Myth Busting
Here we take a look at busting myths and debunking junk science about nicotine or products containing nicotine.
ENDS - COVID / EVALI / Respiratory Disease
2020: E-Cigarettes and Respiratory Disease: NO EVIDENCE
- The re-analysis by Kenkel and colleagues should prompt the American Journal of Preventive Medicine’s editors to revisit their decision to publish Bhatta and Glantz’s latest study.
- Cornell University researchers, led by economics professor Don Kenkel, have published a comprehensive re-analysis of the study "Association of E-Cigarette Use With Respiratory Disease Among Adults: A Longitudinal Analysis", concluding: “We find no evidence that current or former e-cigarette use is associated with respiratory disease.” Their paper on the topic: E-Cigarettes and Respiratory Disease: A Replication, Extension, and Future Directions
- Debunking this study: Association of E-Cigarette Use With Respiratory Disease Among Adults: A Longitudinal Analysis
- Debunking this press release: E-Cigarettes Significantly Raise Risk of Chronic Lung Disease, First Long-Term Study Finds
2016: New Study on E-Cigarettes and Bronchitis: An Example of Scientific Dishonesty and Deception
- The rest of the story is that essentially what we have here is an example of scientific dishonesty and apparently intentional deception of the journal readers and the public. For a movement that has devoted so much attention to attacking the tobacco industry for its deception and scientific dishonesty, I believe that we need to adhere to the highest standards of honesty and transparency in our scientific reporting. This is not happening in our reporting of the health effects of vaping, and it is certainly not happening in this study and the dissemination of its results.
- Debunking the Abstract of: Electronic Cigarette Use and Respiratory Symptoms in Adolescents
- Debunking this Press Release: E-cigarette use linked to risk of respiratory symptoms among adolescents
ENDS - Formaldehyde
E-cigarettes emit very high formaldehyde levels only in conditions that are aversive to users: A replication study under verified realistic use conditions
ENDS - Gateway
ENDS - Heart Disease
2019: E-cigarette use increases the risk of stroke and heart attack: conclusions that constitute epidemiological malpractice
- Dr Farsalinos: “Increasing the risk” means that someone is FIRST exposed to a condition (in this case, exposed to e-cigarette use) and THEN, BECAUSE OF THIS EXPOSURE, he/she develops disease. Both studies CANNOT provide any of this information to substantiate an increased risk. Both are cross-sectional surveys, meaning that they asked participants if they have heart disease and if they use e-cigarettes. The studies provide no information on whether e-cigarette use was initiated before (and how long before) or after the development of disease. What if participants used e-cigarettes after they developed the disease in order to quit smoking?
- The same concerns were raised by Holly R. Middlekauff, MD and Jeffrey Gornbein, DrPH in their 2019 paper: Association of Electronic Cigarette Use With Myocardial Infarction: Persistent Uncertainty.
- Debunking this study: Association Between Electronic Cigarette Use and Myocardial Infarction
- Debunking this conference abstract: E-cigarettes linked to higher risk of stroke, heart attack, diseased arteries
- Debunking this Medical Xpress article: E-cigarettes linked to higher risk of stroke, heart attack, diseased arteries
2016: Response to stories suggesting that vaping is as bad for the heart as cigarettes
- Professor Peter Hajek: “The study is reporting on a well-known short-term effect of nicotine – stiffening of arteries – that accompanies all types of stimulation. The same effect is generated by watching a thriller or a football match or sitting an exam. Drinking a cup of coffee actually produces a larger response of much longer duration. The key heart health risks of smoking are not caused by nicotine but by other chemicals in tobacco smoke that are not present in e-cigarette vapour.”
RETRACTED: Retraction to: Electronic Cigarette Use and Myocardial Infarction Among Adults in the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health
- Given these issues, the editors are concerned that the study conclusion is unreliable.
- The editors hereby retract the article from publication in Journal of the American Heart Association
ENDS - Youth
Canada takes a wrong turn after a flawed paper induces moral panic about youth vaping and smoking
ENDS - Multiple Myths
2020: 8 Things to know about Ecigaretes
- 8 Things that you should know, Covers myths around EVALI etc.
2018: Clearing up some myths around e-cigarettes
- Not surprisingly, there are lots of inaccuracies and misconceptions about e-cigarettes and vaping. This blog looks at some of the most common myths and provides the facts.
ENDS - Popcorn Lung
Cancer Research UK: Does vaping cause popcorn lung?
- No. There’s no good evidence that e-cigarettes could cause the lung condition called popcorn lung. There’s been no confirmed cases of popcorn lung reported in people who use e-cigarettes.
- There is 750x more diacetyl in a pack of cigarettes than there is in a days worth of vaping nicotine fluid, and to date we have no confirmation that smokers are getting popcorn lung.
THR - Articles
2020: Public Health Experts Outraged by Bloomberg-Funded Biased Study
- A number of consumer groups and public health experts, have raised serious concerns about the bias and false claims made by a recent University of Bath study, which explored the Twitter activity around the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.