Spreading the Word

I’m not a shy person, so I’ve been telling just about everyone I meet about my electronic cigarette. When I first got it, I thought people wouldn’t accept it. After all, it still looks like smoke that I’m exhaling. I mostly “stealth vape” by grabbing a few puffs when I’m alone in the elevator or ducking into the bathroom. But I’m starting to wonder if I have to do that. So far everyone I’ve talked to has been curious and excited when I explain how I quit smoking with this new product.

When I first discovered eCigs, I told my co-workers about it. Since I hadn’t yet received my V2, they were understandably skeptical. And since I hadn’t done enough research, I was too easily tripped up when someone questioned the health benefits. I remember telling one of my co-workers that nicotine was about as harmful as caffeine. He said, “You can’t tell me you’re comparing smoking to coffee.” Since I wondered about the truth of it myself, I didn’t have a good response. Later, when my V2 arrived, I demonstrated for everyone and they seemed excited. But it wasn’t until almost two weeks later that my boss asked, “So is it really helping you to smoke less?” I told him that I hadn’t had a regular cigarette since I got my V2 and he was amazed. I haven’t gotten up the nerve to ask if I can vape in the office, but that reaction gives me hope that he might allow it.

Last Thursday I went to my doctor’s office because of an allergy flare up after the Easter weekend. Since it was a last minute appointment, I saw the nurse practitioner. When she asked me the usual questions, I told her that I’d quit smoking, but clarified that I’m still getting nicotine like someone who is using the patch or gum. She must have noticed the wording because she asked me what I was using to quit. I pulled my eCig out of my pocket and explained to her. It turned out to be the longest visit I’ve ever had at this busy doctor’s office. I feel sorry for her other patients who were waiting while she spent 20 minutes asking me questions about the product and how I feel after using it for two weeks. She even admitted that she smokes when she drinks and was thinking of getting an eCig for herself.

Yesterday I was picking up from a food pantry to bring to a disabled client. I’m at that pantry at least once a week, so I’ve gotten to know the volunteers pretty well. As a general rule, all of the volunteers are at least 70 years old and have a tendency to be more self-righteous than charitable. While talking to the director, we somehow got onto the subject of the smell of some foods. I mentioned that my sense of smell is returning fast now that I’ve quit smoking. Then, even though I didn’t think she would be one bit supportive, I couldn’t help telling her about my electronic cigarette. Her reaction really surprised me. She scrambled to pull out a notebook and asked for the website address. I gave her one of the cards that came with my V2 starter kit and she asked for more! It turns out her late husband had been a smoker and she believed his death was a result of it. Now each of her children smoke and she was thrilled to find something that may help them. After I gave her two more cards so that she could pass them onto each of her children, she brought me into the office to demonstrate for all of the other elderly volunteers. Their reactions were hilarious, and all were exceedingly positive.

As smokers, we’re accustomed to being ostracized. We’ve been pushed outside into the heat or cold just to get our few puffs. As more and more places outlawed smoking not only indoors, but in their parking lot, I started to feel like an outcast. I would hold my cigarette by the arm rest in the car while stopped at a red light so that the person in the next vehicle couldn’t see it. Even though smoking was allowed outside at my office, I didn’t feel comfortable, so I would duck behind the building rather than smoking by the door. I was constantly aware of others looking at me with disapproval when they passed my lit cigarette. So this reaction to my eCig is not only positive, it’s liberating! It’s giving me the confidence to step out of the shadows and hold my head up high. I feel like a trend setter, a pioneer, and even a good influence.

Don’t be afraid to spread the word. Remember that this is a product that could change the whole face of smoking and help millions of people lead healthier lives. Be educated and confident and you’ll be surprised who will thank you for telling them about it.

Testing Out the V2 Sample Pack

I just got in my second shipment from V2 and I thought I'd write a post as I'm exploring it. First of all, I finally have a good power cig and let me tell you, it's amazing. When the XL battery is fully charged, it gives a great taste and feeling of vapor in your mouth and throat. But the power cig has even more power than a maximized XL battery. And since it is drawing power directly from the computer or car charger, every hit is as good as the first.

