My real feelings are that there's no need to nerf the whole world and maybe it's not so bad to let darwin clean the gene pool... But the fact is consumers expect to see the warnings, and it's easy for anyone who gets the power to regulate to demand such labels... and the fact of the matter is, when ANTZ argue the lack of such labeling, most people think, "Hmmm. You know. That's right. There's a label on my windex - there's a label on my laundry soap - there's a label on every package of everything I buy for every reason I have to buy stuff. Why is there no such label on the stuff those vapers are using? What are they trying to hide?"
2 different brands of eLiquid sitting in front of me right now (here in the unregulated market). Both have labels on them.
Both labels contain contents/ingredients. If anyone wishes for me to post these, I will.
Both labels say "made in the USA."
One label says: Not to be used by persons under the age of 18. Keep out of reach of pets and children. Harmful or fatal if swallowed.
The other label says: Nicotine is a poison, DO NOT SWALLOW. If swallowed, seek medical advice immediately. In case of contact with the eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of cold water and seek medical advice. Nicotine is addictive. (And elsewhere on the same label) Intended for ADULT Use ONLY
Couple this with the fact that 2 industry organizations that deal with standards have both been cited in this thread, and thus do exist. So, there are such labels on the stuff vapers are using, but it is not required.
If I go to a house of DIY vaper and these labels don't exist, is that a problem? I mean what happens when just one DIY has a problem?
Or when we make people go black market to get their liquid, like we do with kids, and it is not properly labeled, is that a problem?
Currently standards are proving to be a plausible solution to the perceived lack of safety that comes with liquid and currently we live in a world where bottles of eLiquid are labeled with pretty much the same type of labels we see on other products.
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Was going to make another post, but this one is fine to essentially continue point I made above. The way I see the kid issue, in simplified terms that I think anyone can understand is:
1 - If the product is (to some degree) harmful for kids, then it is very likely (to some degree) harmful for adults. The risk factor is likely very similar for say a 16 year old and 19 year old. Therefore, it it makes abundant sense to ban to 16 year old, it makes equal sense to ban to adults.
2 - If the product, containing nicotine, is addictive and could be a problem for those not already addicted to nicotine, then this is equally accurate for adults. Vaping vendors, in the US, cannot market themselves with claims of smoking cessation. As much as some (or even majority of) vapers think you ought to only be allowed to vape if you previously smoked, we don't live in that reality. So if 28 year old who never smoked before wants to vape, they can, and they may get addicted. If there is going to be no sleep lost after that 28 year old develops dependence/addiction to nicotine from vaping, I submit that there will be very little sleep lost over the many teens currently vaping nicotine and developing plausible addiction to nicotine.
3 - This idea that kids are less developed / under informed is mostly to entirely ageism. It for sure has some merit, but very very little. It is this point that (so called) adults fall back on when the other points in this discussion aren't working. It is one they can usually win on, for sure with kids (who don't know better) and with other adults who don't care to know better. But it is literally blatant discrimination against a segment of people under the false guise of "protection." I am quite prepared to have this debate should anyone care to go here.
4 - The ban to kids is why vaping will always be a problem and always have inroads for ANTZ to present / legislate more (of the same) rhetoric against vaping industry / vapers. Failure to recognize this or refusal to look at this indicates naivete to the nth degree. It is why a ban to adults or heavy restrictions makes sense if you carry the rationale to its logical conclusion.
5 - Kids are going to vape. As long as adults are allowed, kids will be vaping in an underground market. So, either kids are developed enough to make such decisions or adults are not developed enough to realize they have created a dangerous market for kids. Probably a little bit of both. That some kids are going to vape zero nic and some adults have issue with this, helps show the irony of who is acting like child and who is making responsible decisions in this paradigm.
