Although I understand that choices might be limited, and prices might be higher, I wonder how much that would reduce the number of new vapers.
I think it really depends on the market. Right now the controversy in the press is attracting more rebellious younger demographic and probably repelling those that might be older, less interested or have less access to the internet. Their information sources would be print media, tv and advertising. I've heard multiple times that getting on the internet was the source of information for vaping. If a person doesn't do that, all they know comes from Blu (etc) or WebMD, etc.
A lot of people start vaping to save money, or other reasons and quitting is not their goal. It may become their goal but that's not why they are at attracted to it at first. If any of these things are reduced it will reduce the number of new vapers.
The black market is not a solution. I also question how available the black market is in reality. It seems to me that if one develops and is accessable to most, then the laws against it also increase until it becomes too risky and it's unaccessable again. There's also a large segment fueled by new devices (vape mail) and that wouldn't continue. That's already going to cut into growth. It's just not as exciting to vape the same old nasty tobacco flavor as it is (who ever's) new flavor, etc. Most day's see FT (as one example) introducing several new clones AND several new atty's. Kanger barely logs 6 months before issuing new designs.
What's even more crazy IMO, have been the comments about the 'wild, wild west'. Isn't that another name for the "free market"? That's a bad joke.
I'm not sure where I saw it, but it was a listing of the features that supported proof why ecigs were marketed toward kids and went beyond flavors, such as "less throat hit" (i don't like TH), different eliquid delivery and amounts (customizable), etc. So it's not just flavors but all of the 2nd and 3rd generation of devices. The FDA has to appear to be willing to work with the vaping community, but I suspect it's a thin skin.
We do have to address this public health issue, one way or another. None of it makes sense IMO. Most smokers want to quit. Most approved NRT / tobacco cessation products are not helpful or successful. Most of the press releases, doctor's information and Senate hearings seem to fail to mention the actual statistic are poor in comparison to smokers who want to quit.
"unwilling or unable to quit" blames the product's failure on smokers. I think that's got a public health consequence too. I had given up trying to quit when I plucked down $100 on my first ecig. I did it because it was cheaper than smoking and I could do it in non-smoking areas. I had no intention of quitting. Another "acciedental quitter". The first week I dropped to less than a half a pack for the whole week. That was close to a miracle. No NRT product ever put a dent in my smoking before and there was nothing I hadn't tried, some even more than once.
Yes, it was possible to increase my nicotine needs through use of NRT products. I discovered that the hard way and I think it's easy to assume that technically it's possible with ecigs too. However what the FDA / CDC fail to take into account is that most smokers want to quit whether they try vaping to quit or not. Once I figured out my nicotine habit was increasing, I stopped using NRT. Later I kept an eye on how much I was smoking, whether I could go for longer periods without nicotine, and other self measures.
There is no more risk of increasing a nicotine habit from ecigs as there is from any other NRT. If anything, an ecig user is less likely to increase because so many more of the behaviors are duplicated beyond just the nicotine.
The flavors are a big draw. You can't tell me that major manufacturers haven't done studies between adults and kids. There was one article (not scientific) from Jelly Belly showing adults liked complex flavors like vanilla, carmel, coconut, coffee, cinnamon (that would include gummy bears) and kids liked simple flavors like cherry and grape. Flavor manufacturers are notoriously secretive, but someone must have data on that. There are reams of product development surrounding inhancing flavors for ecigs. What are the top sellers of eliquid?
My number one reason for initially reaching for a pv rather than a cig was the flavor. I know in the routine counseling for quitting to smoke there is the suggestion to "change brands of cigarettes" before the quit date to reduce the addiction to a particular tobacco flavor. They know flavors are important to adults.
I hate being on the defensive all the time. I'd like to hear the FDA / CDC defend NRT approval that has less than a 10% success rate and what other medical condition do they approve products with such poor results. I am tired of hearing blanket comments of their success at the end of everything. I think they need to be more truthful.
Maybe if we can put this in a more realistic light that there really isn't many alternatives for smokers who want to quit, that might help the public health arguement.
The other thing about dual use; with dual use reduction is permissable. So if someone has a cigarette it's not the same as failure. That way they are still trying to quit 24/7. It's a continual process.
