I watched the Minneapolis city counsel meeting. They have health officials, physicians, nurses, restaurant association representatives, hotel association representatives, building owner association representatives, and all other kinds of other reputable and seemingly knowledgeable people spouting nonsense about the horrible effects of 2nd and even 3rd hand exposure to e-cigarette vapor. The proponents of public vaping do not have impressive credentials, are not persuasive, are not particularly articulate, are not well organized, have no apparent constituency, and are not well prepared. The mantra, "it's all about the chiiiildren" is working. "We don't know what's in them is working." "They are not regulated" is working. "Gateway effect" is working. "Middle school and high school use has tripled" is working. "The flavors appeal to chiiiildren is working." "There are toxins in the vapor" is working. "Nicotine is highly addictive" is working. "Normalization" is working. It's all working extremely well for the ANTZ, it's superficially persuasive, and nothing we say seems the least bit effective to rebut it.
Watching all of this unfold almost brings me to tears when I think of the millions upon millions of smokers who face continued marginalization and ridicule if they dare to try e-cigarettes.
Watching all of this unfold almost brings me to tears when I think of the millions upon millions of smokers who face continued marginalization and ridicule if they dare to try e-cigarettes.