Dear Professor Hahn,
I am sure you've been receiving many emails lately about this. Before I go on, let me personally apologize for any extra burden on your inbox my email causes. If you do read this, it is very appreciated.
That being said, I feel it is important for me to give you my account on this side of the story. I was a smoker for years. Throughout high school sporadically and more consistently towards my senior year and freshman year of college. I have been "vaping" (term used to separate e-cig users from traditional smokers) for over a week now and I can say I haven't had the urge to smoke since. I fully understand my addiction to nicotine and honestly accept it because I feel it makes my life more enjoyable. When I heard of a way to enjoy my habit without tar and without the 4000 or higher toxic substance found in cigarette smoke or the heavy metals found in oral tobacco, I jumped in. Of course I did the research, which took me anywhere from 3 to 6 months with varying levels of concentration before I made the decision.
I found that, while not completely safe, the damaging effects of electronic cigarettes shows to be much less than that of traditional cigarettes and the term cigarette in "electronic cigarette" is very misleading. While quality control seems to be lacking currently, fair regulation on these products would only help to make them much safer.
That being said, I would fear a ban on these devices in my state more than I would fear death. The ban would hurt the progress of these devices into something safer and would cause nearly all users to have to resort to traditional cigarettes or other tobacco products. I do not think I have to describe the effects this would cause. It not only affects users, but also helps strengthen "Big Tobacco" which like you, I wholeheartedly despise. We're fighting for the same cause Professor, but I can't fully deny my moral objection to restricting choice for consenting adults. I'd like to see myself as an ally for your cause, but I, like many others, can only do so if the tools of this war are morally acceptable.
In a way, this ban would be a death sentence, a slow and painful one caused by the tobacco products I would be forced to go back to if I were denied the right to purchase my "vaping" supplies. Knowing how I feel about the subject, I have to help my fellow Americans from Kentucky. I know if such a movement against these devices were present in my own state, which is starting to gain momentum here and New York, I would hope others from other states would help fight it too. I, speaking for many, would not be opposed to stricter regulations though. This would mean many benefits that are currently denied from manufacture in other countries and shrewd businessmen looking to make a quick buck.
I humbly implore you to reconsider your stance on these devices. I do not want to die from tobacco related causes for my habit, which is now much cleaner and promisingly healthier than the other alternatives out on the market thanks to electronic cigarettes.
I hope you find it in your heart to see where we, as responsible adults, are coming from. You'd be saving many more lives than you would from helping to ban these products in your state or country.
Again, thank you for your time reading this, I hope you've gained a little more insight to the minds of "vapers" and the effects a ban can cause. I truly appreciate it and hope your other campaigns work well.
Best regards,
J...
