Big tobacco FUD at work on the Beeb

[Giraut]

So, I'm watching BBC Morning News, and 20 minutes ago, out of the blue, the anchorman announces that "a new research study from Philip Morris shows that youngsters are picking up electronic cigarettes, and then move on to tobacco products" - and I only just heard the "Philip Morris" name because I was paying attention, the sentence being delivered in typical super-fast, easy-to-miss clipped fashion.

Then, they invited Katherine Devlin from the ECITA, and some dude whose name I missed, who basically thrashed Katherine's arguments with FUD. The guy had such a polished, professional way of delivering his message that I bet you anything he was a paid shill of Big tobacco. I mean, his whole attitude screamed lobbyist.

And of course, since the segment lasted 3 minutes, no intelligent discussion could possibly come out of it. So the message the Beeb delivered was basically "think of the children - be afraid!".

And now I'm watching the 15 minute news re-run - Katherine Devlin and the dude are gone now - and the 2 second line delivered by the anchors now is "In other news, a study shows electronic cigarettes may lead kids to start smoking regular cigarettes." - no mention of Philip Morris anymore. Maybe they let it slip by mistake earlier...

Undercover lobbying at work... It's sickening.

 

[K_Tech]

Proof by assertion. "It's true because I keep saying it."

 

[Recycled Roadkill]

Kids brains lead kids to start all kinds of bad habits. No adult help is necessary. Ban kids brains.

 

[Mutescream]

People need to be able to make their own decisions. I'm all for making sure people understand the ramifications of their choices (through education of CORRECT information), and waiting until they are of sufficient age to be able to have enough perspective to comprehend the gravity of their decisions... But, in the long run it is counter productive to attempt to completely remove behavioral options.

Prohibition doesn't work, and generally does more harm than good (even on things that are legitimately harmful). Banning things that are relatively safe undermines the banning of things that pose a genuine hazard too, by its detrimental impact on the credibility of those that wield authority.

 

[crxess]

If BT had any serious concern they would Close their doors, lock down operations and go the hell home.

BT bought into E-cig industry to Dirty the Product reputation - Period.

It was/is a Loss investment Strategy to drive attention to them and thereby demonize Vaping.
Evil Tobacco = Evil Vapors

 

[fraychek]

First, my closest B&M has a sign on the door that says no one under 18 admitted without a parent or lagal guardian, and they do card. Second, where are these children getting the $50 to $75 it takes just to get started. Third, and maybe most important, as a former smoker of nearly 50 years and a vaper for more thsn a year snd a half, I can tell you that just the thought of smoking makes my stomach turn. Anyone starting out only vaping who has decided to spend 10 times as much cash to buy cigarettes would gag and choke on the first one and go back to vaping. Just MHO, of course.

 

[Mutescream]

I don't understand why BT wouldn't want to straight up go into the ejuice business, they could make a killing producing tobacco flavors that directly match their paper tube products. Nevermind the bazillion chemicals that would turn most of us off, there are plenty that would be happy to take the somewhat reduced harm there.

They could also dodge the TSF and multitudes of cig taxes that way, by reducing the actual number of cigs sold (and switching to a diff product, which they can keep more of the $ from sales of).

 

[oxidus]

My guess is that it's just too easy to copy and under-cut. If I could sell a bottle that's equivalent to 7 packs of smokes, I would want it to sell for the equivalent of 7 packs of smokes. Basically, it would be $3 / ml or worse.

Not many people can buy a farm, and produce decent cigarettes en-masse, but it's easy enough to produce e-liquid in comparison. All you'd have to do is approximate the flavour and sell it for half the price.

Also, if they did get into the e-juice business, they'd probably clean out the north american supply of PG / VG / nicotine just to drive their competitors prices up.

 

[Mutescream]

My guess is that it's just too easy to copy and under-cut. If I could sell a bottle that's equivalent to 7 packs of smokes, I would want it to sell for the equivalent of 7 packs of smokes. Basically, it would be $3 / ml or worse.

Not many people can buy a farm, and produce decent cigarettes en-masse, but it's easy enough to produce e-liquid in comparison. All you'd have to do is approximate the flavour and sell it for half the price.

Also, if they did get into the e-juice business, they'd probably clean out the north american supply of PG / VG / nicotine just to drive their competitors prices up.

There's the whole brand loyalty thing, though. Hark back to when you smoked, how often did you try other brands (even if they went on sale and were about half what you were paying for a pack)?

I always thought the pack/ml thing must be a bit off, too, btw. I used to be about a 1.5 pad (20 cigs per pack; based on your spelling, I'll assume you are in the UK, and the last time I was in Europe, I saw quite a few American cigs in packs of 10) smoker, but go through about 4-6ml/day now.

There are so many taxes/fees on cigs, that in the US, 50-85% of what one pays for cigarettes here is taxes.

 

[DC2]

If they really said "Phillip Morris" then they are wrong.

The "kids are using electronic cigarettes at an alarming rate" propaganda comes from a CDC study.
And the results from that study were purposely and disgustingly twisted out of any sense of reality for political purposes.

The real results of the CDC study show nothing that is being claimed by those who site that study.

Read this for more information...
http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2013/09/cdc-director-and-prominent-anti-smoking.html

 

[K_Tech]

Kids brains lead kids to start all kinds of bad habits. No adult help is necessary. Ban kids brains.

I don't think we should ban them outright, but we could keep them in a pickle jar until they turn 21.

 

[drsocal]

It's hard to watch the news sometimes.

 

[supermarket]

What is the beeb? Justin Beiber?

 

[Mutescream]

What is the beeb? Justin Beiber?

I'd hazard to guess BBC