E-Cigarette and Vaping News

Vaping Manufacturers and Vendors to Sue the FDA

August 1, 2016

The Food and Drug Administration (otherwise known as the FDA) has found itself faced with a lawsuit. The suit has been brought by an outfit called The Right to Be Smoke-Free Coalition, made up of a number of e-cigarette manufacturers and sellers. These include Ruthless and Vapor Shark among 11 plaintiffs in total.

The case has been brought because those involved disagree with the regulations created by the FDA with regard to developing new vaping products. They also believe the ‘one size fits all’ idea is unsuitable when it comes to smaller manufacturers.

According to information in the news this week, the FDA believes every new product would require around $500,000 of investment to go through the regulatory process, including getting it ready to go to market. However, this has been disputed by independent analysts, who believe the cost could be double this or more. This means the big tobacco companies looking to get into the vaping industry to protect their profits would be able to further dominate the market. In contrast, smaller manufacturers would likely be unable to afford to continue.

The Right to Be Smoke-Free Coalition points out that it wants ‘reasonable and responsible laws’ – and clearly it does not believe the current laws and regulations fall into this bracket. Since it is early days and the suit has only just been filed, it remains to be seen whether it gets the results the coalition would like to see.

We’ll be watching closely to see what happens. However, we’d like to hear your thoughts on the matter. Do you believe the industry is becoming over-regulated, both here and in the USA? Do you think smaller companies and businesses should still be able to create and sell products without such high investment required to meet the demands of the law?

Public Health England Releases E-Cigarettes Advice

July 25, 2016

A report released by Public Health England (PHE) last year contains good news for anyone out there who uses electronic cigarettes. The headline news from this report confirms that electronic cigarettes are at a minimum 95% safer than smoking regular cigarettes. This report was issued in August 2015.

Now they have come up with more guidance on the “use of e-cigarettes in public places and workplaces”. This was first published on 6th July 2016 and as you might guess, it has already received plenty of headlines.

The annual cost of smoking

According to Public Health England, around £13.9 billion is lost each year in association with smoking. This takes into account lost working days because people are ill, as well as the cost of treating them.

Aiming for a new generation that does not use tobacco

Public Health England certainly does believe that switching from smoking to using e-cigarettes could help many people quit the habit altogether. They have estimated that around 2.8 million people throughout Great Britain now vape to some extent. Most of these are either smokers looking to cut down or quit, or people who have used the e-cigs to help them quit already. PHE also pointed out that there is a growing body of evidence that indicates vaping can help smokers quit the habit.

They have set a remarkable goal for themselves to ensure a new generation of youngsters will be completely tobacco-free by the time 2025 rolls around. Whether they achieve that or not remains to be seen, but clearly they do want to support the use of e-cigarettes when it comes to helping people quit smoking.

The difference between vaping E-Cigarettes and smoking regular cigarettes

This is pointed out as the first of five principles their update includes when focusing on the use of e-cigs in workplaces and in other public areas. We’ve noticed there has sometimes been a knee-jerk reaction in banning vaping in public places, just as cigarettes are banned from being smoked in these areas. However, if vaping is far safer than smoking, and it has the potential to make smoking less normal in society, it could be something that should be allowed rather than banned.

The idea of the principles included in the report is to guide those who make policies on such matters. They also point out that vapour is released by those using electronic cigarettes, and this has led some to assume it is just as dangerous as the second-hand smoke experienced by those who are near smokers. Again, it is a knee-jerk reaction – despite much evidence that says vaping is nowhere near as dangerous as smoking. Remember the fact given near the start of this article – the fact that PHE says vaping is at least 95% safer than smoking.

Indeed, they go on to say policies should be created with the aim of discouraging people from smoking and supporting them to quit. Surely this would be easier if vaping was allowed in public places, and more information was provided for those who were unsure about the consequences of vaping on health?

They also point out that it is easy to tell whether someone is smoking or vaping, even though the cloud of vapour might initially cause someone to wonder. The distinctive smell of smoke gives away a smoker very easily indeed. On the other hand, vaping can have quite a nice aroma, and it certainly doesn’t create any ash like a cigarette does.

Focusing on the options

The idea of vaping in public places is still odd for some. Obviously, a lot can depend on whether or not you vape. Sometimes you might feel perfectly able to vape in a public location, and at other times the ban will be only too obvious.

