CASAA Call to Action: I’ve always been passionate about transparency and providing you with content which permits you to make an informed decision. A few weeks ago a series of events began to garner some publicity and continues today. All of these events concerned the possibility that some of the components in the ejuice that you and I vape may impose serious health risks. The ejuice marketplace has always been populated with a lot of “smoke and mirrors” vendors and just in case you have been living under a rock, the regulators, politicians, and ANTZ are all watching the Vaping Community. Please remember that I am not a scientist, attorney, MD, accountant, and have no “skin in the game”. My full disclosure appears at the end of this post.
The core issue is: How can WE make vaping as safe as possible, given our respective tolerances for risk. Full transparency with honesty. Each of us must have the necessary data to make an informed decision. It’s not about tobacco harm reduction. It’s not about safer than smoking. It’s not about the lack of “risks” in vaping. It’s not about weather YOU or ME like a given vendors ejuice. It’s not about bloviating, micro management, specious conspiracy theories, playing favorites, or showing off in a Forum.
The main focus of the recent concerns are two components in some ejuice: Diacetyl (DA – in it’s inhaled form) and Acetylpropionyl (AP), also known as acetyl propionyl or 2,3-pentanedione. Both of these components are sometimes referred to using the word Diketones.
Diacetyl, oftened refered to as DA description: The United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has suggested diacetyl, when used in artificial butter flavoring (as used in many consumer foods), may be hazardous when heated and inhaled over a long period. Workers in several factories that manufacture artificial butter flavoring have been diagnosed with bronchiolitis obliterans, a rare and serious disease of the lungs. The cases found have been mainly in young, healthy, nonsmoking males. As with other end-stage lung diseases, transplantation is currently the most viable treatment option. However, lung transplant rejection is very common and happens to be another setting in which bronchiolitis obliterans is known to occur. The disease has been called “popcorn worker’s lung” because it was first seen in former workers of a microwave popcorn factory in Missouri,[13] but NIOSH refers to it by the more general term “flavorings-related lung disease”.[13] It has also been called “flavorings-related bronchiolitis obliterans”[13] or diacetyl-induced bronchiolitis obliterans.[14] Source
Acetylpropionyl, also known as acetyl propionyl or 2,3-pentanedione, oftened refered to as AP description: As a flavoring agent, it is a controversial[3] ingredient in some e-liquid products for use with electronic cigarettes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, inhalation of acetylpropionyl causes respiratory tract epithelial damage and fibrosis to lungs in animal studies.[4] Acetylpropionyl was found to cause both intraluminal and intramural fibrotic airway lesions in rats.[5] One study of the composition of 159 different e-liquid products, performed by Farsalinos et al., concluded that the use of acetylpropionyl and diacetyl in E-liquids represents an avoidable risk, and additionally that proper measures should be taken by E-liquid manufacturers and flavoring suppliers to eliminate these hazards from the products.[6] Source
Diketones description: A family of compounds. These compounds are used to provide a buttery/custard/vanilla type flavor and are currently found in many ejuices. The diketones of particular concern are Diacetyl (DA) (2,3-butanedione) and 2,3-Pentanedione (Acetyl Propionyl aka Acetylpropionyl or AP). Source
I encourage you to read all three sources. Yes, I understand that both chemicals are used in other products which are generally regarded as safe. I also understand that YOU don’t care one way or the other and will continue to vape the ejuice of your choice, regardless of the level/concentration of these chemicals. Sure, I get the fact that we both love and adore custard and butter centric flavors. I understand. All of these valid thoughts misses the point of this post. It’s about TRANSPARENCY and YOU making an informed decision, after you have an independent lab report about the levels of each of these components. It’s also worth noting that I respect your choices BUT some of these associated diseases may take 10 or more years to appear and we have no long term studies. If you wish to learn about these components from a well known scientists named Dr Farsalinos, I suggest you watch this video:
A few weeks ago VaporShark launched a full disclosure procedure for most of the numerous brands of ejuice which they sell. They did it without any PR releases and it reprensents the gold standard that all ejuice vendors and manufacturers should deploy. A simple link on the ejuice description page which produces a pop up report. You don’t need to email them for the report which is really talking out of both sides of your mouth. The link to the report is not hidden in some obscure location on the site to insure that customers can’t find it. Click the following screen capture for the full sized imnage.
