By now, you've probably seen them being smoked on the subway or in a bar -- those shiny, futuristic, battery-operated nicotine inhalers[1] better know as electronic cigarettes that are apparently all the rage[2] these days. Big Tobacco companies have taken notice, too, and are determined to cash in[3] on the industry, which is expected to bring in $1.7 billion in U.S. sales this year[4] alone, according to The New York Times.


While much is still unknown about the health risks of e-cigarettes[5] , here’s what we do know: E-cigarettes are addicting[6] . And while they may not be as harmful as tobacco cigarettes[7] , critics like the British Medical Association and the World Health Organisation are wary of the trend and warn of the dangers that may be associated with the smoking devices.


Here's what we do know about e-cigarettes:


1. E-cigarettes contain toxic chemicals.


e cigarette


A 2009 FDA analysis[8] of e-cigarettes from two leading brands found that the samples contained carcinogens and other hazardous chemicals, including diethylene glycol, which is found in antifreeze. Last year, a report from Greek researchers found that using e-cigarettes increased breathing difficulty [9] in both smokers and non-smokers, according to Medical News Today.


2. Kids and teens can buy them.


teenager buying tobacco


Unlike other tobacco products, e-cigarettes can be sold to minors[10] in many places throughout the country. The smoking devices can also be bought legally online[11] , according to the Wall Street Journal.


3. While cigarette companies[12] say they don't market to kids, e-cigarettes come in flavors like cherry, strawberry, vanilla[13] and cookies and cream milkshake[14] .


electronic cigarettes


4. Laws regulating cigarette ads don't yet apply to e-cigarettes.



TV commercials for cigarettes may be banned, but ones for e-cigarettes sure aren't[15] , Adage points out. (The above ad for Blu eCigs features Jenny McCarthy.)


5. And e-cigarette companies are spending a TON on advertising.


blu ecigs


Industry advertising spending increased to $20.8 million in 2012 from just $2.7 million in 2010[16] , according to The New York Times.


6. E-cigarettes can be used in many places where smoking is banned.


no smoking sign restaurant


Even though some studies suggest that secondhand vapor poses health risks[17] , many lawmakers have yet to determine[18] whether smoking rules apply to e-cigarettes, according to USA Today.


7. People think e-cigarettes can help them quit smoking.


electronic cigarette


Research published in the American Journal of Public Health indicates that 53 percent of young adults[19] in the U.S. who have heard of e-cigarettes believe they are healthier than traditional cigarettes and 45 percent[20] believe they could help them quit smoking -- though there is little evidence to support[21] either of these claims.


8. E-cigarettes aren't taxed like traditional tobacco products[22] .


electronic cigarette


Even though cigarette consumption fell significantly[23] as taxes went up.


9. Despite unknown health consequences, e-cigarettes are poised to make inroads with a new generation of young people.


e cigarette


Half of young adults[24] say they would try e-cigarettes if a friend offered them one, according a study cited by USA Today.



Also on HuffPost:




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  • 9. Strawberry Naturally Flavored Fruit Roll-Up


    Parent company: General Mills Ad changed: Yes Settlement amount: Money not part of settlement Strawberry Naturally Flavored Fruit Roll-Ups fell short in both its “strawberry” and “naturally flavored” claims. The maker of Fruit Roll-Ups, General Mills, settled a lawsuit late in 2012 over complaints that the snack contained no strawberries and that its ingredients were mostly synthetic. According to Consumer Affairs, while the snack contained no strawberries, it did contain “pears from concentrate, corn syrup, dried corn syrup, sugar, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, and 2 percent or less various natural and artificial ingredients.” The label on Fruit Roll-Ups still says “Made With Real Fruit,” but the company will have to disclose on its packaging the actual percentage of real fruit in the treat beginning in 2014. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/01/24/the-most-misleading-product-claims-in-america/#ixzz2J1jxIZ6U">Read more more at 24/7 Wall St.</a>




  • 8. Hyundai And Kia


    Parent company: Hyundai Motor Co. Ad changed: Yes Settlement amount: Inconclusive Drivers of new Hyundais and Kias may have paid a little more for gas than they were promised. In November, the EPA announced that Hyundai and Kia had overstated gas mileage for approximately 900,000 vehicles, or about 35% of the 2011-2013 models sold through October 2012. Kia and Hyundai overstated the mpg for most of the vehicles by one or two miles, with the Kia Soul overstated by as much as six miles. Both companies opted to reimburse drivers for the incorrect mileage claim with a prepaid debit card. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/01/24/the-most-misleading-product-claims-in-america/#ixzz2J1kpRPT9">Read more at 24/7 Wall St. </a>




  • 7. Nutella


    Parent company: Ferrero Ad changed: Yes Settlement amount: $3.05 million Nutella is a popular spread that combines hazelnuts with cocoa and skim milk. In early 2011, a mother in California sued Ferrero, the company that owns Nutella, alleging that it made misleading health claims by suggesting the product was a healthy breakfast option despite its high saturated fat content. Ferrero eventually settled the class-action lawsuit for $3 million. The company also agreed to change its marketing statements, both on television and online. Although Ferrero agreed to limit its health claims, the Nutella is still marketed on its website as a way “to turn a balanced breakfast into a tasty one.” This claim is now preceded by a notice stating, “But keep in mind, a balanced breakfast should provide the proper balance of protein, carbohydrates from whole grains, fat and the nutrients provided by either a serving of fruit or vegetables.” <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/01/24/the-most-misleading-product-claims-in-america/#ixzz2J1lXBtbd">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.</a>




