Nicotine in the cross hairs.

[skoony]

Interesting article.
The prohibitionists have nicotine in their cross-hairs | Transform: Getting Drugs Under Control
Regards
Mike

 

[Vaslovik]

Well it's a very good article! The prohibitionists have once again validated Mark Twain, when he said "Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits." Nicotine is no more harmful than caffeine, but of course they don't care about that, they are going after something they themselves don't do and know nothing about, vaping. Because it's not something they do it has to be evil, so they ramp up the crusade against it out of ignorance and prejudice.

Pushing this along are the state governments and corporations who are losing big money to vaping and desperately want to make it into the cash cow that smoking has been for them via taxation. Pursuant to this end they will support the ignorant hatred directed at vaping, and use any lie they can cook up against it to justify draconian regulation and oppressive taxation.

Health effects are completely irrelevant in this crusade, it's just about the money.

 

[Bob Chill]

The reasons for anti-vaping/anti-nic are numerous and blurry. And pretty stupid too. The dumbest is comparing vaping nic to smoking. They aren't even in the same universe. Vaping is more akin to oral NRT stuff and pretty much unrelated to smoking other than inhalation. But there are a lot of dummies in power and in the public eye who connect those 2 dots and all the people who don't take the time to educate themselves just accept it as truth. Eventually the real truth will become impossible to hide and there will be a lot of concessions made. Reluctant concessions of course but we are already starting to see some from some surprising sources.

At least in the USA prohibition will likely not happen on this issue. You can't have billions of pieces of nic gum and lozenges sitting on the shelves that are ok for long term use for the last 3 decades and then come back and try to ban nic. Regulatory bodies can definitely screw up the industry but a nic-less country seems very unlikely. Not to mention it's a ripe industry for taxation at multiple levels and it's stealing from tobacco revenue. Governments stand to make more money off vaping nic because users will live much longer too. lol

No matter what happens here or anywhere in the world over the next few years, I strongly believe that vaping is the real future of nicotine use over the long term and over-regulation will shift to de-regulation over time. Similar to speed limits, gambling, and things like what is going on in CO.

The wild west free market we're in now will be referred to as the "good ole days" and I'm really glad I got a chance to experience them.

 

[Kent C]

The benefits of nicotine far outweigh the negatives. Unlike many other 'certified' drugs.

 

[Vaslovik]

The reasons for anti-vaping/anti-nic are numerous and blurry..

Oh it's not blurry at all. It's just about the money.

 

[DrMA]

Oh it's not blurry at all. It's just about the money.

Money & hate for anything that may be fun

 

[nicnik]

Oh it's not blurry at all. It's just about the money.

I think the other reasons mentioned are part of it, but that the money factor is the biggest, and the only one without which, there would be very little in the way of obstacles thrown at vaping.

 

[rico942]

hate for anything that may be fun

Hopefully they won't reproduce ...

 

[Kent C]

These "experts" ought to take up another cause. This one, for example - basically within their own field in many cases.

Researchers: Medical errors now third leading cause of death in United States

"The CDC should update its vital statistics reporting requirements so that physicians must report whether there was any error that led to a preventable death, Makary said.

"We all know how common it is," he said. "We also know how infrequently it’s openly discussed.""

Yep. The 'openly discuss' by attacking something that saves lives vs. sticking their head in the sand about their own kind who kill people.

 

[Bob Chill]

Oh it's not blurry at all. It's just about the money.

Money is a big one of course. But there is a slew of other motivations. The one that bothers me the most (way more than the money side) is the nanny staters that think they know what is best for me and my children and think I'm incapable of making informed decisions for myself and my family. They have this sick sense of civic duty to make decisions for me and treat me like an idiot. Makes me see red just typing this.

The other thing that bugs me is ignorance. Social media is probably the worst thing that's happened in decades in regards to spreading complete crap at lightning speed and it instantly becomes fact. Social media definitely has plenty of positives but man does it spread complete garbage and even intelligent people get swayed by it.

My political views have really changed over the years. I've become much more Libertarian than anything else and I'm proud to admit it. I really like Gary Johnson. Some of his views are too extreme of course but when it comes to the individual, I can't imagine many free thinkers disagreeing with him on anything. Here's a couple quotes that I wish the 2 party system would embrace on both sides:

"I think that the best that government can do for you and I as individuals is to empower you and I to make decisions that only you and I should make. Gary Johnson"

"I'll be the first one to admit that if I have conclusions based on faulty premises, then let me know about that, and I'll be the first one to change it. Gary Johnson"

"I think very fundamentally to being Libertarian is not having a social agenda. I accept who you are and the life that you live as long as your life does not adversely affect mine. Gary Johnson"

His view on the role of Government perfectly describes mine as well.

