New nicotine product shows ANTZ e-cigarette "hazards" hypocrisy

There are a few countries that have issued warnings or even banned electronic cigarettes for having potential public health hazards in the ingredients. Many use specific reasons as to why e-cigarettes pose such a risk:

Health Canada issued a warning about e-cigarettes stating that the device "delivers a liquid chemical mixture that may be composed of various amounts of nicotine, propylene glycol, and other chemicals. Nicotine is a highly addictive and toxic substance, and the inhalation of propylene glycol is a known irritant."



In the UK, reports state that health minsters claim  there is "evidence that certain types of ‘e-cigs’ have high levels of poisonous chemicals. These include ‘tobacco-specific nitrosamines’ - a substance given off by nicotine - which has been shown to cause cancer in rats. Certain brands have also been found to contain Diethylene glycol, a poisonous chemical which is fatal in exceptionally high doses."

Meanwhile, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration tells consumers not to purchase the devices online, because they "may be dangerous, delivering unreliable doses of nicotine (above or below the stated quantity), or containing toxic chemicals or carcinogens, or leaking nicotine. Leaked nicotine is a poisoning hazard for the user of electronic cigarettes, as well as others around them, particularly children."

Why specifically mention policies and statements from these particular countries? Because, while all three have banned, blocked or opposed the sale of e-cigarettes, they have subsequently approved sales of a nicotine product from Johnson & Johnson called "Nicorette QuickMist."

QuickMist is billed as a fine mouth spray that "can help to relieve your nicotine cravings wherever and whenever they strike - whether you’re at home, in the office, out with friends or just walking down the street." The ingredients in the product are listed as: Propylene glycol, Ethanol, Trometamol, Poloxamer 407, Glycerol, Sodium hydrogen carbonate, Levomenthol, Mint flavour, Cooling flavour, Sucralose Acesulfame potassium, Hydrochloric acid, Purified water and of course, Nicotine. The product directions instruct users to "prime the pump" by pointing the spray "safely away from you and any other adults, children or pets that are near you" and pressing the top "until a fine spray appears."

QuickMist users spray the room before spraying their mouth.

Here we have a product which is delivering irregular sprays of highly addictive and poisonous nicotine; which likely contains the same tobacco-specific nitrosamines (cancer-causing agents) found in other NRT products. It also contains toxic chemicals such as one that is used as automobile fuel, which the Australian government considers "harmful by ingestion, inhalation or by skin absorption" and fatal in exceptionally high doses; and it contains a highly corrosive, industrial acid that is used in manufacturing rubber products and to remove rust from steel. Prolonged oral exposure may cause corrosion of the mucous membranes, esophagus, and stomach and dermal contact may produce severe burns, ulceration, and scarring in humans. Even low concentrations of this chemical may also cause dental erosion.

Of course, QuickMist also contains propylene glycol, a known irritant found in e-cigarette liquids which, when sprayed into the mouth, could also get into the eyes, nose and lungs which can (according to the ANTZ) cause "acute respiratory irritation." There is also an ingredient known to increase cholesterol levels 10-fold in mice. High cholesterol has been linked to increased risk of heart disease. This product is not only a potential health hazard to the user, but also poses a poisoning risk to children and exposes bystanders to highly addictive, poisonous and toxic ingredients as the user "primes" the spray when circumventing smoking bans "in the office, out with friends or just walking down the street." Watching the instruction video, the nicotine solution is clearly shown to be building up around the nozzle, leaking nicotine and creating a poisoning hazard for the user, as well as others around them, particularly children.

OK, see what I did there? Rampant speculation and deliberate misrepresentation of the facts.

Regardless, Canada, Australia and the UK are fine with smokers and bystanders being exposed to all of those poisonous, toxic, carcinogenic and addictive chemicals in a Big Pharma spray but e-cigarettes are still considered a public health risk?

Nope. No hypocrisy here.