Gilmond 1

Kevin Gilmond
Ben Bates
Comm MO1
19 April 2014
A New Way to Smoke
Purpose: To Persuade
Specific Purpose: To persuade the audience that, electronic-cigarettes are being used
irresponsibly and are encouraging people to smoke rather than eliminating habits.
Central Idea: By persuading the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate ecigarettes as tobacco products under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco
Control Act of 2009, states would be required to place bans on e-cigarette sales to all
minors and eliminate Vaping in highly populated places such as school campuses,
parks, workplaces, and Starbucks. These devices must be regulated in order to instate
them for the proper reasons and keep them out of the hands of kids.
Attention Getter:
In 2011 Walt Coolidge, a 16 year old student at Rockford Middle School in Michigan
bought himself an Electronic Cigarette from an online Canadian store. He began smoking
the device on his school campus and was quickly caught and suspended for the act. The
boys defense was that he was only exhaling water vapor, that the juice holds no harmful
chemicals according to the label, and that they were not illegal on campus. The boy was
still suspended.
Introduction Topic: These new devices known as e-cigs were manufactured with hopes
of helping conventional smokers wean themselves off the harmful carcinogens. However,
studies from the West Virginia Medical Journal have shown that 1.78 million nonsmoking students have tried an e-cigarette in 2012, and doubled the amount in 2013.
These devices are clearly being used irresponsibly and for the wrong reasons. Just as Joe
Camel and the Marlboro Man used to appeal to the likeness of kids, root bear flavored
nicotine and colorful e-cigs seem to be sparking the same interest that those long lost
icons used to do.
Statement of Credibility/Relevance: Pattented by Chinese pharmacist, Hon Lik with the
intentions of creating a therapeutic smoking device. What first gained popularity in China
quickly spread to the states, but with a variety of new fun flavors and colors. In an article
by Karmen Hanson a writer for the State Legislatures, 27 states have already banned the
selling and distribution of E- Cigarettes to minors. According to the Center for Disease
control and Prevention these devices have not yet been properly examined by the Food
and Drug Administration and should not be sold to anyone until they are regulated and
controlled.

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Thesis: By forcing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate e-cigarettes as
tobacco products under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of
2009, all states would be required to place bans on e-cigarette sales to all minors and
eliminate Vaping in highly populated places such as school campuses, parks,
workplaces, and Starbucks. These devices must be regulated in order to instate them for
the uses that they were intended to do and keep them out of the hands of American kids.
Preview: To understand why we must take action in regulating the usage of Electronic
Cigarettes I will first, discuss who these devices are targeting and what their intentions
are, second we will examine what exactly is in this E- Juice and what are the dangers
they may cause, and finally we will discuss some solutions that can be made to better
regulate this product for the right purposes and to the acceptable target consumers.
Transition: Now let us clear away the smoke and take a puff of just what these products
set out to do.
I. Intentions & Targets
Over the years Big Tobacco has clearly made its statement showing that rather than
caring about the health of their consumers they would rather pocket their money for most
of their lives. So the question is what audience are these new devices really made for if
the Tobacco companies do not wish to lose their customers? In January of 2014 The
Journal of Adolescent Health reported that the advertisements for E-Cigs appealed highly
to the younger consumers tempting them with celebrity endorsements,
trendy/fashionable imagery, and fruit candy, and alcohol flavors. Sounds yummy I know
but instead of providing a new and healthier way for conventional smokers to kick their
habits, the youths who have had no experience with real cigarettes are more exposed to
smoking and are learning how with the E- Cig the consequences of harmful carcinogens
are no more (Adkins).
In 2009 the Tobacco Control Act was set in place which forced the Food and Drug
Administration to regulate the sales of tobacco products. This meant items such as
cigarettes and cigars could not be sold nor advertised to minors on T.V or magazines.
Now fast forward to 2013, E- Cigarettes are not labeled as including tobacco in it,
according to an article in America Magazine, published November 25 2013, The
industry, including top tobacco executives, has lined up celebrity endorsements to market
the "benign" e-cigarette, but public health officials fear that making "vaping" acceptable
will undo decades of public education (Blowing Fumes). While the tobacco company is
choosing to ignore the fact that their new products are intended for kids statistics show in
an article from EMEDIAUSA.com a website conversing about controversial topics in
America, Electronic Cigarette use has doubled among U.S. middle and high school
students between 2011 and 2012, rising roughly 3% to 7%. An estimated 1.78 million
students has tried an e-cigarette as of 2012 (Fast Fact).

