It is widely accepted in the vaping community that vaping is a significantly less harmful alternative to smoking, and even better can help a good amount of people quit entirely at some point. However, I haven't seen anyone else mention something else, encouraging non-addicted smokers to give vaping a try instead, especially with 0 nicotine.
Now, it is safe to say that telling people not to do something doesn't fully work, and prohibition doesn't either, many hard drugs are illegal but there's still many people who use them, knowing full well all of the negative consequences, many people drank alcohol illegally during alcohol prohibition, etc.
Pretty much everyone in the first world, knows just how extremely bad, and addictive tobacco cigarettes are, however there are many people still taking up smoking knowing all this, and many of them do enjoy it, problem is while for a while at the start they are doing it out of free will, if they keep doing it, it is highly likely that eventually down the line, they will develop an addiction and it will no longer be out of their own free will.
While telling those people to just stop smoking will work for some, it will not for others, especially since they are aware of the health effects and addiction risk already.
For that second group of non-addicted smokers, encouraging them to try vaping 0 nicotine instead, may be a good idea because;
1. Vaping is very significantly less harmful
2. If staying without nicotine it will not be addictive
3. They would be doing it out of their own will, which is completely different than out of addiction.
4. A portion of them would eventually get bored of it, and just stop entirely after X amount of time.
Unfortunately there is an argument from the anti-vapers that it can be a gateway to traditional cigarettes, and we also do not want to be seen as targeting non-smokers and youth. However I am only talking about adults who are already smoking, not yet addicted, but are otherwise going to continue smoking, and end up addicted.
I'd say that diverting them to this, would still be a great thing, and significant tobacco harm reduction, because preventing people from smoking and especially getting addicted, is just as good as providing an alternative and a quit method for already addicted smokers.
I did basically already say this in a reply to my introduction thread here a while back, however, I think it warrants it's own thread, and further discussion.
Now, it is safe to say that telling people not to do something doesn't fully work, and prohibition doesn't either, many hard drugs are illegal but there's still many people who use them, knowing full well all of the negative consequences, many people drank alcohol illegally during alcohol prohibition, etc.
Pretty much everyone in the first world, knows just how extremely bad, and addictive tobacco cigarettes are, however there are many people still taking up smoking knowing all this, and many of them do enjoy it, problem is while for a while at the start they are doing it out of free will, if they keep doing it, it is highly likely that eventually down the line, they will develop an addiction and it will no longer be out of their own free will.
While telling those people to just stop smoking will work for some, it will not for others, especially since they are aware of the health effects and addiction risk already.
For that second group of non-addicted smokers, encouraging them to try vaping 0 nicotine instead, may be a good idea because;
1. Vaping is very significantly less harmful
2. If staying without nicotine it will not be addictive
3. They would be doing it out of their own will, which is completely different than out of addiction.
4. A portion of them would eventually get bored of it, and just stop entirely after X amount of time.
Unfortunately there is an argument from the anti-vapers that it can be a gateway to traditional cigarettes, and we also do not want to be seen as targeting non-smokers and youth. However I am only talking about adults who are already smoking, not yet addicted, but are otherwise going to continue smoking, and end up addicted.
I'd say that diverting them to this, would still be a great thing, and significant tobacco harm reduction, because preventing people from smoking and especially getting addicted, is just as good as providing an alternative and a quit method for already addicted smokers.
I did basically already say this in a reply to my introduction thread here a while back, however, I think it warrants it's own thread, and further discussion.
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