Just an observation while in China

[Clueless in China]

I have seen no evidence anywhere that vaping causes damage to one's health. However, I have seen report after news report, both in China and America, that vaping does cause damage. Why? Just follow the money. Seriously, that's all.

I have been in and out of China since 1993 so none of this surprises me here, but the onslaught of lobbying in the States has reminded me to be wary back home as well.

China is changing slowly as some areas are becoming non-smoking, but they are mainly places where foreigners hang such as airports and top level hotels and eateries. For the locals it is still game on. I remember smoking outside the swinging doors of an emergency room, on a bus, on a train, in the rain, with a goat, on a boat......... Truly a smoker's paradise with my brand going for 80 cents US a pack, but the damage to my health is gonna get me, so 6 volt vaping, here I come.

 

[Krythis]

I am a foreigner and believe I can provide an answer to your question. I live in Yunnan Province, ground zero of tobacco production in China. Tobacco accounts for roughly 8% of GDP and the government cannot afford to have people stop smoking. Additionally and cynically, China does have a huge overpopulation problem.

When I looked for e-cigs locally last year I was only able to find one man in a tiny storefront that had one, a DSE-801 for the equivalent of $125 US dollars. I spoke with him and he related that all of the government and their outlets, meaning the newspapers, television, police and radio had conspired to state that e-cigs caused cancer, aids, ebola and penis shrinkage. I have yet to see one in China except for the 15 or so people that I have turned on to them.

I laugh when I hear about the conspiracy of big tobacco and the government in America. You folks are living in a nerf world compared to me.

FWIW, I bought a DSE-801 from Bestecig (great service) and stopped smoking for about 3 weeks, only to have my batteries fail and my addiction overtake the ability of my e-cig. I am now awaiting an Indulgence which should arrive today or tomorrow. Shipping and customs don't affect me in China.

Now I need to explain to my gf that I'm going to suffer from permanent shrinkage. I thought it was funny that citizens were so gullible as to believe eCigs cause penis shrinkage. Then I remembered many other Americans I know still think our dollar is backed by gold It's amazing how some people believe whatever they are told by an 'official'.

 

[Fedor]

Smoking is a culture in China unlike anywhere i've ever seen. Its not that much of an addiction or habit but a culture that baffles me. When someone knows you're a smoker and hands you a cigarette, its considered rude not to accept it. When i say "hands it to you", i also mean that they sometimes throw it at you. Yes, you heard correctly. Literally throwing a cigarette at you from a distance and you catch it.

Smoking is also a platform for socialising. Its common courtesy to offer a cigarette to a friend when you meet them. Cigarettes are also considered as a good choice for gifts, especially the premium/ expensive types.

This alone will make e-cigs less attractive to Chinese. At least imo.

 

[lkim65]

Tobacco in China is state run, so the government would has lots to lose if everyone started using the e-cig. You have to remember alot of stuff is state run/owned in China; it is a Communist country afterall....

 

[exogenesis]

But 'state-run' is pretty much the same as 'state-taxed' in all other countries
i.e. the incentive to retain smoking is financially based just the same.

Cultural smoking presumably is a time-line dependant thing (sort of historical in Finland),
different countries are at different stages.

 

[mr quackums]

USA a few generations ago

 

[Moriah]

Additionally and cynically, China does have a huge overpopulation problem.

You said it for me.

 

[DPM]

Hi guys, I dont often post, just lurk, but thanks for the great imput on this thread all!

I had a good laugh reading the one and only Leafords travel blog, and enjoyed reading about the views and viewpoints of you all.

Cheers!

 

[davecury]

I heard on another post that China has very strick laws about non regestard electronics, I E, ipods, mp3s, cell-phones, The company that produce a electric device have to be regasterd to prevent black market, bootleg copys. This takes a long time and untell it is, the product is illagel to own.

 

[tmbrown327]

I heard on another post that China has very strick laws about non regestard electronics, I E, ipods, mp3s, cell-phones, The company that produce a electric device have to be regasterd to prevent black market, bootleg copys. This takes a long time and untell it is, the product is illagel to own.

That is actually laugh out loud funny. You can buy a knockoff of any electronic device (ANY) in five minutes no matter where you live over here. I was in the Luo Hu mall the other day and they had a knockoff of my Blackberry 8900, nearly identical on the outside, but their knockoff had dual sim cards and a TV receiver built into it!

There were any number of stores/stalls (hundreds) that were selling iPod knockoffs, identical on the outside. One, a knockoff of the iPod nano 4th gen, had 16 gig memory, an SD slot and, as I was walking away, the guy was yelling prices at me. Last I heard was 120RMB (about 18 bucks).

Don't believe anything you hear about China like this. They have one set of things they publicize to the world, and a whole other thing that actuallyl happens.

 

[exogenesis]

It happens in the pro-supply market tho,
Chinese buyers can't/won't buy high-end scientific analysis kit without
the PC being 'Chinese certified' (i.e. 'made in China', but aren't they all? - or Tiawan at least anyway)

 

[Chief_White_Cloud]

When I looked for e-cigs locally last year I was only able to find one man in a tiny storefront that had one, a DSE-801 for the equivalent of $125 US dollars. I spoke with him and he related that all of the government and their outlets, meaning the newspapers, television, police and radio had conspired to state that e-cigs caused cancer, aids, ebola and penis shrinkage.

Penis shrinkage! 8-o

*looks down*

Meh........it's still better than going back to analogues, even if it does shrink to "Double Happiness" size.

