American Lung Association Mission

“The American Lung Association is committed to helping all Americans who want to break their addiction to nicotine.” Apparently this means that the ALA is NOT committed to helping people who want to stop smoking tobacco, UNLESS they are willing to give up nicotine.

The mission of the American Lung Association is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.

There is not a single word in that mission statement about nicotine prevention. Nicotine is being studied for use in treating a multitude of disorders and prevention of such terrible diseases as Parkinson’s. Scientists now suspect that smokers who can’t quit require nicotine to keep neurobiological problems under control.

Tens of thousands of smokers report being able to replace some or all of their smoked cigarettes with nicotine vapor inhaled by using an electronic cigarette. The vast majority of these folks state that they are no longer coughing, wheezing, and/or hacking up phlegm. That sounds like an IMPROVEMENT in lung health, doesn't it?

But the ALA wants electronic cigarettes banned.

Most of the e-cigarette users tried all of the FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products, but were not able to quit smoking. This may be because the NRT products provide sub-therapeutic doses of nicotine. Perhaps one reason e-cigarettes succeeded where other products failed is because they provide enough nicotine to keep such conditions as depression, anxiety, and attention deficit disorder under control.

Still, the ALA wants electronic cigarettes banned.

Many, many e-cigarette users state that they will probably return to smoking tobacco if electronic cigarettes become unavailable.

Nevertheless, the ALA wants electronic cigarettes banned.

How many lives of e-cigarettee users will be cut short if the ALA gets it way? How many more lives might have been saved if e-cigarettes remained available and more smokers were able to substitute them for their tobacco cigarettes?

Would someone please explain how the campaign against electronic cigarettes helps the ALA fulfill its mission.