The good news is it seems as though Public Health England support the idea of vaping in general. They certainly believe there is an opportunity to help and support smokers who want to quit by encouraging the switch to electronic cigarettes. Indeed, many tobacco companies are hastily buying up e-cig manufacturers and creating their own products. They can see the potential for future smokers to drop in number as e-cigs provide a safer alternative.

Yes, there is still nicotine involved when you use an e-cig. But let’s be real here – cigarettes include hundreds of other nasties that e-cigs do not have. So there is a real opportunity to stop smoking in a much easier way than ever before. Furthermore, it is good to see PHE encouraging positivity around the topic. It looks as though a nation of vapers could save them money after all – not to mention potentially saving lives.

What is your opinion on this? Do you believe vaping should be allowed in all public places? Have you made the switch to e-cigs or are thinking of doing so?

Daily Mail Makes a Case for Vaping

July 14, 2016

You don’t have to look too far in the press to come across various articles on vaping. Some are more positive than others though, and recently the Daily Mail reported that vaping does seem to be better for you than smoking.

According to the article, six million people die every year from smoking. This figure applies to people around the world, and it is a stark one indeed. While electronic cigarettes still have nicotine in them, they do not have the many other carcinogens and chemicals present in them that cigarettes have. This has to be a positive thing.

How long will it take to discover how safe vaping really is?

Of course, if you vape you are still inhaling something that contains nicotine. No one would deny that. Yet tests and research have shown that electronic cigarettes do not have the same impact on health that cigarettes do.

The article in the Daily Mail pointed out the absence in e-cigs of many of the most harmful chemicals cigarettes are known to have in them. So while being a non-smoker and a non-vaper is probably the safest bet of all, it is still better to switch from smoking to vaping.

Indeed, there have also been cases where smokers have switched to vaping and have then reduced the strength of the nicotine in the e-liquids they use over time. As such, and as the Daily Mail has stated, e-cigarettes are probably one of the best ways for smokers to finally (and more easily) quit.

There has been some suggestion that the NHS may make e-cigs available for those who wish to quit. They already have a well-established Stop Smoking service, and there has been some mention of electronic cigarettes on the official NHS website. But nothing has yet occurred in this area. Watch this space…

All in all, many people are using e-cigs to help them quit, and some have swapped over to use low- or zero-nicotine e-liquids while still enjoying the process of vaping. Where do you stand on this? Do you vape? Have you given up smoking in favour of vaping? If so, does your preferred choice of e-liquid contain a high level of nicotine or have you managed to reduce it? Has it changed your life? Tell us more in the comments, and let us know whether you believe e-cigs have been one of the best devices to help you quit smoking.

Can You Vape in Pubs?

July 5, 2016

The law regarding smoking in pubs and other enclosed spaces is clear. However, there seems to be some confusion over whether it is legal to vape in pubs. E-cigs aren’t included in the Health Act 2006 that warranted the smoking ban, so where do you stand?

In reality, there is no law that says vapers cannot use electronic cigarettes in pubs. There was an attempt to ban it in Wales, but the ban didn’t go through into law. This means you are at the mercy of individual pub owners when it comes to figuring out if vaping is permitted or not.

Find out the rules prior to vaping

In the interests of politeness and common courtesy, it makes sense to ask the owner of a pub whether it’s okay to vape before you do so. Some publicans are more than happy to permit it. In fact, it’s not unheard of for some of them to sell vaping refills and other associated equipment. It gives them a shot at some extra sales, after all.

However, if a publican has decided to ban vaping in their pub, you must adhere to that ban. If you don’t – despite the fact it is not illegal to vape in a public house – you’re essentially breaking the rules of that establishment and you could be asked to leave. If you don’t, you are trespassing.

Clearly, the best bet is to ask first and vape later, rather than assuming it is fine to vape. There are plenty of pubs that do allow it, so it’s best to try and find ones that do instead of insisting on vaping when the rules in a particular pub forbid it.

What’s your experience?

How have you fared in this area? Do you regularly vape in pubs or have you come up against bans?

Drop in Number of US High School Students Smoking

June 27, 2016

A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (otherwise known as the CDC) has revealed smoking among high school students dropped to its lowest level for nearly a quarter of a century last year. The National Youth Risk Behavior Survey in the US has been conducted since 1991, when 27.5% of high school students were found to smoke cigarettes. This increased steadily throughout the first few years of the survey, reaching a peak of 36.4% – over a third of students – in 1997. However, apart from one blip in 2005, the percentage has dropped steadily since then.

