Here are some debating points for anybody that finds them useful. The science is so trashed it's pointless to quibble about it so I try to use logic, for instance,
1. Nicotine patches, gum, and losenges are nocitne delivery devices that have been avialble over the counter for the last 19 years. We don't read about any problems with those, addiction or otherwise. The nocitine in ecigs is no more habit forming than any of those others. It only appears that way because ecigs are more enjoyble than the other systems, including cigarettes. Cigarettes are more habit forming because of things they contain in addition to nicotine.
2. Adults who never smoked are not becoming habitual vapors. Kids who never smoked will experiment but they won't become habitual either. Anybody who tries vaping first and then tries smoking will find cigarettes taste awful. Vaping is an anti-gateway. The kids who become habitual vapers will be the same as adults, dealing with a prior smoking issue and trying to avoid relapse.
3. No retailer should sell anything to any kid if their parents might not approve so make a law about that but a kid shouldn't have to wait until he's 18 to quit smoking with the only method that's currently effective. I bet kids can buy and use nicotine patches and gum. Can you spell h-y-p-o-c-r-i-t-e?
4. What I notice is that nicotine seems to be about as habit forming as caffine. I could stop drinking coffee but why? I would probably relapse back to drinking it beause it is enjoyable and doing me no harm. I could stop vaping too but why? If I couldn't vape for some reason I'd probably relapse to cigarettes as I did several times in my life.
5. The FDA should proceed cautiousy because they could blunder us into a drug war. Vaping is more than a habit or a hobby. It's a movement. That's because of a pattern of government hostility towards a bunch of people who have improved their own lives without asking the government to do anything except .... out.
1 - I never remember someone addicted or even having the habit of using patches, gums or losenges. They are very $$ and horrible. No one would like to use it unless needed.
2 - I dont have any data on it, but its safe to assume that some people that never smoked tried vaping. Its possible, as with any novelty. If vaping become so mainstream as near as tobacco, you can bet some % of population will jump directly to vape. If it is an adult choice, its okay.
3 - On my country kids buy alcohol and cigs without issues, yet ecigs are banned. Kids should be restricted its a no brainer.
4 - Very much. I suffered a flu like symptom for weeks after heavy smoke cessation. I believe this was mostly related to cig addictives and other tobacco alkaloids. When on cigs i have a very powerful crave and sense of relief after smoking. I dont feel this way anymore, and even on 18mg, i dont feel a strong urge to vape, i can stay several hours without it. Clearly nicotine alone doesnt provide the same level of addictiness of burned tobacco.
5 - Whatever happens, there will be a war, it already started, but FDA, governments, BT and BF dont know exactly what to do; they cant really kill it with a move. A very powerful and present culture established around the Europe and US.
It will be hard to do much, because you cant tax the hardware; someone could manufature simple parts and use it, its not space science. You can overtax nicotine and liquids, but some people could just, with properly tools, extract nicotine from tobacco with little effort, and in great amounts per price.
The health excuse allowed governments to heavily tax tobacco and gain free money over addicts. It will be hard to justify same taxing over a now damaging product or on worst case, damage reduction product. BT wants regulation, and it will sell it crap cig-a-like products with heavy tax, but who cares? The vaping comunity is based on countless people vaping on different hardware and liquid to fit each own needs.
