[h=1]Ecigs - "Won't Someone Think Of The Children?"[/h]The anti-vaping cry of "what about the children" is shouted all too often.
It has a flip side.
Those who are against ecigs for the sake of "the children" really need to think this through a little more.
Bearing in mind a percentage of the smoking population will not be able to quit using currently "approved" NRT's and other methods, if we're going to talk about the impact of vaping and ecigs on children; consider the points below.
The following is not directed towards smokers, but those who are getting in the way of smokers switching to vaping and allowing them to reap the many benefits for themselves and consequently, for their children.
Economic
What about the children living in the household of someone who is spending huge amounts of money to feed their nicotine habit via smoking?
This is a habit that with some modification can cost up to 90% less (depending on where you live) by simply switching to vaping. This can redirect a substantial amount of money back into a household for other purposes; such as better catering to the needs of children.
Comfort
Think about the children with reddened eyes and choking in the back seats of vehicles or in lounge rooms on their parent's smoke. I remember those days very well.
Ecig vapour dissipates quickly and is usually not irritating.
Quality time
What about the children who don't get to enjoy enough quality play or other time with their parents as the parents are too tired or out of puff to fully participate as a result of their smoking?
People who switch to ecigs often experience a marked improvement in energy levels.
Stink
Think about the children whose clothes adopt the often unpleasant smell of their smoking parents.
Ecig scents also tend to dissipate rapidly.
Addiction
What about the children who are physically set up for tobacco addiction through their parents smoking?
I was probably one of those children. I lived in a house that was often heavily tainted by cigarette smoke.
However, with ecigs; so-called "second-hand" vapour contains next to no nicotine.
Health
Think about the children whose health is being negatively affected through second-hand smoke.
Second-hand ecig vapour does not carry anywhere near the risk of second-hand smoke.
Death
What about the children who have lost a parent to lung cancer or other diseases as a result of smoking?
A child without a parent is often at a disadvantage. If vaping can extend life as well as improve the quality of it; then that is worth something to not just the smoker, but also the child.
In summary..
If people want to raise the "won't someone think of the children" argument; then they are better off making it in defense of vaping, not in an attempt to abolish it. Failing to do so will only leave them with blood on their hands of smokers, and that of the next generation - the children of now.
Yes, there needs to be safeguards in place to keep ecigs out of the hands of children and any responsible vaper takes the necessary steps. Yes, the industry needs to also play its role in this regard.
However, banning ecigs based on "what about the children" arguments is throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
This generation could be the last generation of smokers - if ecigs are given the chance and support they deserve. I believe history will judge electronic cigarettes as one of the greatest inventions of the 21st century.
The focus of discussion around switching to ecigs should be one about harm minimisation benefits rather than forcing a utopian result in a less than utopian environment - the world we live in.
Like all long journeys, the road to quitting begins with a single step and vaping is a step that can have benefits for all; including children.
