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An Open Letter to Senator Schumer re Vaping
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The vaping community (who tend to be fairly clued up on recent research) listened to Sen. Chuck Schumer recently once again blaming vaping companies for teen use. Furthermore, he wants legislation put in place regulating them pronto.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did have legislation in place which
would regulate vaping however they have not yet released his, choosing instead
to hold off for a while. When or if activated this rule will ban vaping
products being given out as free samples, being available in vending machines
(for anyone to buy) and would restrict the age of legal vaping to eighteen
years old. These restrictions would cover the US as a whole.
Apparently one in five New York students have tried vaping at some point over
the past year. Schumer believes that easy access to some e cigarettes
(available in vending machines and so on) should fall under age restrictions
and feels that “trendy packaging” and “kid-friendly flavours” are actively
encouraging teens to vape. Worryingly, the good Senator feels that “…e
cigarette companies are stepping over the line to market these products to kids
to get them hooked to smoking”.
There’s your face palm moment right there.
Dear Mr Senator,
We agree that teens shouldn’t be vaping. We’ve got your back on that one. Here
in the UK vaping is for those aged 18yrs and over only and we have strict
advertising rules which prohibit making vaping seem “cool” to youngsters as that
just isn’t right. We can’t sell to teens, we can’t market to teens and we don’t
want to.
A few things though. You stated recently at a press conference at your
Manhattan office that e cigarette companies are basically going too far in
terms of marketing vaping products to kids to “get them hooked to smoking”. We
just wanted to clear a few things up.
Firstly, smoking and vaping are two very different things. The World Health
Organisation have classified over seventy chemicals found within tobacco
cigarettes are being toxic and/or as having carcinogenic (cancer causing)
properties. No such classifications have been made regarding e cigarettes and e
liquids.
Secondly, there have been a number of studies supporting the fact that vaping
as a whole has had a tremendous effect on reducing the number of people smoking
tobacco cigarettes. Indeed, Public Health England (as we’re sure you know put
together the Go Smoke Free legislation which has seen public smoking banned
over here) has advocated for the use of e cigarettes as a cessation device,
including them in official Stoptober advertising.
*Stoptober is a month-long public health campaign run every year to encourage
and support individuals to quit harmful tobacco cigarette smoking.
Thirdly, vaping is an alternative to smoking. It is marketed to smokers looking
for a healthier alternative to smoking (vaping is 95% less harmful than tobacco
by the way). It isn’t for non-smokers to take on as a hobby when they’ve never
smoked.
Lastly, studies have shown that vaping does not encourage teenagers to smoke tobacco.
We just wanted to clear a few things up there, to add some clarity. We agree
Sir, teens shouldn’t be vaping and there should be an age restriction on vaping
worldwide (not least because e cigarettes contain lithium batteries and
children should not be playing with lithium batteries) however we’d love to see
you change your overall stance on vaping, which we’re sure you will now that
you’ve read this letter. Vaping should not be marketed at children. Vaping
should not be readily available to children. Vaping should however be widely
adopted as a legitimate alternative to smoking, in order to help people move
away from tobacco, a move that will improve their health and could prolong
their lives.
Choosing vaping is not the lesser of two evils, vaping is a well-researched,
healthier alternative to vaping, offering smokers worldwide the opportunity to
continue to enjoy a similar habit (although many would say more enjoyable and
of course customisable) without the risk factors.
Senator. We look forward to your future speeches which will no doubt be clearer
on the fact-based benefits of vaping.
Kind regards
Vapers everywhere.