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These numbers probably do not seem too surprising. But since ad campaigns have
launched featuring E-Cigarettes a survey spanning over all American public Schools and
Universitys shows that the numbers of students smoking E-Cigs on school campuses has
gone from 4.7% to 10% from 2012 to 2013 (Tyrrell). This is clearly a wide spreading
phenomenon among the younger generation. We have even seen people on our campus
smoking these things all over the place. Some smokers here just use E-Cigs as a way to
get their nicotine fix on campus and go back to smoking regular cigarettes the minute
they step into a parking lot. Hell whenever I drive around Newbury Park or Thousand
Oaks I see 16-18 year old kids twirling a sign pointing you to the nearest Vapor Bar. I
saw a kid in a chicken costume doing it last week. Something must be done.
Transition: Now that we have discussed the problem and misuse of these items let us
talk about what causes these devices to present concerns to Americans and Vapors.
II. Causes and dangers of E-Cigs:
Since e- cigs are a relatively new product no long term studies have been noted yet. But a
few studies have been tested on the e-juice that most people commonly mistake as
water and the results are very shocking. In 2009, the FDA analyzed the components of
e-cigarette cartridges and identified trace levels of tobacco-specific nitrosamines, cancer
causing compounds commonly found in higher concentration in traditional cigarettes.
The experiment also unveiled another shocking ingredient, diethylene glycol. This is a
compound found in anti-freeze and brake fluid. Yes just imagine the fumes from your
brake fluid going into your lungs. It is not very pretty. The Bio Medical Central of Public
Health report confirmed this danger by saying that Methods used to detect diethylene
glycol appear to be adequate to be informative and capable of detecting the compound in
quantities (Burstyn).
According to page eight of the West Virginia Medical Journal published in January 2014,
In March 2013, researchers from the University of California examined in detail the
aerosol contents of e-cigarettes. They found particles of silver, iron, aluminum, and
silicate The researchers noted that concentrations of these elements were higher than or
equal to the corresponding concentrations of conventional cigarette smoke, and that many
of the elements identified in [e-cigarette] aerosol are known to cause respiratory distress
and disease (Adkins).
Yet with all the compounds found in e-cigs the biggest concern is the nicotine. Although
there are types of e-cigs that do not contain nicotine the ones with the addictive chemical
appears to still be the most popular. They are so popular among the younger public that in
Canada e-cigarettes that contain nicotine are classified as drugs under the Food and
Drugs Act (Miller). This probably sounds a bit extreme to most of you, but in the U.S. ecigarettes that are classified as a therapeutic device are regulated and tested by the FDA.
They are also inaccessible to peoples under the age of 18. However, most e-cigs that you
see in smoke shops are not classified as therapeutic but rather they are recreational and
therefore are not fully tested, nor understood by the FDA.

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Transition: So now that we are more informed about the problems these devices possess
let us get a little high on some good ol solutions.
IV. What is the solution to the problem?
According to a letter written by Melodie Tilson, director of policy for the Non-Smokers
Rights Association to the Canadian Medical Association regulating e-cigs as drugs is not
the solution that is needed for these devices, The most effective way to maximize the
potential of e-cigarettes as cessation aids, while minimizing the risks they pose to
successfully denormalize tobacco use, is to regulate all e cigarettes as tobacco
products. People made the mistake many years ago to start smoking at such a young age,
so instead of making these products more appealing to the younger generation why dont
we regulate them to help the older generation increase their health and kick the bad habit?
The Americans for Nonsmokers Rights organization provides one way to help get the
Governments attention to help regulate e-cigs. If you go to their website no-smoke.org
you will find access to petitions and have the ability to write letters to any specific state
legislature that you wish, pending approval from the organization. Oprotuiitys are on
change.org where you can create or sign an already exisiting petition. Last and not least
you can email our state senator Diana Feinstien and let her know your concerns about the
problems with e-cigs on school campuses.
If the FDA is granted to rights to regulate e-cigarettes the positives would be immense.
Just as it was before no one really knew what cigarettes were they all thought it was a
way to relax. Then it was proven that cigarettes are silent killers and cause lung cancer
which is one of the leading causes of death in America today. By having the FDA
regulate e-cigs and having the devices deemed a tobacco product heres what will
happen;
1. E-cigs will no longer be legally sold to minors everywhere.
2. Devices cannot be marked on popular retail outlets such as advertising, magazines, and
television.
3. They would be required to limit exotic flavorings that appeal to minors.
4. Require labels stating the risks of use and any harmful ingredients that may be present.
5. And they would be banned on school campuses, workplaces and any other public place
where smoking is banned.
Conclusion:
Today we talked about electronic cigarettes and the potential dangers that they cause to
American Minors. We first discussed why minors are so drawn to these devices, then we
touched on what dangers do e-cigs actually possess, and finally learned about some
simple solutions to take action and help the FDA regulate these devices in order to get
them out of the unintended hands.
And if you are wondering about Walter Coolidge, he is now 19 years old, not attending
school and has now begun smoking real cigarettes. And as for my dad who made his

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mistake long ago he put his e-cigarette down for good in 2009. So the next time you see
someone walking around campus with an e-cig really think to yourself just why they are
using it.

Works Cited
Adkins, Bruce W. "Electronic cigarette smokers ... Be Wary!" West Virginia
Medical Journal 110.1 (2014): 8. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
Blowing Fumes. America Magazine.org, 2013. Web. 26 April 2014.
Burstyn, Igor. "Peering through the mist: systematic review of what the chemistry of
contaminants in electronic cigarettes tells us about health risks." BMC Public Health 14
(2014): 18. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
Collins, Alicia Enriquez. "Vape me out to the ball game!" Journal of Environmental Health 76.5
(2013): 6+. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.

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"Electronic cigarettes may not help people stop smoking: study." Reuters. Issues &
Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
"Fast fact." District Administration Jan. 2014: 18+. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Apr.
2014.
Hanson, Karmen. "E-cigarette debate lights up." State Legislatures 40.3 (2014):
11. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
Miller, Adam. "E-cigarette debate divides regulators and consumers." CMAJ: Canadian
Medical Association Journal 18 Mar. 2014: E169+.Academic OneFile. Web. 27
Apr. 2014.
Tilson, Melodie L. "Regulating e-cigarettes as drugs is not the best solution." CMAJ:
Canadian Medical Association Journal 4 Feb. 2014: 137+.Academic OneFile.
Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
Tyrrell, Joie. School Districts Banning E-Cigarettes. WWW.Newsday.com. 26 January
2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.