Then Nicoticket raised the full disclosure bar even further which is outstanding. All their ejuice description pages contains the following text: THIS LIQUID CONTAINS DIKETONES! IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS – CLICK HERE This link leads to the first post in a ECF thread started by Kent Brooks, the owner and includes the lab report for all of their juices. Your unique opportunity to engage the owner in respectful dialog. If your reading this post and your a small distributor or manufacturer of ejuice, take notes! Read the entire thread on ECF. Kent’s customers embrace this full disclosure. They support his candor and very bold move.
Five Pawns and Cloud 9 Vaping lock horns!
This ejuice component drama started when Cloud 9 Vaping published a ejuice component lab report with respect to the juices which they sell. Although it’s no longer available on their blog, here is the screen capture. Click the following screen capture for the full sized image.
Additional notes for the above data
*The figures shown for the Suprem-e flavours were extrapolated from figures Suprem-e’s flavouring supplier gave them, and are not actual manufactured e-liquid test results. Cloud9Vaping erred on the side of caution and removed these flavours for reformulation, and we have not yet been advised of reformulated flavour availability or been provided with actual test results. The presence of any of these compounds at any level is concerning, however, nobody yet knows the exact quantities contained in these particular liquids.
This is obviously a summary of the various lab reports. Click here to read each of these original lab reports. Take note of the allegations that Five Pawn’s Absolute Pin, Bowden’s Mate, and Gambit display sky high levels of AP. The highest values I have ever seen. In some cases the amount of AP in these juices is about the same or greater than the Nicotine content! Cloud 9 Vaping is located in the UK and is generally a highly regarded vendor. They have enjoyed remarkable success since 2009 and might be best described as a Mom and Pop operation. Valid questions remain: Are the lab reports accurate for the batch they tested? Why did Cloud 9 choose to publish these results which also include Suprem-e and Mystic manufacturers? I can not vouch for the validity of the Lab reports prepared by an independent lab. It’s way way above my pay grade. I can however, paint a picture of other factors germain to this issue and leave the final decision up to you. Clound 9 generated revenue from the juices which they removed from their web site. That revenue source is gone. They have nothing to gain from a monetary perspective so why would they produce a third party lab report that lacks credibility for the batch examined. What I think may have happened and this is only conjecture on my part, is that Cloud 9 asked each manufacturer for lab reports on the content of their juices and did not receive them from some manufacturers. Rather than let this serious issue fade away, they were guided by their moral and ethical compass. Often overlooked by the self appointed peanut gallery, is their own very detailed blog post made before the lab results were posted and Titled Our liquid testing protocol . They want full disclosure/transparency, component data to make our own informed decision, and their committed to insuring that their customers are vaping safe eliquids. So they conducted their own lab test, and those that failed their own standards were removed from the inventory and returned to the distributor. Although I can not vouch for the authenticity and accuracy of the Cloud 9 Lab reports, the rest of their actions are outstanding! Period! While it can certainly be argued that they should have removed the ejuices and not published the results which is a valid argument, Cloud 9 wanted to set an example for others to follow so they published the results for all to see. What I like to call, “Shame Them”. BUT, their is always another side to a given story.
Five Pawns is a well known ejuice manufacturer who has enjoyed a dedicated following, success, a strong brand reinforced with a B&M channel, and a significant number of “haters” Their ejuice is expensive when compared to the industry, and some members of the Vaping Community think this is wrong and spew hate! As if they have the authority to tell any of us exactly how much we should spend for a 30ML bottle. As if their respective taste buds are authorized to tell the world that a given juice sucks so we shouldn’t buy it. Thank you very much bloviater, I will make those decisions for myself and so should everyone else. I respect some of your thoughts BUT where you cross over the line is telling “US” what we should do.
About a week after Cloud 9 published the lab reports, Five Pawns answered with this blog post titled Five Pawns – Be Informed. OMG! The Haters, Drama Queens, Conspiracy geeks, Bloviaters, and some rational thinking erupted in the Vaping Community. Please permit me to cut to the chase and tell you what I think are the critical and revealing issues. Their own lab report which is described as: In 2014, we contracted with two independent testing laboratories to analyze each of our 10 core flavors and our latest limited edition flavor. SEE TEST RESULTS HERE And the page also contains these links to other lab test results for their juices: Test Results and Test Results I can not vouch for the validity of these Lab reports prepared by an independent lab. It’s way way above my pay grade. However, Houston, we have a problem! All three lab reports posted and commissioned by 5 Pawns have high levels and or concerning levels of Diketones!!!!! These are allegations. I just don’t get it! I’m guessing, perhaps it’s hubris, poor legal advice, their PR firm’s flawed advice. It’s a mystery to me why they would do this and fail to state exactly what levels and what chemicals will be removed via a reformulation. From where I sit, they compound this issue with what I consider to be a series of statements which have no basis in fact and my comments appear bolded below each sliver of a quote:
In response to the diacetyl concern in 2014, some vapor industry flavor suppliers began using acetyl propionyl (AP) as a substitute for diacetyl. While AP has not been linked to any health concerns, and it is not banned by the FDA or any International body, its relative safety or harm is unknown.
