Katherine Heigl was on tv with hers. And Catherine Zeta-Jones has been using one for 3 months, but she hasn't been speaking out about e-cigs. I think Lindsey Lohan (?) might also have been photographed using one. And Johnny Depp used one in a movie I've heard about but haven't seen.
If we think of "famous and respected" as a non-Hollywood person who is respected for their logical thought and reason, I don't know of anyone who fits that category and is advocating for e-cigs. But I didn't know Rush was advocating for them, either, because I don't listen to his show.
Good question.
I'm thinking along the lines you are. Public opinion and public perception is often swayed by seeing people they like or respect advocating for or against something.
I'd actually like to see "60 Minutes" do a story, and
really dig into it and put the actual facts out there for people.
"It's true the FDA hasn't approved them as a smoking cessation device, however they haven't banned them as unsafe, either, because their study did not find anything any more unsafe in them than what is in nicotine patches. They are regulating them as tobacco products, and by 2013 or so, they'll be taxing them as such.
I'm here today at the Windy City vaping club, where 90% of the people in the room used to be heavy smokers but have used these devices to stop smoking. The other 10% have generally cut down to a few cigarettes a day or week. And they all say they'd never go back to their 1, 2, or 3 pack per day habits and feel great.
'Izabella, tell us about your experience with electronic cigarettes...'"
