions in health: The case of nicotine.

68. Government of Canada. (2017) Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CTADS).

69. Farsalinos, K., Polosa, R., Cibella, C., & Niaura, R. (2019). Is e-cigarette use associated with coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction? Insights from the 2016 and 2017 National Health Interview Surveys.

70. Adriaens, K., Van Gucht, D., Declerck, P., & Baeyens, F. (2014). Effectiveness of the electronic  cigarette: An eight-week Flemish study with six-month follow-up on smoking reduction,  craving and experienced benefits and complaints.

71. Nides, M., Leischow, S.J., Bhatter, M., & Simmons, M. (2014). Nicotine blood levels and short-term smoking reduction with an electronic nicotine delivery system.

72. Polosa, R., Rodu, B., Caponnetto, P., Maglia, M., & Raciti, C. (2013). A fresh look at tobacco harm reduction: the case for the electronic cigarette.

73. Shahab, L., Brose, L.S., & West R. (2013). Novel delivery systems for nicotine replacement therapy as an aid to smoking cessation and for harm reduction: Rationale, and evidence for advantages over existing systems.

74. Polosa, R., Rodu, B., Caponnetto, P., Maglia, M., & Raciti, C. (2013). A fresh look at tobacco harm reduction: the case for the electronic cigarette.

75. Institute for Safe Medication Practices. (2008). QuarterWatch Report: Strong Safety Signal Seen for Chantix (Varenicline).

76. Dawkins, L. (2013). Why is it so hard to quit smoking?

77. Farsalinos, K., Spyrou, A., Tsimopoulou, K. et al. Nicotine absorption from electronic cigarette use: comparison between first and new-generation devices.

78. Farsalinos, K., Spyrou, A., Stefopoulos, C. et al. Nicotine absorption from electronic cigarette use: comparison between experienced consumers (vapers) and naïve users (smokers).

Smoking

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Feb ,Thu, 2020 | Activism, health professionals

Smoking

Every year in Canada, smoking causes 18% of all deaths and costs the taxpayers $16 billion⁷.
Over one million Canadians suffer with smoking-related diseases^7,8.

Smoking morbidity and mortality is 100% preventable⁹.

Diagnose the problem

Cigarette smoke addiction

Cigarettes became mainstream in the early 20th century due to automation which made them economically viable to produce¹⁰. Over decades, tobacco company scientists experimented with chemicals to produce the most addictive product in the world¹⁰.

Currently, up to 600 ingredients are added to tobacco cigarettes to cause physiological outcomes and enhance the delivery and effects of nicotine¹¹. Ammonium salts increase nicotine bioavailability; menthol acts as a local anaesthetic and cough suppressant¹². Eucalyptol and theobromine are bronchial dilators to increase the volume of smoke inhaled¹². Then, lactones reduce the body’s ability to metabolize nicotine; and acetaldehyde mimics monoamine oxidase inhibitors (anti-depressant effect)¹².

Cigarettes are more addictive than just nicotine on its own and the most harmful source of nicotine¹³. When smokers switched to tobacco harm reduction (THR), they reported improvements in chronic diseases¹⁴and general health ¹⁵.

Smoking vs. vaping chart

At-risk populations

Higher prevalence in vulnerable populations

Those with metal health disorders have double the smoking prevalence of the general population¹⁶. For instance, people with schizophrenia have up to 80% prevalence¹⁷. Cigarettes are the most harmful source of nicotine¹⁸.

While smoking prevalence has significantly declined in the last 50 years, people of lower socio-economic status prevalence has hardly changed¹⁹. Considering that a pack of cigarettes in Canada costs up to $20, this expense adversely effects their ability to afford healthy food for themselves and their children.

Learn from the experts in THR

Smoking rates

15% of Canadians smoke

About 4.6 million Canadians 15 years and older are addicted to cigarette smoke²⁰. It is the most common addiction in Canada²¹. Toxins in smoke include: carbon monoxide which displaces oxygen on RBC; hydrogen cyanide which paralyses lung cilia; free radicals which cause atherosclerosis²².

7000+ chemicals in smoke

Combustion is a problem

Burning chemical laden cigarettes cause new toxins to form²². Cigarette smoke contains hundreds of known disease causing agents and 69 carcinogens^{11, 22}. Smoking is responsible for 36% of respiratory diseases, 29% of cancers, 14% of cardiovascular diseases, 85% of lung cancer and 87% of COPD²³.

