Hacker News Reader

You missed the tense. When cigarettes became popular they weren't banned right away because we had no idea they would become harmful. Of course we know differently now.

In this case, we are erring on the side of caution and banning e-cigs until they are further studied. Learning from our mistakes.

View on HN

Banning something is a good way to prevent such studies from ever happening.

Also, they aren't banned. The FDA just made it so small businesses wouldn't be able to make the ecig products (basically). Big tabacco, however, is able to take the hit. Take it how you will.

The physiological effect of nicotine use is pretty well established as in the case of alcohol and IMO it makes no sense to ban ecigs while allowing other forms of tobacco to be sold.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com