As time goes on, more data emerges to confirm vaping is far safer than smoking. Despite this, Singapore is soon to bring in a ban on electronic cigarettes and vaping.
It has been against the law to import and sell vaping products for several years now. Possession was then outlawed from the end of 2015. Tweaks in the law will shortly see purchase of e-cigs and associated products made illegal, along with using and possessing such items.
It is no huge surprise to learn vapers are fighting back. There is a huge black market in Singapore owing to these laws, and it is only set to get bigger once the total ban comes into effect in 2018. Sadly, an unregulated black market is far more likely to present problems, since nothing is checked or confirmed to be safe. Rather like cutting off your nose to spite your face, wouldn’t you say?
Yet the Singaporean authorities continue to say vaping leads to smoking. It would appear they are ignoring the ever-increasing amount of evidence to the contrary. We also know numerous studies have confirmed vaping is far safer than smoking. Many people have found vaping is the easiest method to use to help them quit smoking – and by far the most successful. By denying their residents the chance to use this safe tool, the authorities should not be surprised if health problems related to smoking continue at the current level – or even get worse. While we hope those in control come to their senses and backtrack on the laws, we doubt this will happen anytime soon.
What are your thoughts on this? Can you imagine living in a country where vaping was banned but cigarette smoking was still legal – and still as dangerous to health as ever?