But the main thing I'm going to explore right now is the flavor sampler. First of all, you should know that I don't like the taste of tobacco. I would have sooner quit analogs than smoke a non-menthol. And now that I've been on eCigs for a couple of weeks, I can't even stand the taste of a menthol analog. Therefore I don't hold out a lot of hope for the tobacco flavored carts for myself, but I plan to have my dad, a 45-year-smoker of Marlboro Reds, try them before I publish this. I tried these in order of what I thought would be my most to least favorite.

Menthol – Cart Color: Green – I've been on these since I first received my V2 kit and they're my hands down favorite. I've heard complaints from some people on the forum that they don't taste like menthol tobacco, which is a good thing for me. The taste reminds me of chewing spearmint gum. It leaves your mouth tasting fresh and minty.

Peppermint – Cart Color: Pink (which immediately turns off most guys, who don't want to smoke a pink cigarette) – Also a favorite from the beginning. This tastes more like the round red and white hard candy peppermints. I can use these instead of menthol and not regret it at all. However, the taste is just a bit weaker, so the menthol still holds my #1 spot.

Chocolate – Cart Color: Dark Brown – This is the first new flavor I'm grabbing because it's the one I'm most excited about. I figured it would either become a favorite or it would be gross, not much room for in between. My first impression after a couple of puffs is that it has potential. It tastes warm and chocolaty. However, I don't feel like I've just eaten a piece of chocolate, more like eating a piece of chocolate flavored hard candy. Definitely has potential, but I don't think it can overtake the menthol or peppermint on my personal preference ranking list.

Vanilla – Cart Color: Light Beige – Not bad, but I don't think it's going to be high on the list or anything I would reorder in quantity. The taste is warm like the chocolate, but I don't feel that it has a very distinctive flavor. If I hadn't read the label, I might not even know that it was vanilla. I probably would have guessed some sort of coffee, like the French vanilla cappuccino you can get at a gas station.

Cherry – Cart Color: Dark Red – I'm not usually a fan of cherry, but I kind of like this one. The flavor is stronger than the chocolate or Vanilla and I really think of cherries when I taste it. It's sweet, like the kind of cherries you get in a fruit salad. I was worried it would taste like cough syrup, but although I can see the similarity, it's like they used the same flavoring without having the underlying taste that's hard to mask in medicine. I wouldn't recommend this to people who don't like sweet things, but to those of us who would eat ice cream for breakfast if we could, it's definitely a flavor to consider. Right now I'm moving it into the third place position between peppermint and chocolate.

Coffee – Cart Color: Dark Beige – I tried several flavors of coffee with the V4L carts, so I was a little reluctant on this one. But I was pleasantly surprised. It tastes the way I like my coffee, sweet and with a thick cream. It should probably be called cappuccino or cafe a lait instead of coffee, which is a compliment. In fact, I'm moving it up to 3rd place between peppermint and cherry (poor chocolate, he was the favorite before the race started and he keeps losing ground).

Reds – Cart Color: Bright Red – This isn't a flavor I can describe, but it's much nicer than I thought it would be. It's a little sweet without actually having a candy flavor. It doesn't taste like a cigarette to me, but it's likely that the part of the cigarettes I disliked was the tobacco and burning taste. It's not something I would order more of for myself, but it's definitely something I would suggest to a non-menthol smoker.

Sahara – Cart Color: Yellow – I hear this is supposed to be for those who previously smoked camel or other Turkish tobaccos. I never tried Camel, but now I'm wondering if I should have. The flavor is thick and unique. Definitely strong enough to leave a taste in your mouth, but not in a bad way. I can't think of any food to use as a reference that actually captures the taste, but I think I detect a little vanilla in there. In fact, I think I would like this more than the actual vanilla for that flavor. Oddly enough, this may even be a tobacco flavor I'd consider ordering more of.

Congress – Cart Color: Blue – I only took two puffs of this before deciding that it was my least favorite. I can taste the tobacco flavor in it. It also reminds me of very weak, black coffee. This is not a taste I would want to linger in my mouth or to taste on someone else's if I kissed them. I had to screw the menthol back onto the power cig and take a few puffs to clear out the taste.