"Johnson believes the "government should protect the value of individuals and their civil liberties" and "should not intervene in the private lives of individual citizens unnecessarily. Personal liberty and freedom from unwarranted governmental control or regulation should allow law-abiding individuals to pursue their own desires as long as they are not causing harm to other people." He believes the role of government is to "protect us from individuals who might or do us harm," but "should be out of our lives for the most part." He believes "our civil liberties are being eroded" and that Americans are "giving up [their] civil rights in the name of fear."

 

[choochoogranny]

Agreed, Bob Chill, with the exception of "giving up [their] civil rights in the name of fear."

Think people are willing to give it up as well as their privacy for FREE STUFF....be it Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Unemployment Ins., Food Stamps, etc., etc., etc.

Anyone or anything that controls your income from wherever....... controls just how much liberty you have.

 

[Kent C]

Money is a big one of course. But there is a slew of other motivations.

As I've said many times before - 'control' is often a bigger factor than money. In fact, control of the politics, is the only way - through gov't - that you can get control of the money. In the truly free market, the only way you can get money is by producing good quality products at market prices. That's not the case with gov't or with the 3 and 4 letter agencies or companies (crony fascist types) who get money from gov't to exist - it's more about who you know and how you can control that flow of money.

People who say "it's all about the money", don't understand how controlling the politics is how the money is gotten. Which only emphasizes that it's more about 'control'. But 'it's all about the money' is a better sound bite

 

[Bob Chill]

Great post, Kent. It's such a slippery slope and one thing about Gov control is the transmission of the regulatory motor doesn't have a reverse gear. Free choices and free markets get picked off one by one. The same people that support anti-"anything" only do so because they think it's ok and it won't effect them in a negative way. But those same people would scream bloody murder if something did.

A good example would be a home brewer who loves his beer but thinks vaping is terrible and might "hurt the children". It's easy to be on a ban vaping bandwagon but what if the Gov decides home brewing should be illegal and proposes a ban? A sober guy who hates alcohol but loves muscle cars would support that no problem. But what if the Gov proposes regulation to restrict horsepower to under 300 and requires governers to be installed on all cars limiting speed to the speed limit?

Supporting anything that limits free choices in society is something I can never get behind even if I personally think it might be a good idea. I universally oppose all of it out of principle.

 

[Kent C]

The same people that support anti-"anything" only do so because they think it's ok and it won't effect them in a negative way.

Yep. It's the old 'they came for the ......' thing. And the people who dismiss 'the slippery slope' better get a sled. They almost always think that it will never involve them, and sometimes they're the first to go.

 

[Katya]

Don't hurt people and don't take their stuff... Why is it such a hard concept to grasp?

Sorry, I'm a foul mood. We just suffered a devastating defeat in California, EU's draconian TPD regulations come into effect on May 20, and now the FDA is about to announce their deeming regs. Do they coordinate this crap? Blitzkrieg? Carpet bombing? What's up with that?

Is anybody paying attention to the positive articles about benefits of vaping? Is anybody listening to the scientists and the vapers?

 

[choochoogranny]

Yes, Katya, I do believe they are listening to the scientists and vapers and it's the reason why they must hurry up and get their regs in place.

It's always easier to stop something from happening than it is to try and undo the mess afterwards. Takes a lot of time and lawyers/money to reverse the law.

Meanwhile the various gov.'s and very large bus. entities get to rake in a lot of money. I liken them to those in the business of vaping just to make a quick buck.......... not caring about the damage they do.

 

[Vaslovik]

Money & hate for anything that may be fun

Well yes, you are right, it's also about hate on the part of the ignorant and bigoted, which is eagerly used by BT, and the government. Many times I've been railed at and and disparaged for vaping by those to claim it's worse than smoking when they don't know anything about it, and just want to bash someone enjoying something they don't do. This includes those going into the fake coughing and sneezing act while glaring at me from a distance, and my vapor is blowing the other way and is nowhere near them, and it also includes those who go went out of their way to engineer a conflict with me over my vaping for no reason other than their hate and undifferentiated anger they needed to take out on someone, anyone. They will target you for that just for doing something they know nothing about.

I think in most cases they are just really unhappy people who need an outlet for their bottled up rage at life. Then too, there are those who can't stand to see others enjoying anything they aren't being paid for. Increasingly we are seeing the monetizing of any enjoyment at all in life. You can't enjoy that unless you PAY ME FOR IT!

Small wonder their are so many people full of anger out there...

 

[skoony]

@Vaslovik
Ditto.
Mike