Canada’s leader in electronic
cigarettes is entering a new and exciting chapter.
Dune Cigs, with offices now in Toronto,
ON, and Calgary, AB, has just launched its brand in the U.S. market and they
expect to see more smokers turning to their variety of flavours of ‘vapes’ as a
safer alternative to smoking. The company now has offices in California and
Nevada.
Steve Muzaic, Vice President of Sales
for Dune Cigs, says his company is thrilled with the news in offering
non-nicotine and nicotine e-cigs to Americans.
“E-cigs are a huge trend right now as
the tobacco harm reduction movement is in full swing,” says Muzaic. “With
soaring profits in Canada based on our quality products and loyalty to our
consumers, we know Dune Cigs will be a big hit south of the border. In fact, we
know that our move into the U.S. will take our company to new heights.”
Since forming in Canada not even two
years ago, Dune Cigs is a leader the e-cig business that soon will be a
$4-billion industry, according to Wells Fargo. Globally that number is expected
to reach $14-billion.
While many are weighing in on the
debate over e-cigs and their health effects, the ‘vape’ experience is popular
and is getting support from leaders in the health industry.
Health authorities in the USA are now
reporting that nearly 3-millon smokers in the last two years have quit the butts
for good after turning to e-cigs.
Earlier this month more noteworthy
research was unveiled with e-cigs. A study published in the Lancet Medical
Journal and presented at a conference in Spain, is the first of its kind to
assess whether e-cigs are more or less effective than nicotine patches. The
findings: Smokers who switch to electronic cigarettes to try to kick their
habit are at least as likely to succeed in quitting or cutting down as users of
nicotine patches.
According to the World Health Organization
(WHO) tobacco use causes over 6 million deaths annually and may rise to over 10
million by 2025.
Muzaic indicates that when it really
comes down to it, smokers want to butt out for good.
“Sure there are all sorts of debate
going on with people using electronic cigarettes, but the support they are now
getting from consumers, to doctors, to leading health professionals is
overwhelming,” he says.
“While our company can’t and will not
claim that our product (s) will get people off of tobacco, we can assure that
the products we offer are a safer means over inhaling toxic chemicals and in
all is a safer alternative to smoking.”
Dr. Cory Pye, a leading chemistry
professor at Saint Mary’s University (SMU) and a NSERC (Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council) funded researcher, has been keeping an eye on the
e-cig movement and concludes that they are much safer compared to cigarettes.
Dr. Pye has analyzed the product
information from Dune Cigs as well as other reputable e-cigs on the market. The
chemistry professor claims no financial interest in electronic cigarettes.
Dr. Pye states, “I think that the
temperature of the vaporizer is probably a lot less than the burning end of a
cigarette. Therefore any chemical (flavoring agent, glycerol) that is vaporized
will not be charred or decomposed by the heat, resulting in a much safer
product. There are fewer chemicals present as one has precise control over the
liquid that is put in.”
Jennifer Miller, vice-president of
health promotion with the Lung Association states, “I think we owe it to
millions of Canadians who are addicted to tobacco products. If there’s a
product out there that may have some merit to bring down those numbers, we have
to look at it.”
A recent study led by Boston University
School of Public Health (BUSPH) reports that electronic cigarettes are a promising
tool to help smokers quit.
Researchers found that 31 percent of
respondents in their study reported having quit smoking six months after first
purchasing an electronic cigarette, a battery-powered device providing
tobacco-less doses of nicotine in a vaporized solution.
“This study suggests that electronic
cigarettes are helping thousands of ex-smokers remain off cigarettes,” says Dr.
Michael Siegel, professor of community health sciences at Boston University.
While more study needs to be done on
the actual mechanisms of what apparently makes electronic cigarettes effective,
Dr. Siegel believes there might be a link between the e-cigarette's physical
simulation of smoking with the success of quitting.
"While it is well-recognized that
nicotine plays a role in smoking addiction, little attention has been given to
the behavioral aspects of the addiction," he says. "These devices
simulate the smoking experience, which appears to make them effective as a
smoking cessation tool."
A number of anti-smoking groups argue that
e-cigarettes should not be sold because they have not been shown to be effective
for smoking cessation.
"Banning this product would
invariably result in many ex-smokers returning to cigarette smoking," says
Dr. Siegel. "Removing electronic cigarettes from the market would
substantially harm the public's health."
Dr. Siegel also claims to have no
financial interest in e-cigarettes.
Muzaic indicates that his company, Dune
Cigs, is fascinated with the popularity of e-cigs.
“People are turning to products like
ours as a means to make healthier choices,” he says. “These are exciting times
and we are thrilled with being a part of the tobacco harm reduction movement.”
By Paul Fitzgerald