So right now, just from my own first impressions and before sharing with my dad to get his opinion, I would have to say that the flavors rank in this order for me: (1) Menthol; (2) Peppermint; (3) Coffee; (4) Cherry; (5) Chocolate; (6) Sahara; (7) Vanilla; (8) Reds; (9) Congress. The menthol and peppermint still took the lead by a mile, so they're likely to be my go-to order. But I could see getting more of any in the 3-6 ranks as well. I plan to try each again a few more times before solidifying my list and placing a re-order. But I figure variety makes the world go round, so I'd like to have at least a small stock of the flavors that appealed to me.

Two hours later....

Well I just got back from my parent's house, which is next door to mine. I offered my eCig to my dad and he rolled his eyes and tried to decline. My mom and I encouraged him to try the tobacco flavors. I gave him the Red flavor and he took a puff then started to hand it back to me. Half way to me, he brought it back to his lips and tried another. After his third puff, he said that it didn't taste like cigarettes, but that it was pretty good. My mom tried it and said that she liked it too, although it was stronger than she would like on a regular basis. I next put on the Sahara. My dad choked on it after just one puff. My mom agreed that it had a vanilla taste that it was really good. Finally, my dad tried the congress. Even though I hated it, he said that it tasted the most like cigarettes, although it had a cardboard after taste. He declared the Reds to be his favorite. My mom also tried the sweet flavors. She said that the coffee was the perfect flavor to go with White Russian drinks. She liked the menthol, but said it was too strong of a mint flavor. I suggested she try the peppermint since my only fault with it is that it's a more subtle flavor. She loved it.

So I guess the moral of the story is that everyone has different taste preferences. Just because I ranked the flavors as I did doesn't mean that someone else may not rank them exactly opposite.  

We're Officially a Tobacco Product!

I was tossing around ideas for two very different posts, but yesterday something really big happened, so those ideas will have to wait.

Yesterday, April 25, 2011, the FDA announced that it would not appeal the Supreme Court’s decision that electronic cigarettes should not be classified as a combination drug/drug delivery device. Instead, they issued this letter, http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm252360.htm , stating that they would pursue regulations for electronic cigarettes as a tobacco product.

Now this is both a win for electronic cigarettes and a complete game changer. I spent a good portion of yesterday evening researching FDA procedure and watching the message boards for reactions from eCig users. Many people are really scared of what this means. Personally, I’m shifting between optimism and fear. There are a lot of unknowns out there, but I keep reminding myself how pessimistic users must have been in 2009 when the FDA started seizing shipments.

The first thing I gravitated to was the FDA link for “Overview of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.” This act went into effect on June 22, 2009, giving the FDA the ability to regulate tobacco products. Here is a link for the timeline of what has happened and will happen because of this act: http://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm237052.htm. For those who don’t want to point and click, here are some basic bullet points:

        - 6/09: Obama signed the Act

        - 9/09: Banned flavored cigarettes other than menthol

        - 6/10: Banned misleading words like “light” and “mild” on tobacco products

        - 10/10: Published a proposal to restrict non-face-to-face sales, such as the internet

---------- Still to come… ---------------------

-            - 6/11: Require tobacco products to use color graphics depicting negative health consequences of use.

-             - 10/11: Publish determination for restrictions on internet and other non-face-to-face sales

-             -   4/12: Publish regulations for advertising for internet and other non-face-to-face sales (note that the last point won’t eliminate all internet sales and will give a minimum of 4 years to internet companies to change their sales practices)

-            - 4/12: Establish a list of harmful ingredients by brand and sub-brand

-            - 4/13: Publish the above list in common words to be understood by the public

-            - 4/15: Submit a report to congress asking that the minimum age to purchase be raised

Many people didn’t make it through the legalese (I barely could) to find things like the minimum 4 years before internet companies must shut down their non-face-to-face sales, as well as an extensive appeals process in which they can prove that they have put up safe guards against selling to minors and therefore should be exempt from the regulation.