The percentage was 15.7% in 2013, and by the time the study took place in 2015, the figure had dropped sharply to just 10.8%.

Does vaping have something to do with this?

It would appear to, yes. The most recent study included questions about vaping for the first time, and the answers were telling. According to the results, 24% of high school students confirmed they’d used e-cigs in the past month.

However, the ‘last 30 days’ question doesn’t give room to indicate whether those who answered yes had only tried vaping once, or whether they vaped every single day. As such, it only indicates the overall presence of vaping in high schools in America.

Laws prevent easy vaping among the young

Federal laws have been introduced to make sure minors cannot easily get hold of electronic cigarettes legally any more. State laws have also been changed in some areas, making it tougher for students and other young people to get access to these products.

While it is very early days for these laws, it does make you wonder whether the incidence of smoking in high school students could go back on the rise if vaping is demonised and made very difficult to do. Time and time again, it has been found that vaping is safer than smoking. There is little evidence to suggest kids who try vaping then move on to smoke instead. In reality, it is much more likely to be the other way around.

Suffice to say, we await the next study in 2017 with great interest. Will the figures for smoking among high school students be lower still – and will this be due to the fact they can vape instead? What are your thoughts? Should vaping be banned for minors?

Department of Transport Faces Lawsuit Over Vaping Ban on Airplanes

June 21, 2016

If you’ve flown to or from the US recently, you will know you cannot legally vape on an airplane. This is due to a recently-added regulation that prohibits anyone using electronic cigarettes on any US-bound or departing airplane. Furthermore, you cannot even have any in your luggage, even if it’s not in your hand luggage.

Now a group of lawyers has initiated a lawsuit against the Department of Transportation in America. They believe the DOT does not have the power to issue a ban of this kind. They are also quick to stress they are not challenging the use or ban of vaping products on planes.

What’s the difference?

Julie Woessner, the executive director for CASAA – the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association – points out that cigarettes are rightly banned because they have to be lit. Electronic cigarettes do not. Since there is no combustible element involved, she believes the DOT does not have the right or the legal position to initiate such a ban.

Should vaping be banned on an airplane?

This suit is not about whether vaping should be allowed or not. It’s clear that a group of lawyers has looked at the ruling and decided the DOT doesn’t possess the power needed to uphold the ruling.

It would appear many advocates for vaping would like it to be allowed on airplanes. It might also be fair to say those who do not like vaping wouldn’t want it to be allowed. While there is little to suggest vaping is harmful to those around the vaper in the same way smoking is, vaping may not be appealing to those who have to share the space around the person vaping. Remember, a plane is a sealed unit, and if vaping was allowed, there could be quite a few clouds of vapour to be seen during a flight. This wouldn’t appeal to everyone. There is also the chance people might complain, or they may even think someone is smoking.

We think most vapers would be happy to wait until they got to their destination to vape. But since they cannot even carry their vaping equipment in their checked luggage, they’re going to have quite a wait until they get to a shop that sells equipment. And then, of course, they cannot take it back home on a plane with them.

We’ll await the outcome of this lawsuit with interest.

How Will Vapers Vote in the Brexit Campaign?

June 17, 2016

Unless you have been living in self-imposed exile in a cave somewhere recently, you cannot fail to realise the day of reckoning is almost upon us. We are talking, of course, about the EU Referendum. 23rd June is the day the nation will head to the polling stations to decide on the future. Will we vote to leave the EU – the so-called Brexit – or will the majority vote to stay?

Many polls put Brexit ahead in recent days, but does anyone really know the answer? We’ll have to wait until the results are in to know for sure what people will do, but one site decided to find out whether vapers were more likely to vote to stay or to leave. The survey began back in April, and some 1,200 people responded with their opinions.

Do vapers vote for Brexit?

According to the results, the majority said they were going to vote for Brexit. The data showed that 56% of vapers wanted to leave the EU, while 17% wanted to stay. A further 27% said they were not sure yet which way they were going to vote.

These figures were then compared to the national results released by YouGov when they had a poll. They found that in general, 38% wanted to vote for Brexit, while 39% intended to vote to stay. Additionally, 18% said they were not sure which way they would vote at that time.

A significant difference compared to the average UK voter

Of course, we can only take these results at face value. Lots of polls were stating the vote was going to swing the way of the Remain camp a few weeks ago. Just lately, though, things have swung the other way and it looks as though the Brexit camp is in the lead by some margin.