Their is a linkage with AP. Listen and read the findings of Dr. Farsalinos. The FDA currently does not have the authority to regulate ejuice components so how could they ban it.
Further, we feel that efforts to translate industrial exposure limits to vaping exposure limits are flawed. It is clearly not the same. If this were true, one would expect a population of individuals becoming sick from vaping, but this is not the case. There are no known publicly documented cases of anyone having respiratory issues related to vaping AP or diacetyl at the levels currently in e-liquids. Many websites and blogs discuss this exact issue. We are confident that studies and future data will show inhalation from vaping e-liquids should not be compared to industrial exposure limits.
Wait another few years. It takes time (10 years +) for the symptoms to appear and vaping is only 5 or 6 years old. Listen to Dr. Farsalinos. His video in this post and this scientific study. You know who he is and even contributed to his last crowd funded campaign so you trust his scientific thoughts.
Safety of e-liquids is of vital importance to the continued growth of our industry and Five Pawns intends to lead the way.
If you wish to lead the way might I respectfully suggest you practice what you preach. Actually inserting links to your own lab reports on every ejuice page on your site. And let’s not forget your label/tube. Yes they are cool, but where is your proactive compliance with what is generally regarded as a suitable warning on your labels. Take a look at the Nicoticket label for some guidance.
Five Pawns does not feel there is any concern with diacetyl or AP in our e-liquids at current levels.
Have you actually read your own reports? Do you want the FDA to tell the industry what to do as opposed to self regulating. Where is your science to support your allegations? Again, your essentially contradicting Dr. Farsalinos who is a highly regarded and peer reviewed scientist.
To satisfy any consumers who are looking for a line of e-liquids that are completely diacetyl and AP-free, this summer we are introducing a new PG-alternative line of vapor liquids that will deliver the same legendary flavor profiles that Five Pawns is known for, while offering an alternative to people with PG sensitivity. The new line of vapor liquids will also solve the flavor problem for those who have sacrificed taste in pursuit of greater vapor production.
I’ve carefully read this statement and PG is not the issue under discussion. You don’t clearly state that your new line of liquids will NOT have any Diacetyl and or AP. Actually, what you fail to state is that some levels of these chemicals are below the health risk thresh hold. You even contradict your own blog post about this new line. Not a single word about the chemicals under discussion. If you make this declarative statement and produce the ejuice, I will be happy to eat crow and correct my thoughts.
My hope is that 5 Pawns will self correct their flawed positions on this issue. Make some significant corrective actions and I will be the first to congratulate 5 Pawns. Additional reading on this issue is available at:
ECF thread
ECF thread
VP Live Podcast Five Pawns – Shame, Shame, Shame
If you have read this far, I admire your tenacity. 🙂 I think the actions of VaporShark and Nicoticket are outstanding and my hope is that other vendors will follow suit. Our goal should remain: How can WE make vaping as safe as possible, given our respective tolerances for risk. Full transparency with honesty. Each of us must have the necessary data to make an informed decision. The Cloud 9 verses 5 Pawns story is challenging to determine who is telling the truth. One things for sure, one of these parties is lying so I leave that determination to YOU. At a minimum, the “spin” I noted above from 5 Pawns is very disappointing. Shame on you! Regardless of whose lab report the reader wishes to believe. I’m also very concerned about the huge number of vapers who only use their local B&M for advice and have not spent the time via ECF and other venues to learn about these health concerns. This is a tragedy and an accident waiting to happen. I’m confident that the FDA is watching this battle and theses recent deplorable actions will continue to provide our opposition with more “red meat”. Of course I favor and hope that the Vaping industry will “self regulates” but so far, I’m not optimistic.
July 9, 2015 update: Don’t miss my follow up post titled The Five Pawns Vaping Tragedy Continues
DISCLAIMER/DISCLOSURE: No one asked me to make this post. I do not and will not accept any form of compensation or “in kind” for any post I make. I have purchased a rDNA from Vapor Shark and recently purchased two flavors from Nicoticket. I have also purchased Gambit and Perpetual Check from Five Pawns. I have also purchased equipment from Cloud 9 Vaping. NONE of these vendors were aware of this post and it’s contents before I published it. That’s the way I roll so deal with it. 🙂