Another big fear is that this will eliminate all vapor flavors other than tobacco and menthol. However, the ban on flavors applies only to cigarettes, not to pipe tobacco, cigars, smokeless tobacco, or other tobacco products. Right now it appears that eCigs will go into the smokeless tobacco category, which has much lower restrictions. The higher restriction category that cigarettes fall into was required to list specific tobacco products and give a way to amend the list through a process. Although eCigs use cigarette in the name, it is not on the list and therefore is not currently in the highly restricted category.

Next, people fear that the nicotine content will be restricted to the point of elimination. But that cannot happen now that eCigs have been declared a tobacco product. Although the FDA has the right to limit the amount of nicotine, it must be done across all tobacco products, not just one category. They are not allowed to eliminate nicotine from any product. Therefore we may find that the specialty e-liquids that contain three- or four-times the nicotine of regular cigarettes could be banned, but your average pre-filled cartridge or e-liquid contains no more than 18mg or 24mg, which is still within the range of some full-flavor cigarettes.

Finally, everyone fears that absurd taxes will be placed on the cartridges and e-liquid, making it too expensive to be a viable alternative. However, until eCigs are put into the same restrictive category as cigarettes, the taxes won’t be nearly what smokers are used to paying. Current federal tax on a pack of cigarettes is $1.01. Tax on a package of pipe tobacco is just under 18 cents. Chewing tobacco is just over 3 cents. And snuff is just over 9 cents. Many states currently do not tax non-cigarette tobacco products.

Don't mistake me as being overly optimistic. There are still some issues that could cause trouble. There is a clause that the FDA referenced in their letter stating that any product marketed before February 15, 2007 and not modified since that date will be grandfathered into this act. Any product that is not grandfathered is considered a "new" tobacco product and may be required to submit for premarket authorization. Since eCigs are such a new concept, they have been modified several times since that date. It will likely come down to another court battle to establish whether those modifications eliminated their right to be grandfathered. The letter also mentioned that tobacco products cannot be marketed in conjunction with any other FDA-regulated products, including food, drugs, cosmetics, etc. That could mean that even if flavored vapors are not eliminated, they could be put under such heavy restrictions on advertising and marketing that no one would know that a flavor is supposed to be strawberry since they can’t advertise it as such. Finally, there is a clause that prevents a claim of “reduced harm” except with a marketing order from the FDA. In that case, how do you explain what eCigs are without stating the simple fact that they eliminate most of the harm caused by combustible cigarettes?

No matter what, the FDA must now wade through its own red tape to do anything. Unless something unexpected happens, we won’t see any restrictions for at least a year, probably closer to two. During that time, this ruling will allow sales of electronic cigarettes in any establishment that already sells tobacco products, including gas stations, grocery stores, and specialty stores. This will open up opportunities for American factories, giving a quality option better than China. Since the FDA is no longer stating that eCigs are a dangerous drug/drug delivery device, you’re likely to begin seeing reports on the news, talk shows, and radio. Word will spread quicker than ever. And the more word gets out, the more support it will have and the less likely the FDA can do something ridiculous to prevent it.

So the bottom line is that the fight isn’t over, but we’re at least now in a real fight instead of battling unsubstantiated and ridiculous claims. The best way for you to help is to keep the word spreading to smokers far and wide. The more vapers we have, the more likely that bully FDA will just give up and find something else to pick on.

Addiction's Sneak Attack and some Predictions

Before now I've tried to quit smoking in a number of ways. I've tried cold turkey, the gradual decrease, the patch, Wellbutrin, and even Valium. The first three days were always an armed battle. My will power was on full alert and I thought of nothing but my reasons for wanting to quit. I always had a battle plan to get through them. Sometimes I would plan days doing things that I don’t associate with smoking, like going to the movies or shopping. Other times I took a retreatist approach and just slept as much as possible. Once I even did a spring cleaning on my house to keep busy.

