Smokers are addicted to the nicotine found in tobacco smoke but none of the more than 400 other toxic chemicals it contains. In the concentrations smokers consume, nicotine is relatively harmless but those other toxins claim millions of lives around the world each year.
It is therefore only reasonable to expect that, were a healthier alternative to be developed which removed those toxins but allowed smokers to expose themselves to the nicotine they crave while still enjoying the sensations they associate with the habit, we could expect our institutions to embrace the technology and the improvements in public health it had the potential to deliver.
With the development of the e-cigarette, all reasonable expectation has been turned on their head. Last week the devolved Welsh government unveiled plans to outlaw the use of e-cigarettes and other vaping devices in enclosed public spaces and workplaces including lorries and taxis.
Their justification? The Welsh government says it wants to “send a message” to children and “create the conditions which enable people to live healthy lives.” Where the logic lies behind that statement is difficult to see. A ban on e-cigarettes in public places would appear to send an opposite and contradictory message to kids, one that tells them people attempting to wean themselves off a deadly habit are to be discouraged and, worse, legislated against.
A positive lifestyle choice, with the potential to save millions in public funds as result of reduced tobacco-related illnesses let’s not forget, is set to be frowned upon from on high. And all the while, there is no evidence that inhaling second-hand e-vapour is harmful in any way whatsoever.
If the powers that be in Wales were interested in encouraging children to ‘live healthy lives’, surely there are other practices they should restrict, such as drinking in public places or the advertising of patently unhealthy foods and drinks.
The proposed move has been widely criticised, with the likes of Cancer Research UK, Action on Smoking and Health and numerous anti-smoking organisations voicing opposition. George Butterworth, tobacco policy manager for Cancer Research UK, said "E-cigarettes are an opportunity for people to move away from tobacco smoking which is very, very bad for their health, and we wouldn't want to put up any barriers to prevent people from quitting cigarettes."
multiCIG has repeatedly gone on the record in its support for restricting children’s access to e-cigarettes and vaping devices. The initial development of e-cigarettes, and indeed the rapid advances in vaping technology that have followed, came as the result of a simple and worthwhile goal – to reduce the enormous harm caused by tobacco by giving existing smokers a positive alternative. Under no circumstances are kids considered existing smokers and vaping products are clearly not for them.
A Welsh ban would strike a serious blow against individual freedom. Moreover, it could be seen as an attack on thousands of people in the principality who have taken positive steps towards improving both their lives and their all-round health.