100% preventable costs

Death and taxes

Premature deaths caused from smoking leads to 599,390 potential years of life lost²⁴. Tax expenditures include $6.4 billion in direct health care costs and indirect costs includes $6.8 billion for long-term disability²⁴.

The needless suffering

The human element

The accumulative effects of the toxins deteriorates the smoker’s health²². This adversely effects their families such as when the main earner can no longer work and their children cannot afford a higher education²⁴.

Long term effects

The next generation

If we help grandparents stop smoking, they can enjoy active relationships with their grandchildren. After one year of quitting smoking, patients’ risk of heart attack reduces by 50%; after 10 years, risk of lung cancer is reduced to 50% and risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a never smoker²⁵.

Harm reduction for smokers

Medical autonomy

When patients are unable to cease risky behaviours, the next best intervention is harm reduction such as practising safe sex to avoid HIV²⁶. Health professionals are responsible to promote harm reduction²⁷.

Stay current in the evidence

What you don’t know can harm your patients

Let the scientific findings guide your practice.

Next section: the current context

7. The Conference Board of Canada. (2017). The costs of tobacco use in Canada, 2012.

8. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Fast facts: Diseases and death.

9. Health Canada. (2014). Health concerns: Notice of proposed order to amend the schedule to the Tobacco Act.

10. Institute of Economic Affairs. (2013). Free market solutions in health: The case of nicotine.

11. Rabinoff, M., Caskey, N., Rissling, A., & Park, C. (2007). Pharmacological and Chemical Effects of Cigarette Additives.

12. Europa. (2010). Public Health: Tobacco additives.

13. Laugesen, M. (2013). Nicotine and health.

14. Farsalinos, K. E., Romagna, G., Tsiapras, D., Kyrzopoulos, S., & Voudris, V. (2014). Characteristics, perceived side effects and benefits of electronic cigarette use: A worldwide survey of more than 19,000 consumers.

15. Polosa, R., Rodu, B., Caponnetto, P., Maglia, M., & Raciti, C. (2013). A fresh look at tobacco harm  reduction: the case for the electronic cigarette.

16. Mental Health and Smoking Partnership. (2017). Statement on Electronic Cigarettes

17. Royal College of Physicians. (2013). Smoking and mental health: A joint report by the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

18. Nutt, D. J., Phillips, L. D., Balfour, D., Curran, H. V., Dockrell, M., Foulds, J., Fagerstrom, K., Letlape, K., Milton, A., Polosa, R., Ramsey, J., & Sweanor, D. (2014). Estimating the harms of nicotine-containing products using the MCDA approach.

19. Public Health England. (2015). E-cigarettes: an evidence update A report commissioned by Public Health England.

20. Reid, J., Hammond, D., Tariq, U., Burkhalter, R., Rynard, V.L., & Douglas, O. (2019). Tobacco Use in Canada: Patterns and Trends, 2019 Edition.

21. Public Health Agency Canada. (2014). Tobacco.

22. A Report of the Surgeon General. (2010). How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease: A Report of the Surgeon General.

23. Dawkins, L. (2013). Why is it so hard to quit smoking?

24. Conference Board of Canada. (2017). The Costs of Tobacco Use in Canada, 2012.

25. Canadian Cancer Society. (2020). Amazing ways your body bounces back.

26. Canadian Nurses Association. (2017). Harm reduction & illicit substance use: Implications for nursing.

27. Canadian Nurses Association. (2018). Harm reduction and substance use: Joint position statement.

VAEP

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Feb ,Tue, 2020 | Activism, education, health professionals

Just vaping education

VAEP is a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to helping people learn about vaping as a harm reduction strategy.
We review the scientific evidence and provided free learning resources that are easy to understand.

Our vision: make the truth about vaping common knowledge throughout the general population.

Vaping Advocacy and Education Project (VAEP)

Our project was founded in April 2016 by Kellie Ann while she was working as a registered nurse in a rural hospital. After many failed attempts to stop a 30 year smoking addiction, she, like millions of other smokers, finally achieved cessation with vaping in 2013. With the research skills acquired in her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (dist.), Context Based Learning program she reviewed the credible evidence on vaping through a medical data base. She acquired a strong knowledge base of cigarette addiction, traditional smoking cessation methods, tobacco harm reduction history and the efficacy of vaping for cessation and reduction.

As a frontline nurse, Kellie Ann became aware that the public and her colleagues are misinformed about tobacco harm reduction. In 2015, she copyrighted the paper: “Vaping (electronic cigarette use), the Truth” which clearly illustrates the harm reduction potential of vaping. Kellie Ann has remained smoke-free and invested thousands of hours interpreting findings from credible evidence and designing learning resources that are ease to understand.