Ultimately, I would make it through those horrible three days. I would sound my victory cheer and start to relax. But that was when the sneak attack got me. A few days or weeks into quitting I would be laughing at a radio host, talking on the phone, or relaxing in front of the TV and, without thinking about it, reach for a cigarette. My hand would stop in midair and I’d laugh at my own silliness. But then the strangest thing would happen. No matter how much I tried, I wouldn’t be able to remember why I had waged this battle in the first place. Addiction would whisper in my ear, reminding me how much I liked to smoke. It would blame everyone else for being intolerant of something that gave me pleasure. Why was I denying myself? I deserved to be happy, didn’t I?

The sneak attack got me more times than I want to count. But last night a weird thing happened. Even though I never had the three days of war because of my eCig, I was hit with those same whispers. I was playing a new video game and reached for the pack of cigarettes that would normally be to my right. I paused the game and looked at my outstretched hand, then at my eCig, and for the life of me couldn’t remember why I was doing this. The addiction whispered to me that the eCig wasn’t as good as a real Marlboro. It reminded me that I’m out of the cartridges that turned out to be my favorite from the variety I ordered with my starter kit. I wanted a cigarette. Why shouldn’t I have one?

But then, I remembered that I didn’t have any more real cigarettes in the house. I would have to take off my pajamas and put on jeans, drive to the store and make awkward small talk with the clerk while she rang up my order. This realization never would have stopped me before, but this time it was like the bubble I’d found myself in burst and addiction’s whispers disappeared like the smoke they were. I picked up my eCig and took a long, satisfying puff, then unpaused my game. A feeling of satisfaction filled me. I’d won the battle that I hadn’t even expected to fight, but that had defeated me more often than the three days of war.

Well, it has been two weeks since I was looking through the internet to find a new way to try to quit smoking and found an ad about electronic cigarettes. Tomorrow will be one week since I’ve received my V2 in the mail. And I still have to say that this is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I can’t believe how simple and logical this invention is. Why didn’t someone think of it before? Or did someone and they got squashed by the Goliaths I talked about in a previous post? Why is this not on every news program? I remember when I was a kid and my dad explained to me the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, “Build a better mouse trap and the world will beat a path to your door.” Well this product is the embodiment of that quote. Someone has finally built a better cigarette and word is spreading smoker to smoker in a grass roots campaign that will bring down big tobacco once and for all.

Just for the record and for fun, I’m going to put down some predictions. I think that the eCig industry will continue to grow in leaps and bounds that could rival the growth of Facebook. The FDA and other political entities will continue to fight for about three more years. Then the movement will reach critical mass. Some innovative politician will grasp hold of the issue during his campaign and come out in favor of eCigs. He’ll say that he’s more interested in saving lives than gaining political favor with any company, no matter how powerful. The country will rally behind him without stopping to check his record to find that he rode the fence for years before placing his bet on which way public opinion would turn. He’ll be a hero and win by a landslide. Then, like lemmings, all of the other politicians will tell us that they were in favor of them all along. A harsh light will be turned on Big Tobacco and the same politicians who are now sending out statements that they support the FDA’s crusade to ban the new drug/drug delivery device will don their shiny white armor and gallop to the rescue of the American people. For the next ten years there will be talk of banning the sale of analog cigarettes (they’ll come up with their own name for them, of course). Phillip Morris will start making eCigs. Walmart will put out signs next to the no smoking symbol that says “Personal Vaporizers welcome.” California will ban the sale of analogs. Eventually, without an actual federal ban having to go into effect, smokers will be forced to go to specialty shops to purchase their cigarettes. And thirty years from now, our grandchildren will see an old movie where someone is smoking and will ask why his cigarette is leaking vapor. 

My first impressions of the eCig

It finally came! I should have made this post yesterday, but I was too excited playing with my new toy. I ended up home from work early, so I was here when the package arrived. I carried it inside and bounced in my chair as I pulled open the tape and dug through the Styrofoam peanuts.

