This news doesn’t come as a huge surprise, but no doubt it will catch some off-guard. Reddit has announced it is banning all sales of e-juice on the site. This applies to the electronic_cigarette subreddit on the site, as well as to all the relevant forums there. Not only can users no longer sell or trade e-liquids, they cannot post anything that links to outside websites that sell e-liquids.
You’ll notice our repeated use of the ‘e-liquids’ term. That’s important to note, because under the current change people are still permitted to run giveaways for vaping hardware. The same applies to vaping accessories. However, giveaways for vaping supplies that include e-liquids as part of the kit will also no longer be permissible.
Gift card ads are also banned
The moderators of the subreddit posted an announcement covering the latest changes. This was then updated a short while later to confirm users could not promote any gift cards or store credit giveaways on the subreddit either. The reason for this was because someone could win a gift card or credit and then go on to purchase e-liquid with it.
Was there an alternative to the new situation?
No. the moderators made it clear that if they did not adhere to the new policies, the subreddit would be shut down. This would have occurred swiftly too. Users of Reddit have already seen another subreddit – the DIY Classifieds one – shut down. This was well-known for allowing members to trade homemade e-liquids with each other – clearly a violation of what is now allowed and what is banned.
It’s not just e-liquids that have been affected though. Other goods and services cannot now be bought, sold, or traded in any other way on Reddit. This includes firearms, stolen goods, and personal information.
Understandably, many Redditors have been disappointed, angry, and frustrated at the news. One wonders if they will find a way around it. However, this will not happen on Reddit, nor is it likely to happen on other internet sites. While vaping is known to be a far safer option than smoking, regulations have tightened. Reddit is covering all the bases, which hardly comes as a surprise.
What are your thoughts on the new stance from Reddit? Have you been directly affected by the change? Do you think this will harm businesses and vapers? Let us know in the comments below.