Vaping (electronic cigarette use) the Truth

External resources

further your vaping knowledge

We have carefully selected credible sources of vaping information from the best experts in the world. Learn from the experts in science, smoking, policy and tobacco harm reduction.

Expert information

Lung injuries

Questionable reporting

After 15 years and millions of smokers transitioning to tobacco harm reduction without serious adverse effects, an outbreak of “vaping-related” lung injuries occurred in the USA. Harm reduction was blamed.

Vaping-related lung injuries

CDC deceived the public

Media spread it around

Health professionals have been trained to trust health regulatory bodies without question. Recent history shows us this may be a problem.

miscommunication

Health related nonprofits

Questionable credibility

Health professionals, authority and media rely on unbiased, benevolent recommendations from specialized nonprofits. Recent history suggests they are not following bioethics.

Anti-harm reduction

The current narrative

Rampant misinformation

The information circulating about tobacco harm reduction is leaving out significant data such as: youth smoking rates are plummetting; vaping is a fraction the harm of smoking; vaping is the most effective cessation strategy ever conceived; and nicotine does not cause disease.

Basic info

Flavours are THE essential aspect

Fear rhetoric is working

Media, particularly the CBC, are trusted to report the truth so the population can make informed decisions. They have continuously spread fear-based misinformation about tobacco harm reduction.

CBC correction

Harm reduction for smokers

Gov’t are shutting it down

Pressure from the misinformed public and health community have resulted in the federal government authorizing the provinces place restrictions on harm reduction.

Health Canada

Learning Resources

Further your knowledge

These resources are designed to teach the average person but provide the references required by health professionials. Utilize these sections to educate your patients and to find more credible evidence.

Downloads

Our learning resources are based on scientific evidence yet written in a way that's simple to understand. We aim to help people learn about vaping from a harm reduction perspective. Posters You are being deceived Most vapers are aware that there is rampant...

Youth

Over 90% of smokers start before they are 20 years old. 1 Considering that every year, only 2.5% of smokers quit long term 2, smokers are very profitable for those corporations that make tobacco cigarettes and treat smoking related diseases. Making a smoker What about...

VAEP Shareables

VAEP Shareables instantly engage the reader and help them quickly learn accurate information about vaping. Each Shareable teaches one key concept about vaping using graphics, colour and text. The reference for the information is provided on the bottom of each one. The...

Downloads

Our learning resources are based on scientific evidence yet written in a way that's simple to understand. We aim to help people learn about vaping from a harm reduction perspective. Posters You are being deceived Most vapers are aware that there is rampant misinformation about vaping. This 18" x 24" poster features 9 Shareables that give a base knowledge about vaping as a harm reduction...

Youth

Over 90% of smokers start before they are 20 years old. 1 Considering that every year, only 2.5% of smokers quit long term 2, smokers are very profitable for those corporations that make tobacco cigarettes and treat smoking related diseases. Making a smoker What about vaping? Youth and vaping The current narrative Harm reduction Every contribution ensures we can continue providing quality...

VAEP Shareables

VAEP Shareables instantly engage the reader and help them quickly learn accurate information about vaping. Each Shareable teaches one key concept about vaping using graphics, colour and text. The reference for the information is provided on the bottom of each one. The information in VAEP Shareables are from studies, reports, surveys and other credible sources. We have also referenced mainstream...

Our founding member

slide shows

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Feb ,Sat, 2020 | Activism, education

Downloads

slide shows

Our learning resources are based on scientific evidence yet written in a way that’s simple to understand.

We aim to help people learn about vaping from a harm reduction perspective.

Slide shows

The Facts in Five Minutes

This is a five minute slide show explaining the basics of vaping, complete with narrative. It is designed to fit into the presentation time allowed by a committee or city council.

The information is based on ‘Vaping, the Truth’ and we HIGHLY recommend you study this paper and the slideshow prior to your presentation to ensure your knowledge base!

It features an additional 16 slides that provide more information on vaping to expand the audience’s knowledge. Use these to add to the presentation if the time allotment is more than 5 minutes or to answer questions or if more information is requested.

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papers

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Feb ,Sat, 2020 | Activism, education

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papers

Our learning resources are based on scientific evidence yet written in a way that’s simple to understand.

We aim to help people learn about vaping from a harm reduction perspective.

