E Cigarettes and potential Ban

[Kimbers]

So, it looks like we want to ban e-cigarettes from public places, NOT because of any health issues, as they only expel water vapour, but because they might "encourage" people to start smoking.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-26837682

 

 

I am anti smoking, an ex-smoker and totally support everything they do to real cigarettes but even I don't understand why they are doing this. 

 

I know tens if not hundreds of people who have managed to come off real cigarettes because of these e-cigarettes and I am totally happy for someone to puff away on them next to me wherever I am.

 

So, is this because the governments can see a potential tax target? Is it because they have lost so much on normal cigarette tax that they are looking to replace this?

 

More importantly, is this campaign against e-cigarettes (saying they can put anything in them and that they are dangerous etc etc) purely a means to an end? 

 

After all, we have seen climate change blamed purely on human's so they can introduce taxes and when they have now said "it's a mix of natural warming and humans" have they reduced those taxes? Anyone remember the Ozone layer and dangerous spray cans and we are all going to cook in 3 years time (that was in the 80's) cause there will be no ozone layer? What did they do? introduce regulations.

 

Whenever the govt say "it needs regulating" am I the only one who thinks "Ha! You mean taxing!".

[softlips]

The manufacturers say they only emit water vapour but I follow a friend every morning when we walk our dogs and I can tell what flavour he is vaping that day before we meet him. I doubt there are health risks to passive exposure as with cigarettes but I could be wrong.

Personally I like to see them regulated like tobacco. Firstly the quality varies enormously not only from brand to brand but even among batches. Secondly, I've seen several children using them, I once spoke to one lad who said they must be safe or there'd be age restrictions on them.

The research I've read in medical journals surprisingly shows they are not a good method of aiding smoking cessation. However, I know several people who have ceased to use tobacco by substituting e-cigarettes. Several have then stopped altogether but others have actually increased there nicotine intake. My friend above now 'vapes' in his home, in hotel rooms, in his car and at work. When he smoked cigarettes he didn't smoke in these places. Undoubtedly he is ingesting much more nicotine than he did with his 8-10 cigarettes per day. Nicotine is generally considered non carcinogenic but some say if heated the way e-cigarettes do, it becomes carcinogenic. I'm not convinced by this hypothesis and feel its a red herring at best. The real issue is the effect nicotine has on the cardiovascular system - e-cigarettes will undoubtedly reduce the ingestion of tobacco but paradoxically may cause an increase in cardiovascular disease such as coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease and impotance.

[Bibs]

I'd hate to be less important

 

They were selling these in the local shopping centre and the chap asked if I smoked and would I be interested in an e-cigarette. I told him I didn't but was very interested in starting, could he help

[mayevora]

 

I know tens if not hundreds of people who have managed to come off real cigarettes because of these e-cigarettes!".

Well I'm one anyway. Can totally vouch for them. Again I don't understand the logic behind the ban. Yes I agree with better regulation of them (are they really water vapour? Probably... but can't be sure)

What are they going to try to stop next though? Walking along with a white pen in your mouth? Chocolate/candy shaped cigarettes? If it's just the "being seen to smoke encourages it" will I be able to hold a e-cig in a public place? Come to think of it, I can go into a pub and put an unlit cigarette in my mouth so how far can they push this?

Bans for the sake of bans sake voted in by people who love to have a whinge.

[mdw]

This is a weird one, I as a non smoker am not bothered either way, my wife as a ex smoker thinks they should be banned.  If you really want to deal with smoking then the BMAs( think it was them)  idea of banning anyone born after 2000 from smoking is probably a good if difficult to police idea.

[Kimbers]

Amazing thing is that Brazil has totally banned e-cigarettes but normal cigarettes are readily available and very cheap!

 

Bet the Smoking companies have a strong lobby group there!

[USAndretti42]

I think they need some regulation. The flavours that would appeal to children need to go as it does tempt kids to try them (because they taste nice) and then they get hooked on nicotine.

However, banning them and treating the a s cigarettes makes no sense from a secondhand smoking point of view. Mind you, I worked at a place where "for the health and safety of our workers" banned chewing tobacco which has no fire or secondhand smoke risk so there's not a logic involved in these decisions.

[Guest Mutley00]

If they only emit water vapour, why is it that it's visible in warm buildings unless the smokers have remarkably hot breath? I only emit water vapour (and a bit of Nitrogen & Oxygen), but you cant see my breath in a boozer!

[basalte]

It reminds me of a sign I saw in a building once: "No Smoking or Photography". I was trying to give up photography at the time and got very restless... 

[Sparky]

£x billion in lost excise duty might explain the mystery...