But taking these results – and only these results – into account, it’s clear that the mood is running high among vapers. A full 18% more people who vape want to leave the EU compared with the general public. additionally, only around half as many want to stay. Perhaps most interesting is that indecision seems to be rife among vapers when compared to the general public. They are 9% more likely to still be sitting on the fence regarding which way they will vote.

New EU rules applied to electronic cigarettes and accessories

If you vape, you’ll probably already know about the new stricter laws that have come into play recently. These affect vapers directly in lots of ways. you’ll no longer be able to buy e-cigarettes with larger tank sizes (they’ve been limited to 2ml). you won’t be able to buy e-liquids with a high nicotine level either, as they’ve now been limited as well.

Not surprisingly, then, a whopping 89% of vapers said they thought these regulations were most likely to influence the way they would vote in the Referendum. So while 27% of the vapers who took part said they didn’t know how they would vote yet, more than half had already made their minds up – and they were voting for the exit door.

Hardly surprising, really, especially since life has been made more challenging for vapers thanks to these new ill-thought-out laws coming out of the EU.

So are you in or out?

Of course, the Referendum is about far more than just vaping. While the new laws have irritated a lot of vapers, they are just a small part of the puzzle. Some people have decided to go along with the laws – as much as they disagree with them – because they believe staying in the EU is good for the UK in lots of other ways. Others have made their mind up and are deciding to vote out. This could be because of these laws as well as for many other reasons.

Clearly this is a polarising issue. No one can be sure which way the result is going to go until the votes are counted and we can see how many people have voted one way or the other. You may be incensed at the limitations now placed on you in terms of buying e-cigs and liquids. If you were previously undecided, that could tip you in favour of the exit door. On the other hand, maybe you think these new rules are a good thing. Maybe you believe better regulation is in order in this market, considering there has been little of it up until now.

As such, it makes sense to consider all the options – and the potential implications of being in or out of the EU – before you vote. According to the poll, there are still plenty of vapers out there who have yet to make up their minds. Which way will you go? Let us know in the comments below.

Vapers Back Petition to Throw Out New EU E-Cigarette Laws

June 10, 2016

If you vape, and you keep up with the news, you cannot fail to have heard about the changes to the law regarding electronic cigarettes. This law comes from the EU, and the British government can do nothing about it. It came into force towards the end of May, and looks set to shake up the e-cig industry in a way that has never been seen before – and not in a good way either.

It should come as no surprise then to learn that thousands of vapers, along with health advocates and ex-smokers, are supporting an attempt to get rid of the law. This campaign is being led by Lord Callanan, who has filed a motion calling for the new law to be got rid of.

Draconian and unwanted

The regulations came into force on 20th May 2016. If you vape, you may not have noticed an earth-shattering change to the way you do it. However, there is every chance you will do in the very near future.

The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 has come out of the EU and applies to every part of the supply chain that sees e-cigs and associated products developed, manufactured and made available to the public.

Smaller tanks

Take a look at the e-cigarette you are using at the moment. Chances are the tank size you put the e-liquid into can take around 5ml. If you buy a new one from this moment on, you’ll notice the tank size will be a maximum of 2ml.

What does this mean? Well, it means you’ll have to refill the tank a lot more often in order to vape for the same amount of time you do at the moment. So where you might not need to take any e-liquid with you to work or anywhere else you might go, that could change, thanks to this law.

Oh, and if you switched to vaping and picked the 24mg/ml strength e-liquid in terms of the amount of nicotine in it, don’t expect to be able to buy any more of it once you run out of your current supply. The maximum you can get now is 20mg/ml.

Could this create a black market for vaping equipment?

This is what Lord Callanan believes could happen. He pointed out that vaping has helped lots of people quit smoking, and has been promoted by the Royal College of Physicians as a way to quit cigarettes. Now we have these new strict laws, he fears many people will either go back to smoking, or find black market products that deliver the vaping equipment and e-liquids they have become used to.

Meanwhile, the petition to back the motion to stop these laws has received over 50,000 signatures at the time of writing. The target is 75,000 signatures, and the original signatory is petitioning the Prime Minister to debate the issue in the House of Commons.

Another part of the law sees e-liquids needing to be tested before they can be sold. There are fees for this that need to be paid before testing can be completed. Only when something has been tested and approved can it be sold in the normal manner.

