Tobacco companies have issued a series of electronic cigarette warnings, suddenly positioning themselves as protectors of consumer health and well-being — raising the eyebrows, and suspicions, of many health experts.
The companies are putting out strong health warnings in the fledgling e-cigarette industry, going further even than the familiar advisories on tobacco products,
The New York Times reports.
The moves are leaving the industry’s critics scratching their heads and deeply skeptical.
One warning, from Altria, maker of Marlboros, reads in part: “Nicotine is addictive and habit forming, and is very toxic by inhalation, in contact with the skin, or if swallowed.”
Another, from Reynolds America, maker of Camels, says the product is not intended for persons “who have an unstable heart condition, high blood pressure, or diabetes; or persons who are at risk for heart disease or are taking medicine for depression or asthma.”
The warnings, which appear on the packaging for the companies’ e-cigarettes, are entirely voluntary and are seen by some as attempts to reduce legal liability or burnish corporate reputations.
One on a pack of nicotine cartridges for MarkTen e-cigarettes, made by Altria , warns that people with heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes should not use the product. Neither should children. It goes on to say that nicotine can cause dizziness, nausea and stomach pains, and may worsen asthma.
“When I saw it, I nearly fell off my chair,” said Robert K. Jackler, M.D., a professor at the Stanford School of Medicine where he leads research into cigarette and e-cigarette advertising. MarkTen also warns that e-cigarettes are not a smoking cessation product, a warning that also appears on Vuse from Reynolds.
“Is this part of a noble effort for the betterment of public health, or a cynical business strategy? I suspect the latter,” Dr. Jackler said.
Tobacco industry critics suspect the e-cigarette warnings are a very low-risk way for the companies to insulate themselves from future lawsuits and appear responsible, open and frank. They may also appear more responsible than the smaller e-cigarette companies that seek to dominate the growing market for such products.
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