Papers

Vaping (electronic cigarette use) The Truth

This paper is based on scientific evidence yet written in conversational English. In a short read, it provides the reader with the basic knowledge about vaping as a harm reduction strategy. It has many colourful graphs throughout; side columns of quotes; and fifty-two references listed in the back. The two versions reflect American and Canadian statistics.

This paper was copyrighted in 2015 and clearly illustrates the harm reduction application of vaping. How many smokers have been diagnosed with chronic smoking-related diseases in the last 5 years because they didn’t know they had a harm reduction strategy?

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Le vapotage (L’utilisation de la cigarette électronique) La vérité

Ce document est basé sur des preuves scientifiques. Dans une courte lecture, vous pouvez apprendre les connaissances de base pour comprendre vaping comme une alternative viable pour le tabagisme. Il fournit au lecteur des informations pour prendre une décision éclairée sur le vapotage en tant que stratégie de réduction des risques.

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Nous prévoyons desservir la communauté québécoise. VAEP incorporé en français et en anglais.

CBC correction

The pervasive, fear-provoking, biased misinformation that media continues to publish harms people because they cannot make informed decisions about harm reduction. The CBC produced a series called “Vape FAIL”. Their first article, “The Road to Vaping”, was so jammed packed with misinformation, half-truths and biased perspective that we felt compelled to write a correction. We have added the significant data they omitted, corrected their deceptions and exposed their integrity.

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Outlawing Vaping in Public

This paper discusses the social issue of public vaping. It looks at the contexts of current public risks; effective transition to vaping and adolescent experimentation.

A quick read to start critical thinking about society’s role in promoting harm reduction. Smoking is a social issue with very high costs. We should be looking at all the options to reduce the suffering caused from inhaling smoke from burning, chemically laden tobacco.

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Vaping vs smoking chart

Harm reduction means to reduce the negative consequences of the things people do. Examples would be seat belts, condoms and helmets.

To understand if a new thing will reduce harm; it must first be compared to the thing it is replacing. This chart makes a direct comparison of vaping to smoking in several areas: ingredients, what’s inhaled, bystanders, addiction, health effects and costs.

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infographics

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Feb ,Sat, 2020 | Activism, education

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infographics

Our learning resources are based on scientific evidence yet written in a way that’s simple to understand.

We aim to help people learn about vaping from a harm reduction perspective.

Infographics

8 things you should know about vaping

Utilizing our Shareables, this infographic covers eight key points that illustrate how vaping is a significant harm reduction strategy for current smokers and more.

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Youth smoking and vaping

These infographics illustrate the smoking and vaping trends of youth in 2017. The data is expressed in percentages. Graphs are utilized to show frequencies of use and to draw comparisons. We have two colour options for printer preferences.

Canadian version

This infographic reflects the data collected from Government of Canada’s population surveys. We have used the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CTADS) for 2014-15 and 2016-17 as well as the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUM): Overview of historical data 1999 to 2012.

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American version

This infographic reflects the data collected from U.S. government population surveys. We have used the National Youth Tobacco Surveys from 1999-2017.

Due to inconsistencies in data collection, in the section titled “Difference in Smoking Rates over 2 year Periods (%)”, an average was used for years 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007.

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Make a difference

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continue providing quality learning materials.

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business cards

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Feb ,Sat, 2020 | Activism, education

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business cards

Our learning resources are based on scientific evidence yet written in a way that’s simple to understand.

We aim to help people learn about vaping from a harm reduction perspective.

Business cards

Card with VAEP QR code

This card is an effective and inexpensive way to educate your community about vaping. Print off these business cards and hand them out.

Encouraging education will promote more social support for current smokers to try harm reduction. Make it easy for people to visit our website and learn the truth about vaping!

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Get your facts straight business card

We got a request to use one of our Shareables as a business card. So, here it is! This card gives some information to understand that vaping is tobacco harm reduction.

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Make a difference

Every contribution ensures we can

continue providing quality learning materials.

make a donation
Buy a pin on the map

Rack cards

by Kellie Ann Forbes | Feb ,Sat, 2020 | Activism, education

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rack cards

Our learning resources are based on scientific evidence yet written in a way that’s simple to understand.

We aim to help people learn about vaping from a harm reduction perspective.

Rack cards

VAEP info and youth infographics

These were a big hit at an expo so we have made them available here for anyone who wants them!

They feature our youth smoking and vaping infographics for both Canada and the US. The front drives people to our website for self directed learning, creating more support and customers for harm reduction.

front

back can

back usa