Comments on: Things That Will Probably Kill You, Vol. 2

By: Mallory

Mallory — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:13:33 +0000

Cigarette filters generally don’t biodegrade in less than a decade (thanks, acetate!). Not to mention they’re the most commonly littered item ever.

By: Caitlin

Caitlin — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:23:36 +0000

Hmm, I’m sceptical as well. Is it really environmentally preferable? I know butts are a big problem but they do rot, unlike plastic and batteries. And would it give smokers the same pleasure as actual smoke and tobacco? I guess a smoker would need to answer that one for me – I just have no idea!

By: Mallory

Mallory — Tue, 25 May 2010 17:25:32 +0000

Oh, absolutely they’re not good for human health or the environment. Tobacco/nicotine are still, as I said, chock full of carcinogens and the like. No argument here. But I think–since every smoker in the world is probably not going to quit tomorrow–it’s a better alternative to the millions of filters and paper trash generated by smokers every day. Not good, just less awful.

By: Lora K.

Lora K. — Tue, 25 May 2010 14:56:16 +0000

@mallory – you’ve got to be kidding me, right? plastic, cartridge-like things (e-waste anyone) that dispense nicotine better for the environment?

also, the health benefits are very much under scrutiny, still.

a more balanced analysis is here:
http://blogs.wsj.com/numbersguy/the-smokeless-tobacco-debate-928/

and a warning from the FDA reminds us that while it is important to give alternatives a chance, it is also important to test things, and look at the lab results before buying the industry line…

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm173222.htm

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that a laboratory analysis of electronic cigarette samples has found that they contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol, an ingredient used in antifreeze.”