My V2 ultimate kit included:

• 1 regular-sized manual battery
• 1 extra-long manual battery
• 1 regular-sized automatic battery
• 1 USB charger that plugs into the computer or:
  • - 1 wall charger
  • - 1 car charger
• 1 power eCig that plugs directly into a USB port and gets continuous power
• 1 hard-sided carry case
• 1 hard-sided carry case that is also a portable charger
• 25 cartridges (I chose a mix of menthol and peppermint)

The bottom line is: I love it! The vapor is amazing. The taste is absolutely wonderful. I'm glad I changed to two manuals instead of two automatic since I like the control of the button. This product lived up to all of my expectations and made me seriously thankful that I bought it.

Of course, I wouldn't be human if I didn't have a couple of things that I found less than perfect. The most obvious one has already been taken care of by V2cigs.com. The power eCig had too much power, causing it to run continuously whether I pushed the button or not. I didn't notice it at first hooked to my computer, but when I got in the car to pick up my son, I could hear it running and saw that vapor was leaking out of the little hole. After about a minute, the battery started getting hot and I unplugged it. When I got home, I contacted customer service through their live chat and the rep offered to send me a new one ASAP. My other complaints are just logistics. I don't like that I have three options to charge my battery (wall, car, or computer), but only one cord to attach to them, therefore leaving me no option to charge multiple batteries at once. I also don't like that the XL battery won't fit into either the carrying case or the charging case. It would have been my obvious favorite due to the longer battery life if not for that detail.

Today I got the second package I ordered: 35 cartridges from Vapor4Life.com. I ordered every sample pack that looked yummy. With flavors like French Vanilla Ice Cream, Caramel Mocha Frappe, Kiwi Apple Strawberry, and Peach Cobbler, they sounded too good to resist. Half of the flavors were even available in what they called Wow Vapor, which is supposed to have an amazingly thick vapor and throat hit. When I opened up the first one to sample, I was disappointed right out of the gate. Although it's true that if I had tried these before the V2 carts, I probably would have raved about them, they just couldn't hold a candle to V2. It seemed to be a quality difference. The flavor was much lighter, making it hard to tell one from the other despite the mouth watering names. And the vapor? I had to blow into the light to make sure it was there at all. I've tried about 10 of the carts so far and was beginning to compile a like and dislike pile. But when I put my V2 menthol cart back on, I knew without a doubt that I would not be ordering from V4L again. I'll save these carts as a back up in case I run out and set a date to try them again when my taste buds have healed since I won't be coating them in tar anymore. Maybe the lighter flavors will appeal to me then.

Now I'm compiling a list of items I want to order during V2's Easter Sale (20% off). I hope to get my new Power Cig before placing the order, because I suspect I will love it due to my experience before realizing it wasn't turning off between puffs. The extra power it can pull made the flavor and vapor even stronger. And I love the idea of saving the battery life for when I'm not in the car or at the computer. Unless I'm disappointed with the replacement, I plan to order a Notebook-Cig, which is the same concept with a slightly shorter cord and $5 lower price. That way I can keep the Notebook Cig attached to my computer and the Power Cig in my car. I'm thinking of ordering another charger kit. Although I don't need another wall charger, I do need another charging cord, so it's probably worth it (they don't sell the cord separately. I asked). I'm considering another battery or two, but think I'll hold off until I see if I'll need it and which length will be my favorite. I'm definitely getting a cartridge sampler kit so that I can try the other sweet flavors: vanilla, chocolate, coffee, and cherry; and so that my dad can try the tobacco flavors. But since I know I love the menthol and peppermint, I plan to order an 80 cart supply split between the two flavors.

So I've officially been a vapor for just over 24 hours. I smoked two regular cigarettes last night, mostly for comparison's sake, and haven't smoked any analogs today. Due to a nifty counter I found online, I know that if I didn't have the eCig, I would have smoked 33 analog cigarettes. I've saved $8.33 and can now plan to live 2 hours and 45 minutes longer. Whoo hoo!

Who am I?

Since I made my political rant yesterday, I thought I would make a lighter post today and tell you a little about myself.

I'm a social service counselor. That's a loop-hole title that means I do the work of a social worker without actually having a degree in social work. The program I work for is Permanent Supportive Housing. We work with people who are disabled and at risk of homelessness, providing them a section 8 type voucher and a support counselor who sees them weekly or monthly depending on the severity of their disability. PSH is a pilot program that's currently only available in Louisiana, but other states are starting to take notice and ask questions.

