Minors and Vaping...bad news

[ladyraj]

We knew it would happen sooner or later. Frankly, I was surprised when a 13 year old started participating on this very forum. But it is definitely bad when a news agency sends minors on an undercover sting operation to bust a PV kiosk:

E-Cigarettes Under Fire - NBC Action News KSHB-TV 41

Excerpts:
"Despite ECA goals, we were clearly told it's a healthy alternative at Independence Center and Oak Park Mall kiosks by companies that are not part of the ECA membership.

At Smoke51, the owner calls it a "healthy alternative."

His salesman says, "It's not harmful to you."

The salesman went on to say, "You're getting a cigarette with all the pros and not the cons. It saves your life and it saves your health."

In Independence Center, the flavors were pushed to a minor we sent to the kiosk.

"Most girls really like it again my wife absolutely loves the blueberry. It gives you Vitamin D and it gives you the exact same thing you get out of a regular cigarette the only difference it's not killing you," the salesman said at Smoking Everywhere."

More:
John Wickwire says his 17-year-old son came home from the mall and talked all about electronic cigarettes. John says his son was with a group of teens who were all under age 18 except for one.

"He came home all excited, and I was like, freaked, and I think he was surprised by how I reacted.

Last excerpt:
"However, when our minor and intern went to his kiosk, they were offered an e-cigarette with no nicotine.

Our intern asked, "So what's the point of that?"

The salesman answered, "An oral fixation. It just feels like a cigarette if you want to try the zero one I'll let you try it."

A few seconds later, our minor was puffing away on a product that looked like a cigarette but supposedly has no nicotine."
--------------------------------

I understand the concept that if kids are going to smoke...vaping is safer. I understand that some venders say stupid things (example-blueberry eliquid gives vitamin D). I understand that teens look older than their age.

I understand, but the majority of nonsmoking/nonvaping society we live in, do not.

[saphic]

wow. legally, if they have no nicotine it should be fine, but still.

[mcl5000]

Another stupid move by SE. Worthless company ruining things for everybody.

There is absolutely NO reason for these kiosks to be allowed in malls. The dude working the register at 7-11 isn't puffing away on a cigarette telling you to try it, so why do we need clowns pushing e-cigs in malls. People working at grocery stores aren't pouring shots for people to sample as they're walking through the store.

Bottom line - you don't need to give out samples of minor-prohibited products, and things will turn bad if they continue to do so.

[PlanetScribbles]

Any individuals can easily discredit any product they choose to. At will. It doesn't make the claims warranted, if it is based on just the actions of a few misguided salesmen looking for a boost in their commission based sales.
I could easily play the same card by saying that childrens buggies dismember minors. But I won't, because it is clearly an over-reaction based on a few isolated incidents caused by plain stupidity, or possibly just a simple oversight, on the part of the parent.
Anyone who would use a story like this to discredit the whole industry merely discredit themselves.

[suhrim21]

Great this is just what we need to give the D**n FDA more fuel for the fire. What the hell were the employees thinking letting minors try it. Yea we are all screwed now because of SE and smoke51.

[kristin]

Employees are not the same thing as companies. I've seen restaurants where the employees take shortcuts and/or ignore health standards. Not the policy of the company, but they can only do so much.

Same thing with this situation. The owner of the kiosk here said he would make a lesson by firing the employee.

I think it was actually a well-rounded article and gave voice to both sides of the issue.

But I now agree with keeping these kiosks out of malls - they should be off on their own like tobacco shops and liquor stores.

[hizen]

Another stupid move by SE. Worthless company ruining things for everybody.

There is absolutely NO reason for these kiosks to be allowed in malls. The dude working the register at 7-11 isn't puffing away on a cigarette telling you to try it, so why do we need clowns pushing e-cigs in malls. People working at grocery stores aren't pouring shots for people to sample as they're walking through the store.

Bottom line - you don't need to give out samples of minor-prohibited products, and things will turn bad if they continue to do so.

Couldn't agree more ...........the day that Smoking Everywhere is out of business will be a big step toward legitimizing this business in this country.

[gooney0]

I disagree a bit. Employees are the company.

These things would be very unlikely if the company made more effort to prevent them. The salesmen are motivated by greed. This is by design not by accident.

The cashier at 7-11 doesn't personally care if you buy cigarettes. In fact both the company and the state have given him motivation to not sell to minors. So much so that I sometimes get checked for ID at 36 years old!

Company "culture" spreads all the way to employees. Every employee is attempting to make their boss happy.

If I owned that kiosk would this have happened? No. I would have prevented this.

I own my own company and take my reputation very seriously. I would never let someone represent me poorly. SE clearly doesn't feel this way. I've seen their kiosks and I was offended.

SE needs to go out of business and quickly.

-Gooney0

[ladyraj]

Kristen, an employee is the company (for all intents and purposes) in the public view. Therefore, the company is only as good as it's worst employee. The public could care less that a single vendor is not the status quo. One bad article where a minor was "engaged" can take 10, 50, or 100 articles to rectify, if the error could be resolved effectively in the non-vaping public. We can be comforted that more of these stories haven't been published for widespread perusal, but even a few can be detrimental to our cause.

I'm not sure where the fair and balanced part comes in...Why shouldn't a legal product be sold at a mall?

[Our House]

If I owned that kiosk would this have happened? No. I would have prevented this.

Bad analogy.

If you owned SE, could that have happened at one of your kiosks? Yes. You couldn't have prevented it. The bigger a company gets, the more "leakage" there is to be expected.

For example, NJOY products are on display in many retail stores, truck stops, etc. Is NJOY (the company) responsible for what every snot-nosed punk cashier claims about the products at every Pilot truck stop across America? I don't think so. They can do their best to protect against it, or punish for it, but only after it happens.