I'd prefer a full ban but this is at least staunching what was a regression for public health. E-cigarettes, since their introduction, haven't improved public health - they've worsened it.
I really don't want anyone to feel shamed over their smoking habit but it's an unhealthy thing and if you get into as an adult you should do so only when you're fully aware of the consequences - the way they've been advertised has hooked a lot of minors.
My only experience with the e-cigarette marketing have been commercials where some guy is standing there telling you the same type of stories being shared here “I used to smoke x amount of cigarettes a day, now I use this”, followed by the usual boilerplate “nicotine is an addictive substance” disclaimer, a brand/logo, commercial ends.
Seems benign enough, I can certainly see how some may be turned off by the existence of such marketing at all, is this perhaps what you meant by them being irresponsible or could you help me understand a bit better?
I think we can also look to history when it comes to the flavouring of things, it used to be that medicines would be sweetened to override the natural bitter or acidic tastes of the active ingredients but this led to more abuse of those substances.
[1] https://shawglobalnews.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/vaping-ad...
[2] https://shawglobalnews.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/web-vape-...
Had to let this post sit for a minute before responding, and on the grounds you're offering, to really think about it and look at other examples; ultimately I think I agree with you. Your point is well met.
[1] https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=vype+ads&oq=vype+ad...
[citation needed]
> For decades, the percentage of high school and middle school students who smoked cigarettes had been declining. For the past three years, it has flattened, according to new numbers released Monday. There may be several reasons, but a recent boom in vaping is the most likely explanation, said Brian King of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[0]: https://www.erswhitebook.org/chapters/tobacco-smoking/ [1]: https://www.alternet.org/2012/09/how-gambling-can-kill-you-f...
That's well beyond personal liberty.
Is there a safer stimulant and do you think this ban will encourage people to use that?
They are, however, still extremely addictive. Arguably more so than cigarettes, since they enable the consumption of much higher doses of nicotine.
A friend once told me, having quit nicotine and heroin, that while quitting heroin was 'like being the living dead', he could probably go through it again, but not nicotine.
Isn't every stimulant? I'm reluctant to ban things on the basis of their addictive potential without considering the consequences of the addiction. I'm pretty sure at least half the people I know need coffee in the morning, but I don't think that means we should ban caffeine. I don't see nicotine as objectively better or worse than caffeine so it's unfortunate that one is the target of legislation and one flows like the manna from heaven in most gathers of people.
Additionally, I think there's a 'good' in letting people choose the stim that works best for them. I personally prefer amphetamine, others prefer coffee, some people find comfort in nicotine.
Open mind here, but can someone elucidate this to me? It came up once in a rather intense discussion with my father in my teens once I discovered the devil's lettuce (cannabis) and my curiosity has yet to be abated by a convincing enough take on the matter.
Aside from the ash related risks tobacco is highly addictive due to the nicotine and contains other toxins that can harm you in the long term. For reference, here's what Canada has to say about the chemicals[1].
[1] https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/smoking-toba...
As far as we know. However, I've got a gut instinct that coating your lungs with flavor additives and propylene glycol or glycerin probably isn't the healthiest thing to do.
Then the atomizer, cheaper ones basically use a piece of steel wool. If you let that variety get mostly dry and still puff away (this was more of an issue a decade ago when they were newer and people had 'drip tips' before all these tanks and battery mods caught on) you absolutely start to get metal fumes which are often quite hazardous to your health.
We have zero long term studies on coating your lungs with this stuff, it may be relatively benign or we may see in 5, 10, 20 years people developing some crazy sort of lung disease.
It's also far more easier to give yourself nicotine poisoning vaping than it is via cigarettes as you can sit there and just constantly puff away because you've got blueberry soda, brownie, super duper wacky fun fruity pebbles bubble gum, etc flavors.
I know people that will vape through ten plus ml a day because they are just constantly puffing away due to the flavor and the nicotine. His 'rig' is effectively permanently attached to his hand and he carries around multiple large batteries in a man-clutch with a few extra tanks. I'm betting he's not alone, in the minority sure but there are likely a lot like him and having your lungs saturated 18 hours a day in nicotine, dye and flavoring agent can not be good.