CASAA Call to Action: (Editorial notes: This is an evolving story so updates appear at the end of this post.) Dr. Farsalinos is a long time friend of the Vaping community who has previously provided valuable Scientific evidence. His previous study was titled “Evaluation of Electronic Cigarette Liquids and Aerosol for the Presence of Selected Inhalation Toxins”. This Scientific study focused on the presence of diacetyl (DA) and acetyl propionyl (AP) in eJuice/liquids. Either of which, at a certain level, pose a health risk for Vapers. A must read abstract published in a peer-reviewed medical journal and worthy of telling your eJuice vendors about. This study like the current study was Crowdfunded. On October 8, 2014 his new Scientific study launched with a complete title of “Temperature of evaporation, liquid consumption and vapor analysis in realistic conditions” and available for your review at the Indiegogo web site.
As of this post Dr. Farsalinos has already raised over $8,000.00 in just a few short days with a goal of $72,000.00. This crowdfunding campaign is seeking contributions from Vaping vendors and NOT e-cigarette consumers. Of course, Vapers/Consumers can still contribute if they are so inclined (I have) and spread the word however this clever focus mitigates some of the specious and self serving Forum bloviating and to a certain degree the deplorable “politics” which have been displayed in the past. This study will focus on many aspects of tempature and one part of the study will ramp up the power level to 20 watts and another part of the study will go all the way up to 60 watts. He plans to use real human vapors as part of the study. One of the aspects which peeked my interest is exactly what chemicals are released when we experience a dry hit? Certainly this can happen at lower wattage with numerous types of delivry devices including a T2, ProTank, iClear, etc. He will also conduct tests with a KayFun for the more advanced users among us and even indicates he will perform tests on a dual coil in another topper. Apparently Dr. Farsalinos had already done some basic preliminary studys during the previous two months. A few are posted on YouTube and remember he is measuring in Celsius so you may need to covert to Fahrenheit. Even a relatively “tame” 10 watts with a 4 second puff generates a wick temperature of 239 Celsius or 462 Fahrenheit! Back of the napkin calculations indicate those numbers would result when using a 2.0 OHMS head in a ProTank (or a T2, iClear, etc) set at 4.47 volts. A rather common intermediate Vapers topper and settings. Additional details are available via an outstanding audio interview with Dr. Farsalinos, conducted by Dimitris Agrafiotis (VapinGreek).
I have been extremely disappointed in some of the Forum “pushback” with respect to this study so please humor me while I vent. When some of these agenda and or ego centric posts are made, you rarely hear either an apology and or an acknowledgement. In no particular order I provide the gist in the following comments from Vapers/Consumers and insert my own views after each one:
- Why do I have to contribute? Read the summary of the study before you bloviate. He is NOT asking you to contribute. Please think and read before you post.
- The ANTZ crowd and the FDA will use this study against us so it’s a waste. Dude!!! Get a grip on reality. Stop showing off and trying to be the “Big Bloviater” on Campus. What your really saying is that you don’t care about your own health, the health of your fellow Vapers, and the millons upon millons of smokers who need real world objective scientific studys so they can make informed health decisions. Lets repeat that: The PURPOSE of the study is to provide objective scientific data so each of us can make an informed decision about our health. The desk murders will due what they due regardless of what our side says or does and so far, they are much better at this PR campaign than we are.
- This study is not the most important one that we need. Nice try! You never name another study that would be better. Currently, millions of dollars are already being spent from “the other side” to conduct various studies. All of which will be slanted, incomplete, and designed to eliminate vaping. You have the gall to suggest that we should not attempt this study when in fact we have very very few scientific studys or even credentialed Scientists who are willing to embark on this journey. Did the thought ever cross your gray matter that their are still open minded Scientists who are not sure which side of the fence they wish to sit but may be confinced to join our casue after the results of this study are published.
- I already know that Vaping is safer than smoking. Sometimes these kinds of thoughts are from the “I don’t want to know” crowd and I can certainly understand this and have met numerous folks who don’t want to hear the truth/evidence. Just ignore the study, refrain from bloviating, and continue your own private thoughts. Another aspect of these kinds of thoughts is that we really don’t have enough scientific evidence to support our claim that Vaping is safer than smoking. For example, by what factor (2x, 3x,4x, etc) in a given set of circumstances. You certainly won’t hear this comparative data from the “other side” which uses contributions from BT, BP, and the regulators.