  • 6. Splenda


    Parent company: Johnson & Johnson Ad changed: N/A Settlement amount: N/A Splenda is an artificial sweetener that promises the taste of sugar but with zero calories. Splenda Essentials, the brand’s higher-priced label, offers products fortified with fiber, B vitamins, or antioxidants. Last year, the CSPI filed a lawsuit against McNeil Nutritionals — the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary that manufactures Splenda — alleging the additions of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants gave customers the false impression that “Splenda Essentials will help one lose weight, avoid disease, or confer other health benefits.” McNeil Nutritionals was also sued several years ago by Merisant Co. — makers of rival product Equal — over its claim that Splenda was “made from sugar so it tastes like sugar.” The two sides eventually settled for an undisclosed amount. Splenda’s website notes that the product is made by altering sugar’s chemistry and is not natural. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/01/24/the-most-misleading-product-claims-in-america/#ixzz2J1m52ziN">Read more at 24/7 Wall St. </a>




  • 5. Siri


    Parent company: Apple Ad changed: N/A Settlement amount: N/A Apple’s website states that Siri, the company’s voice-recognition and personal assistant software, “understands what you say. And knows what you mean.” But since its debut, most reviews of the service would seem to suggest that Siri is tin-eared. So much so that multiple disappointed Apple customers have filed lawsuits against the company. These lawsuits allege that the advertising campaigns touting Siri present a product with far greater capabilities than that sold to consumers. In a motion to dismiss one of the class-action complaints, Apple noted that claimants provided “only general descriptions of Apple’s advertisements, incomplete summaries of Apple’s website materials, and vague descriptions of their alleged — and highly individualized — disappointment with Siri.” <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/01/24/the-most-misleading-product-claims-in-america/#ixzz2J1mjX7In">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.</a>




  • 4. California Shelled Walnuts


    Parent company: Diamond Foods Inc. Ad changed: Yes Settlement amount: $2.6 million Diamond Foods recently went too far when it claimed on its website and labels that the omega-3 fatty acids contained in its California Shelled Walnuts had positive health effects. According to the company, the fatty acids found in the walnuts prevent strokes and curb depression, among other things. But the FDA argued that such claims would make walnuts drugs, since only medications can make such health claims. In 2012, Diamond Foods agreed to pay $2.6 million to settle a separate class-action suit accusing the company of false advertising and agreed to discontinue the “heart health” statements on its packaging and website. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/01/24/the-most-misleading-product-claims-in-america/#ixzz2J1nAT3dK">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.</a>




  • 3. 5-Hour Energy


    Parent company: Living Essentials Ad changed: No Settlement amount: Lawsuit not settled Advertisements claim that 5-Hour Energy drink will give an energy boost with “no crash later.” However, a recent study showed that 24% of participants consuming the drink experienced a “moderately severe crash that left them extremely tired and in need of rest, another drink or some other action.” When contacted by The New York Times, the manufacturer, Living Essentials, pointed out that the fine print on the bottle states that “no crash later” merely indicates no sugar crash. Of course not — the drink contains no sugar. This isn’t the first problem with 5-Hour Energy. It has also been in the news as the FDA investigates a series of 13 deaths over the past four years that may be linked to the product. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/01/24/the-most-misleading-product-claims-in-america/#ixzz2J1o24fjk">Read more at 24/7 Wall St. </a>




  • 2. Skechers Shape-Ups


    Parent company: Skechers USA Ad changed: Yes Settlement amount: $40 million Skechers line of Shape-Up shoes was just too good to be true. In May, the company agreed to pay $40 million to settle charges by the FTC and the attorneys general of 42 states. The FTC argued that advertising for Shape-Ups, along with Skechers’ similar Tone-Up and Resistance Runners, misled consumers into believing the shoes would help them slim down and tone their figures. One of the company’s misleading tactics involved a chiropractor who, in a TV ad, endorsed the shoes’ effectiveness based on a study. However, the company paid for the study and the chiropractor was married to a company’s marketing executive. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/01/24/the-most-misleading-product-claims-in-america/#ixzz2J1oUDirc">Read more at 24/7 Wall St. </a>




  • 1. POM Wonderful


    Parent company: POM Wonderful LLC Ad changed: Yes Settlement amount: Money not part of settlement POM Wonderful ads promised consumers they could “cheat death” if they sipped the pomegranate juice. The drink, the ads said, “can help prevent premature aging, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, even cancer. Eight ounces a day is all you need.” Already in 2010, the FTC told the company to stop its deceptive advertising. POM Wonderful sued, but this month the FTC upheld the earlier decision that POM Wonderful made deceptive claims about the health benefits of its products and barred the manufacturers from making such claims. The FTC notes that in order for a food or drink manufacturer to make claims about health benefits, it would have to produce evidence from two randomized controlled trials, which the makers of POM have not done. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/01/24/the-most-misleading-product-claims-in-america/#ixzz2J1otuyKU">Read more at 24/7 Wall St.</a>