Clearly, these laws are going to bring major changes for the vaping industry, not to mention the many people who currently vape to help them quit smoking. There are around 2.8 million vapers in Britain today, and there is every chance that number will rise. Every single one will be affected by this law. Are you among them? Have you signed the petition?

Michael Mosley Puts E-Cigarettes Under the Microscope

June 6, 2016

It may seem hard to remember a time when e-cigarettes weren’t part of our lives (the lives of smokers wanting to give up, anyway). Nowadays, of course, you can’t walk too far in your neighbourhood without seeing people puffing away on their e-cigs.

Various bodies of research have been undertaken into vaping and e-cigarettes. Many of them indicate that vaping is safer than smoking. After all, there are all kinds of nasty things in the average cigarette. The odds of dying from or suffering from lung cancer, heart disease and all kinds of other problems increases if you smoke, compared to those who don’t.

So if vaping is better for you, doesn’t it make sense to switch?

Who is Michael Mosley?

We mentioned Michael Mosley in the title of this piece, but we should really refer to him as Dr Michael Mosley. He’s been through medical school and today he is a scientist and also a familiar figure on television. He’s now looked into the topic of vaping in order to make a documentary for BBC’s Horizon programme. This was last shown on 26th May under the title E-Cigarettes: Miracle or Menace? It’s a dramatic title, but what did the programme discover?

Better than smoking?

Recently, independent experts confirmed their belief that e-cigarettes are much safer – 95% less harmful, to be exact – than regular smoking. Interestingly enough, the documentary seemed to confirm that vaping is safer.

Dr Mosley has never smoked before, so he made the ideal subject to start vaping to see what happened. His lungs wouldn’t have been exposed to cigarette smoke, so it would be easier to see whether vaping had any effect on him at all. He reported that he vaped heavily for an entire month, and then looked at the results. He said his lungs did develop some inflammation, but crucially, when he stopped vaping, this inflammation disappeared – and quickly.

Now you might say this is evidence that vaping is bad for you. Yet consider what happened in one experiment conducted by American researchers. They decided to take some human cells and expose them to vapour from e-cigs. This was done over a couple of months. During that time, DNA damage was seen to occur to some of those cells. This was then reported to the wider public.

However, another element of that same experiment was not reported. During the same period of time, the researchers also exposed some of the human cells to cigarette smoke. Every single cell in that part of the experiment died – in less than a single day.

It’s known that non-smokers aren’t attracted to vaping. Only smokers use vaping as an alternative to smoking, and typically as a way to quit smoking for good. Some eventually quit vaping as well. It has been found to be very effective in this way. And as Dr Mosley found out, while it can cause mild inflammation of the lungs, this is by far the better option when compared to the serious damage smoking can do every time you pick up a cigarette and smoke it.

To this end, vaping really does seem to be by far the lesser of two evils. In fact, as far as smokers are concerned, vaping should not be viewed as evil at all. After all, nicotine patches aren’t viewed as evil. Yet they do contain nicotine in order to help wean people off the cigarettes they want to quit.

What’s your opinion on this? Do you think vaping is safe? Have you switched and noticed improvements to your health as a result? Sound off in the comments!

Vaping Saves Lives According to Royal College of Physicians

May 23, 2016

Vaping saves lives. It’s an impressive and dramatic statement, but according to the Royal College of Physicians this is exactly the case. They’ve recently issued a report that runs to 200 pages and covers many of the issues surrounding vaping today. The report has added weight to many of the findings discovered by others, namely that e-cigarettes can lead to people quitting smoking, and do not encourage non-smokers to start smoking when they have never done so before.

Let’s get one thing clear: The Royal College of Physicians isn’t a small concern. It was founded in 1518 by none other than Henry VIII, and it has two aims – to improve how patients are cared for and to reduce the instances of illness. It is no big surprise then that they should have an interest in vaping, especially as many smokers are using e-cigarettes as a solution to help them quit smoking.

Stop Smoking with the NHS

Many smokers are aware they can get help to quit smoking via the NHS and their Stop Smoking service. According to the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), around half (51%) of people who used these services did manage to quit. The NHS has now introduced electronic cigarettes into their Stop Smoking service as well. While it is still early days, around two-thirds (66%) of those who used e-cigs to help them quit did succeed in doing so.

How does long-term vaping stack up against long-term smoking?