There are two differences between our program and anything else available in the social service field. The first is that we take all disabilities: physical, mental, developmental, or substance abuse. The theory is that they're often co-occurring. For example, let's say someone is in an accident and becomes physically disabled. They're unable to do the things they used to, so they fall into a deep depression. Depression can often trigger more serious mental illnesses, such as psychosis. In an effort to pick themselves up, they self-medicate with drugs or alcohol and become an addict. Soon they've destroyed their lives and may have even spent a night or two sleeping under an overpass.

The second difference is that we're designed to be a non-judgmental program. A client could tell me that they can’t meet with me today because they have a meeting with their crack dealer and all I can say is, “Ok. When do you want to reschedule?” The only exception to this is child abuse. We are mandatory reporters; which means that if we see anything that even makes us suspect a child is being abused, we have to report it. Failure to do so could mean that we’re legally liable for what we should have seen happening. For all other matters, we’re trained in harm reduction theory. If a client says, “I know I’m an alcoholic, but I like drinking. I won’t stop. You can’t make me,” then our response is ok, so what are you willing to do to make yourself a little safer? Let’s get you hooked up with a food pantry so that you at least don’t drink without eating. And let’s get you medical care so that you’re not combining your drinking with undiagnosed high blood pressure. Then, maybe we can talk about ways to cut down to a six pack a day instead of a case…. Don’t get me wrong. We don’t ever condone drugs and alcohol, but our approach has been successful in at least cutting down the risk to themselves or others. And by being non-judgmental, the clients are willing to be honest with us. The example that most made me stutter is when I was talking to a client with a violent criminal history. I asked him if he owned a gun. He said, “yes, but I don’t keep it in the house because of the kids.” I said, “That’s great! Where do you usually keep it?” He responded, “Well right now it’s hidden at that playground at the end of the block.” After I stopped choking on my own shock, I had him go get it immediately. A few months later, I was able to convince him that since he doesn’t like having it in the house, therefore wouldn’t have it in the case of a break-in, why not trade it in to the guns for gas program and get a gas card instead. If the client hadn’t trusted me, that gun might still be under a bush just a few yards from the swing set.

I love my job. There are times that I almost feel guilty because I’m being paid to hang out with some very nice people and help them when I’m able. The majority of our clients are mentally disabled since that’s the group that most often needs supportive services. Today’s advancements in psychiatric medicines are amazing, but someone with a severe mental health problem still needs behavioral therapy to lead a productive life. Unfortunately, our clients are on Medicaid or Medicare if they’re lucky, some without insurance at all. That means they have to go to the state-run behavioral health center where they’re only able to see a doctor for 5 minutes every three months due to the huge amount of clients compared to the small amount of doctors the state can afford to pay. Technically, I’m not allowed to offer therapy since I’m not a licensed social worker. But what I am able to do is listen. In a lot of cases, just having someone to talk to who says “You’re doing a great job” or “I’m really proud of the progress you’ve made” is all they need to stay motivated. I’m also able to share my own experience with them. I’m diagnosed with depression and generalized anxiety disorder. I take two anti-depressants a day and have to keep Xanax on me at all times to combat a panic attack that may leave me unable to breathe. When clients see that I’m dealing with a similar condition, but have overcome it to the point of being healthy, happy, and successful, it gives them hope that they can do the same.

Well, speaking of my job, I guess I better go do it. I have a staff meeting in about 10 minutes. This afternoon I have two appointments. One is a new client who admitted to me on the phone that she’s out of food she can eat because the box I got from the food pantry last Thursday had a lot of cans and she doesn’t own a can opener. Luckily I convinced a local church to donate us Wal-Mart gift cards for small purchases like this that can make a big difference in someone’s life.

Oh, and on a note more related to this actual blog, my e-cig has been shipped. If the post office is in a really good mood, I could have it as early as tomorrow.  Yay!!! 

