Vapers' Hell

[Cocoa-nut]

Know something guys? I've fully embraced vaping as a healthier alternative to smoking, but where I am right now, I find that it's really oppressive if you're a vaper and the government doesn't get that what I'm trying to do is better for me.

Imagine you're somewhere where they make a billion bucks a year on tax revenue from tobacco products, constantly mouth platitudes about the evils of smoking, yet casually dismiss a possibly healthier alternative to smoking like vaping.
Dismissal is fine, but when that dismissal comes with a policy that actively seeks and persecutes vapers, I find it incredibly hypocritical.

I'm a smoker and I love it. What I do hate is the known evils. I don't particularly want to continue to harm my body with crap.
so vaping's my alternative. Tax it, make it illegal to minors or make it only available by prescription. All that's fine by me.

Just stop persecuting vapers.

 

[zapped]

where are u from exactly?

 

[Cocoa-nut]

Singapore tightens tobacco control measures - Channel NewsAsia

 

[zuzette]

This article is very poorly written. Do you take it to mean e-cigs are now banned in Singapore? That sucks my friend.

 

[Cocoa-nut]

It is isn't it? What is shows is that there's a rather large gap in understanding what e-cigs are and what they are perceived to be.

Local policy also actively persecutes vapers. You cannot vape even in areas where smoking is allowed. Essentially you aren't allowed to vape period. Gear going through customs is also checked and impounded, with the addressed location marked and black-listed. Local suppliers are persecuted with fines and the possibility of jail time. Vapers have their gear confiscated and are fined for a first time offense.

 

[Kopfstimmen]

That really sucks... Sorry to hear that.

 

[eagarcia123]

that sure sucks, I have plans to take a trip to singapore and now I know what to leave behind. thank god im not nic addicted anymore, I just do it for the flavor. personally, I can see an e cig ban spread far more in the near future. im sure these politicians know e cigs are far less harmful but we do live in a time where the cig industry has the money to bribe and find ways to bring in bogus reports. e cigs are a potential threat to cig companies profit. its a smart move on the cig industry, but the government is real stupid for falling for it and making a bad choice

 

[Cocoa-nut]

that sure sucks, I have plans to take a trip to singapore and now I know what to leave behind. thank god im not nic addicted anymore, I just do it for the flavor. personally, I can see an e cig ban spread far more in the near future. im sure these politicians know e cigs are far less harmful but we do live in a time where the cig industry has the money to bribe and find ways to bring in bogus reports. e cigs are a potential threat to cig companies profit. its a smart move on the cig industry, but the government is real stupid for falling for it and making a bad choice

Financially speaking, governments stand to make a lot of tax revenue on tobacco, removing the dependence on traditional tobacco products would weaken Big Tobacco and also the government's tax revenue. I know I'd like to see far more research on ecigs and it's related effects, but there should be at least some interim legislation rather than a blanket ban and persecution against vapers.

If users of tobacco products are not persecuted, why should the users of ecigs be?

 

[UKGingerBread]

personally, I can see an e cig ban spread far more in the near future. im sure these politicians know e cigs are far less harmful but we do live in a time where the cig industry has the money to bribe and find ways to bring in bogus reports. e cigs are a potential threat to cig companies profit. its a smart move on the cig industry, but the government is real stupid for falling for it and making a bad choice

It's another sad case of "follow the money" . Noone that has any power wants to upset the status quo. As it is now the Governments save money from people dying from smoking related disease (pension funds, and welfare costs for elderly people) they also make a *staggering* amount of revenue from taxes on tobacco. In the UK the Government rakes in £9billionish a year from tobacco taxes. Which is a mighty big hole you'd need to plug (especially if you like bailing out banks) in your budget if say a 1/3rd of smokers switched to vaping.

As well as that tobacco companies give money to political parties and wine and dine politicians in return for favours.

Pharmaceutical companies have a dog in this race as well and do their share of wining and dining (they've renamed it lobbying these days, something to do with meeting in hotel lobbies perhaps) as it's in the interests of companies that produce both the NRT rubbish (that's as effective as not using them at all) and also medicines and treatments, often very costly, to treat smoking related diseases, as less people using their ineffective quitting treatments, and less people getting sick and dying and requiring specialised care would seriously dent their pockets as well.

Politicians the world over and of all political persuasions have got very good at media spin, and at getting and staying elected, and fighting elections, and a lot less good at representing the people who voted them into office to do what they said they would do when they were campaigning.

I might be an old cynic, but that's pretty much how things are imo.

There are and always will be ways around things, if vaping is prohibited it will go 'underground' and a black market will spring up to supply the demand, (see the alcohol prohibition or our currently loony drug laws for other examples) Or you'll still be able to buy PV's but not juice with any nicotine in it (which you'd order from the internet from an offshore company, or get from a bloke in the pub, under the counter)

It's sad to see that something that could actually save a lot of peoples lives, and improve the quality of lots of peoples lives isn't being championed by quit smoking groups as a smoking cessation method and being helped onto the marketplace, which I think it should be.