The RCP’s report considered long-term use of electronic cigarettes and the likelihood that such use could potentially be harmful. It is too soon to determine what the long-term outlook could be in this case. However, using the data that is currently available, the report estimated that the health risks may only be around 5% or less than those associated with smoking.

This tallies with a report from Public Health England last year that stated electronic cigarettes are “around 95% safer than smoking.” It’s no wonder some of the 8.7 million smokers in the UK today have been inspired to switch to vaping as a reasonable alternative.

Reducing life expectancy

One thing you won’t hear about is any reduction in the life expectancy of someone who decides to switch from smoking to vaping. The RCP has previously stated that after the age of 35, every year someone remains a smoker knocks around three months off their life expectancy. While vaping still provides the nicotine hit many smokers desire, it gets rid of all the other nasties that are found in cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Of course, we don’t have the same body of research to rely on when assessing the long-term effects of vaping. However, as the RCP says in its report, many people switch from smoking to vaping and end up quitting as a result. Would those people have quit smoking if vaping hadn’t been available to them as an option? Maybe not. Given the higher rate of quitting attributable to those who take up vaping instead, we can assume it provides a solution that is more appealing to more smokers who do want to quit.

Unfortunately, the EU’s stance on e-cigarettes is not as positive. The new Tobacco Directive aims to reduce nicotine levels in e-liquids and restrict promotion of e-cigs, which may mean fewer people are able to access them. While knowledge of vaping is more widespread today, it seems the views of some are still stuck in the past. Fortunately, we have a huge body of research in the 200-page report from the RCP that points to the potential health benefits of switching from smoking to vaping.

Are E-Cigarette Age Regulations Doing More Harm Than Good?

May 16, 2016

We’ve read and heard plenty in recent months regarding the various limitations on e-cigarette smoking. Since 1st October last year, no one under the age of 18 has been legally able to buy electronic cigarettes, nor any e-liquids to go with them. But has this really been a good thing? Does it detract young people from smoking, or has it merely removed the ability to switch to e-cigs if they have already started smoking?

According to statistics, around 2.6 million adults in the UK vape. Clearly the idea is to deter people under the age of 18 from joining that number. However, study after study has found that vaping is far safer than smoking. Moreover, other studies have found that placing any kind of ban on vaping actually seems to encourage young people to smoke instead.

So what’s the deal here?

The idea behind an underage ban on vaping is obviously to discourage young people from making a switch from vaping to smoking. But again, it is almost unheard of for someone to start vaping when they have never smoked previously, and for them to move on from vaping to smoking. So why make this law in the first place?

One particular analysis undertaken by Abigail Friedman from Yale indicates that banning e-cig sales to minors has the opposite effect to the one policymakers would hope for. Instead of reducing smoking in kids aged between 12 and 17, it actually increases it by 0.9%. That may not sound like much, but since the ban is in place to help reduce young people smoking, that increase would seem to be significant.

Furthermore, it’s interesting than in the US, not all states have banned underage e-cig sales. The states that have banned it are the ones that have seen the rise in smoking. The bans are certainly achieving something, but it’s not the results anyone would have wanted.

Banning advertising of e-cigarettes could have a similar effect

Advertising cigarettes has been illegal in the UK for many years now. The Tobacco Products Directive is set to come into force in May 2016, and when it does, it will encompass the advertising of e-cigarettes too.

One study conducted by Anna Tuchman at Stanford University found that when e-cigarettes aren’t advertised, “demand for traditional cigarettes would increase.” This may not be the case if people were aware that e-cigs were a valid and preferable alternative.

Unintended consequences

Obviously there are some people who believe the world would be a better place without tobacco products and also without e-cigarettes. But let’s be clear here – e-cigarettes have proven to be a Godsend for plenty of people who want to give up smoking. You’d be hard-pushed to find anyone who has taken up vaping who has never previously touched a cigarette. Why would you? That’s not what these things are for. The idea is to provide smokers with an alternative that is better for them, and helps wean them off smoking. There are several ways you can get assistance in stopping smoking, but for many, e-cigarettes are fast becoming the preferred method.

We don’t like to think of underage kids smoking, but in reality, we’ve all seen them do it. If they cannot have access to get e-cigarettes legally, they don’t have an alternative that could help them stop smoking. Surely that isn’t what is wanted? By banning vaping and making it more difficult to do, it demonises it in a way that could hurt those who would ultimately use it to help them quit smoking. And surely that is the biggest demon of all?