- I love to blow clouds and all my builds are 0.3. It’s street cred thing so get with it. I already know that Vaping is safe. Actually, you have no clue via scientific evidence if Vaping is safe. Your missing the point that Vaping is THR and that stands for Tobacco HARM REDUCTION. What kind of chemicals are released when we experience a “dry hit” or crank up the Watts to 60? You cant answer that question which is one of the foundations for each of us making an informed decision with respect our health. My days on planet earth are coming to an end but YOU might have 30 or 40 years remaining to Vape and during this time nasty health issues may emerge in year 10 or 20 of your Vaping journey. Of course, you may have a death wish but please get a grip!
OK, I feel better. In conclusion, this Scientific study is the most important undertaking to date. I implore you to spread the word, ask your own vendors to contribute, and remain supportive of the Scientific results, regardless of exactly what they say.
UPDATE Dated 10/18/14:
Posts made on ECF by Dr. Farsalinos in a thread dealing with Ni200 (Nickel 200) wire and the DNA40 board titled “Official DNA 40 introduction”
“You are exploring the issue of e-cigarettes from a political perspective, which in my opinion is wrong.
First of all, knowledge never hurts anyone. So, IF high wattage is unsafe, who will get hurt by knowing it? Science is not politics, and we do not work in such a way.
But allow me to expand to the political aspect. First of all, it is naive to think that if we do not study something it will never be revealed. A typical example is the diacetyl study. About 1 month ago i received a phone call from a US University (West Coast) informing me that they were funded to perform the exact same study, and they had even contacted the CDC to ask for advice on the analytical method used (and the CDC suggested our method). Of course, when they saw my publication they changed plans. So, if someone believes that by hidding something (or not researching a specific subject) we will be able to get away with it, not only he is wrong but the damage will be even worse. Do you think that, if an opponent examined the diacetyl issue, he would have ever mentioned the respective levels of diacetyl in tobacco smoke? I can reassure you: NO WAY. The study would have been headline news, and the damage would have been huge.
Moreover, there is no way that subohm or VW devices will ever be banned. Don’t forget, these are just electronic and lithium battery products, so none can really ban them. Moreover, i do not see any reason to ban these devices. They have been proven to be most successful in substituting smoking, and till now i have found many reasons to endorse the use of such devices and no reason to restrict them.
Dry burn helps in nothing but accelerating the thermal breakdown of the metal. Use acetone and water or ethanol to clean the wires before making the coils. It is really useless and probably harmful to dry-burn the coils.
I am about to receive the DNA device witin the next few days. It is going to be rigorously tested, not only in terms of temps but also in terms of aldehyde release (compared to regular VW devices AND tobacco cigarette smoke)…
We are in the process of setting up the lab in a university to measure metals in vapor. We hope the crowdfunding campaign will be successful enough to allow us to porceed with these tests. It is important because we can easily detect which metals are safer to use, and the industry could make use of this information easily and without elevating the cost of the products.”
His first post source and the others appear below it.
UPDATE: I just received (10/13/14) an email from Dr. Farsalinos which reads (Bolded by me): “Many of you know that some new devices with the ability to control temperature of evaporation have ben developed. Two such devices have been announced. We have already obtained one of these devices, and we expect to get the other device soon. We are going to test these devices, not only to see that temperature control is indeed a reality, but also (and most importantly) to see the levels of vapor production (which is a measure of satifaction for the vaper) and the effect of temperature control on aldehyde emissions to the vapor. The latter will show the true impact of temperature control on safety…”
He is referring to the new Evolv DNA40 board which requires Nickel 200 (Ni200) coil wire to control temperature. I have ordered a DNA40 device and plan to review same. The other “announced” board is the YiHi SX350 V250. I’m also assuming that Dr. F will also be testing Nickel 200 (Ni200) wire for the emission and levels of any nasty chemicals which may be released into the juice and or vapor.