The Harm Reduction Controversy

First of all, I need to tell you that I'm not a doctor or scientist. I haven't done any clinical trials on the electronic cigarette and wouldn't be qualified to draw a conclusion from them if I had. I am a pretty good researcher and I believe that I have a healthy dose of common sense. But even the best of us can be biased at times. The point is I'm not in a position to give a money back guarantee that electronic cigarettes are safe. I do feel confident telling you that regular cigarettes are not safe. That is why electronic cigarettes are meant to be a harm reduction alternative. They are meant for people who otherwise would have smoked despite knowing the risks. If you're a smoker who believes you can take it or leave it, I suggest you try quitting all together first. If you're a non-smoker who thinks this looks like a nifty new gadget you'd like to try - don't go there. If you're under 18.... Well, you probably need to just go do your homework instead of reading this blog at all.

Let me give you an analogy about the harm reduction theory. Several months ago, I was in a car accident. When I bounced against the tightened seat belt, it bruised my rib. Now, a bruised rib hurts like hell and in that particular scenario, it's likely that without the seat belt I wouldn't have been injured. If someone had studied just my accident, they may have concluded that seat belts are dangerous and recommended I stop using them. But we all know that seat belts have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. In comparison to that, the risk of a bruised rib is an acceptable one. The only way to be 100% safe from a car accident is to never ride in a car. But if you must ride in a car, use common sense and take the route less likely to kill you.

That being said, I’m appalled at the propaganda I’ve found about the “dangers” of electronic cigarettes. I guess I was more naive than I thought, but I assumed that the FDA and other health organizations actually had a priority to keep us safe and healthy.

Before I get into specific claims, let me tell you why this is a dangerous scenario. Imagine David and Goliath. Now add two more Goliaths.

On one side of poor little David, we have Big Tobacco. Here’s a business so huge that despite employing more lobbyists than there are politicians in Washington and killing off over 5,000,000 of their customers a year, they still claimed $6.6 Billion profit in 2009. Everyone knows that they’re a villain – more like a super-villain – but thus far they’ve just pulled strings from behind the curtain, so people don’t realize how scared they are of little David.

On the other side is a Goliath that people are only just starting to realize can’t be trusted: the Pharmaceutical Industry. Two decades ago, they started turning out Nicotine Replacement Therapies. You could get your nicotine through a patch, gum, or inhaler instead of those deadly cigarettes. And since smokers were already used to paying ridiculous amounts for their nicotine, they were able to charge an absurd price for an item that costs only a few cents to produce. They’re still a huge income generator despite having a long-term success rate of about 7%. Recently they’ve launched the drug Chantix, a pill that isn’t covered by most insurance companies, costs more than a pack-a-day smoking habit, and is known to cause suicidal thoughts. Fun!

But the real threat is right in front of David, challenging him openly: the government. Why would the government fear electronic cigarettes? Why would they want to denounce a product that may save millions of lives? Taxes. The federal government taxes each pack of cigarettes $1.01. That’s revenue of about $17 Billion a year. But wait! They’re not the only entity taxing cigarettes. Each state determines their own piece of the pie. On the scale of high to just plain stupid, New York is at the top with an extraordinary $4.35 tax per pack. And that’s not including the $1.01 federal tax or the tax added by some cities, such as New York City adding another $1.60. The lowest priced places to smoke are in the southern states. Since they gain revenue directly from the tobacco industry, they like to keep their citizens happily puffing away with less than $1.00 additional out-of-pocket expense. Without the billions of dollars generated by tobacco and cigarette taxes, how could the American and state governments keep from taxing mega-businesses instead of the working poor?

So poor little David is trembling as he primes his sling shot and frantically tries to decide who to shoot at first. He decided to start with the FDA, taking them to court and then Supreme Court when they blocked import of electronic cigarette hardware and cartridges. So far, he and his sling shot are doing a great job. Both courts have shot down the FDA with unanimous votes. As of this writing, we are waiting to see if the FDA will appeal or try another tactic. They don’t usually give up, so don’t get high hopes about that one.

Well, this post ended up longer than I thought without ever actually getting into the specific claims, so I’ll save that one for another post. For right now, I’m going to take little David out to lunch and encourage him to keep up the good fight.