 

[Papagoatee]

This might be of interest.

Chinese ordered to smoke more to boost economy - Telegraph


Not sure if there's any propaganda involved.

 

[woodman]

I am a foreigner and believe I can provide an answer to your question. I live in Yunnan Province, ground zero of tobacco production in China. Tobacco accounts for roughly 8% of GDP and the government cannot afford to have people stop smoking. Additionally and cynically, China does have a huge overpopulation problem.

When I looked for e-cigs locally last year I was only able to find one man in a tiny storefront that had one, a DSE-801 for the equivalent of $125 US dollars. I spoke with him and he related that all of the government and their outlets, meaning the newspapers, television, police and radio had conspired to state that e-cigs caused cancer, aids, ebola and penis shrinkage. I have yet to see one in China except for the 15 or so people that I have turned on to them.

I laugh when I hear about the conspiracy of big tobacco and the government in America. You folks are living in a nerf world compared to me.

FWIW, I bought a DSE-801 from Bestecig (great service) and stopped smoking for about 3 weeks, only to have my batteries fail and my addiction overtake the ability of my e-cig. I am now awaiting an Indulgence which should arrive today or tomorrow. Shipping and customs don't affect me in China.

Thanks for posting this and too bad more Americans actually understood this! Every generation is more "clueless" than one before it.

 

[CreatvDigitl]

HELP, I smoked an e-cig and I can't find my...................Oh nevermind!

 

[Hagbard Jones]

Is that $18 IPOD a knock off or just an upgraded model not yet branded an IPOD? Like in the world of e-cigs almost all of them are made under one roof with the labels/packaging being done for different company's in different shifts. I love it when the knockoffs are of better quality and at cheaper prices. Oh, yeah this is America we only buy the name brand stuff because it has to be better to carry a company logo. That must be why we pay more, for the quality. Like wireless telephone service or cable. The big companies must offer better service that is why they cost so much, no use letting the local cable company provide you with the same cable channels as well as the local channels for 1/4 the price. HAHAHAHAHA I LOVE BRANDING, I am in sales after all.

 

[Hagbard Jones]

From Electronic cigarette - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

History

The electronic cigarette was first developed with a registered patent, in April 2003 by SBT Co. Ltd., a Beijing based company, which is now controlled by the Golden Dragon Group Ltd. In 2004, Ruyan took over the project to further develop the emerging technology. Ruyan officially absorbed SBT Co. Ltd. and their name was changed to SBT RUYAN Technology & Development Co., Ltd. Already in May 2004, Ruyan sold the first electronic cigarette in China. In its first 3 years of production, SBT RUYAN saw steady increases in sales, from $13 million HKD ($1.7 million USD) in 2004 to $136 million HKD ($17 million USD) in 2005, and $286 million HKD ($37 million USD) in 2006.[7]

In April 2006, the electronic cigarette was brought to Europe, and officially launched at the "RUYAN" Overseas Promotion Conference in Austria.[8] After its introduction, this product was adapted to the European market and marketed in UK as the "Electro ...". In 2007, Reuters visited SBT RUYAN in Beijing, which drew media attention to the technology. According to Matt Salmon, president of the recently formed Electronic Cigarette Association, the total number of e-cigarette users was estimated to be 300,000 in October 2009, based on survey results. In his opinion, Salmon added, the actual figure was in excess of that.[9]


Golden Dragon still produces some of the finest e-cigarettes too.

 

[tmbrown327]

Is that $18 IPOD a knock off or just an upgraded model not yet branded an IPOD? Like in the world of e-cigs almost all of them are made under one roof with the labels/packaging being done for different company's in different shifts. I love it when the knockoffs are of better quality and at cheaper prices. Oh, yeah this is America we only buy the name brand stuff because it has to be better to carry a company logo. That must be why we pay more, for the quality. Like wireless telephone service or cable. The big companies must offer better service that is why they cost so much, no use letting the local cable company provide you with the same cable channels as well as the local channels for 1/4 the price. HAHAHAHAHA I LOVE BRANDING, I am in sales after all.

As far as I could tell, it was just a knockoff, much like the 'rolex' watches. Very good representation on the outside, but the inside may or may not be of the same quality. I already have an ipod, so I wasn't interested in trying it out. Good luck trying to return it once you leave the store sort of thing.

 

[Hagbard Jones]

As far as I could tell, it was just a knockoff, much like the 'rolex' watches. Very good representation on the outside, but the inside may or may not be of the same quality. I already have an ipod, so I wasn't interested in trying it out. Good luck trying to return it once you leave the store sort of thing.

I have not had a single item not replaced from a Chinese seller. To be more exact I have never had a question asked about a return except if it is okay to send replacement with next order. Chinese are 100% serious about their professional reputations. This is why almost any e-cig company will replace an atomizer or battery, so will their supplier.

 

[tmbrown327]

I have not had a single item not replaced from a Chinese seller. To be more exact I have never had a question asked about a return except if it is okay to send replacement with next order. Chinese are 100% serious about their professional reputations. This is why almost any e-cig company will replace an atomizer or battery, so will their supplier.

I think you're confusing what I was saying with e-cig stuff. This was just my experience while I was in China, and visiting stalls/stores on non e-cig related stuff. I'd be lucky if I could even find the same stall/store, let alone convince them that they were the ones that sold me something (you have to see one of these places to believe it). My e-cig experience with Chinese vendors through the mail has been good to excellent in all respects.