The War on Vaping

 

Hey, let’s regulate something people do that harms no one.

The new policy announced by Trump will toughen marketing rules the FDA has been developing for e-cigs for months. Manufacturers would have to show their e-cigarettes don’t pose a public health threat. They would also need to demonstrate why e-cigs without the added flavors should stay on the market. Until then, the administration can order all flavored vapors off the market.

The respiratory illnesses connected to vaping are due to black-market THC vape inserts, and have nothing to do with the legit vaping capsules, so let’s ban all the legal stuff and create a new black market! The prohibition argument says teens are using the flavored vapes, so adults can’t have them – an argument you could apply to every flavored vodka on the market, if you wished.

Published in Domestic Policy
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  1. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    James Lileks: The respiratory illnesses connected to vaping are due to black-market THC vape inserts

    Which I believe are already illegal under federal law.

    Why not just, you know, enforce that law?

     

     

    • #31
  2. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    Chris Campion (View Comment):

    Juliana (View Comment):

    Skyler (View Comment):

    A friend of mine who is a nurse tells me, “Vaping is NOT harmless. The flavors are meant for the stomach, not the lungs. The polymers stay in the lungs for long periods of time. I’ve seen the CT scans. …. some does clear when vaping stops, but there are still many polymers still in the lungs. Long term effects may be worse than smoking, but we don’t have the data since vaping is new.”

    I have no idea if this is true, but it sounds like it’s based on specific knowledge and observation.

    This is the information and research we are seeing as well – it is not just vapor that is inhaled directly into the lungs – there are oils, flavorings, and other chemicals that don’t belong in your lungs. Vaping is very addictive. Even if just nicotine, teens don’t stop at one pod, and one pod can contain as much nicotine as 20 cigarettes. I had one kid tell me he went through three or four pods regularly while playing video games. If you look at the THC pods, which are legal in certain states, some contain as high as 96% THC. Again, the THC is oil based, and this is inhaled directly into the lungs. As far as it being illegal – there is already a parent based black market. Parents are purchasing the vapes (which can be cost as high as $300) and buying the supplies. When a student here is caught vaping we confiscate the vape and supplies. Parents want the vape returned to them because they purchased it, gave it to their kids so they wouldn’t start smoking, and it is expensive. But we have the right to confiscate materials as evidence of illegal behavior and they are not returned.

    This is not a product that harms no one. Vapes are sold based on lies. I expect the death toll to go up quickly.

    Douglas Pratt

    For the children!

    Never mind that the alternative is smoking, which kills thousands. Six kids have died! We must act!

    It’s all fun and games until it’s your kid.

    I get it. But teenagers die in car accidents, mostly from doing something stupid. We are banning neither. Meaning teenagers or cars.

    Hard to ban stupid. If we did, we’d have no Congress, which is why it hasn’t been enacted yet.

    They’d just exempt themselves as they do with every other law. 

    • #32
  3. Joseph Stanko Coolidge
    Joseph Stanko
    @JosephStanko

    Skyler (View Comment):

    A friend of mine who is a nurse tells me, “Vaping is NOT harmless. The flavors are meant for the stomach, not the lungs.

    Actually, the flavors are meant for the mouth.  There are no taste buds in the stomach.

    • #33
  4. Ralphie Inactive
    Ralphie
    @Ralphie

    My sister is a nurse, been one for 30 years in all areas of the hospital, and isn’t as concerned about health from vaping as from smoking.  My husband has been using a vape pen for 6 years, not one incident, exploding battery, etc. only 1 cold in those last 6 years. When smoking, he had two bouts of pnemonia in a year, hence the vape pen. 

    The misuse of a product is what causes most problems. So manufacturers warn you not to blow dry your hair in the bathtub. The big plumes of vap are from multiple pens put together, and is offputting to me too.

    It is sad that there doesn’t seem to be as big of a problem with pot in the last week than with vaping. Nicotine is what is in the gum, it isn’t the health problem that tar is. There are over 200 carcinigens from pot smoke (according to my pharmacy tech module), and it is still current law that the feds see no medical benefit to marijuana. The legality is most probably a push for recreational use, not medical.

    I’ve lost some drive to vote for Trump, just cancelled my Trump women daily email update. Melania says she will not back down. Went from 0 to 100 real fast in meddling with my life.

    Parents should be monitering the kids, not the rest of us. 

    I’d be willing to bet, they’ll put candy oil in the plain jane stuff. You can find recipes all over the internet. You can also find recipes for making vape juice. So, because it is something kids find cool, we must do something. I say, let them smoke, and even drink with their parents.

    I could drink legally since I was 18. Not a drunk. Did drink. 

     

     

    • #34
  5. Randy Weivoda Moderator
    Randy Weivoda
    @RandyWeivoda

    James Lileks: The prohibition argument says teens are using the flavored vapes, so adults can’t have them – an argument you could apply to every flavored vodka on the market, if you wished.

    I’ve been saying this from the beginning when people complain that the flavored cartridges are obviously there to appeal to youngsters, as if no adults like fruit-flavored things.  Should we ban all sweet and fruity cocktails?  Obviously the Mai Tai was invented to get the kids hooked on rum.

    • #35
  6. Judge Mental Member
    Judge Mental
    @JudgeMental

    Randy Weivoda (View Comment):

    James Lileks: The prohibition argument says teens are using the flavored vapes, so adults can’t have them – an argument you could apply to every flavored vodka on the market, if you wished.

    I’ve been saying this from the beginning when people complain that the flavored cartridges are obviously there to appeal to youngsters, as if no adults like fruit-flavored things. Should we ban all sweet and fruity cocktails? Obviously the Mai Tai was invented to get the kids hooked on rum.

    There it is.  I know a bunch of people who vape and no one uses tobacco flavored juice.  Anything else… cherry, bubblegum, banana nut bread… you name it.

    • #36
  7. lowtech redneck Coolidge
    lowtech redneck
    @lowtech redneck

    This is a bad decision by President Trump, both in terms of advancing conservatism and, I believe*, electoral politics.  I don’t think this is something that squishy suburban moms would change their votes over, but I do see it as something that recovering smokers and young adults will be angry about. 

    *I haven’t seen any polls, and there have been no elections that I know of in which this was a major issue.

    • #37
  8. Jason Obermeyer Member
    Jason Obermeyer
    @JasonObermeyer

    Skyler (View Comment):

    A friend of mine who is a nurse tells me, “Vaping is NOT harmless. The flavors are meant for the stomach, not the lungs. The polymers stay in the lungs for long periods of time. I’ve seen the CT scans. …. some does clear when vaping stops, but there are still many polymers still in the lungs. Long term effects may be worse than smoking, but we don’t have the data since vaping is new.”

    I have no idea if this is true, but it sounds like it’s based on specific knowledge and observation.

    Is the flavoring agent in vape pens significantly different than flavored tobacco? From pipes to hookahs to cheap cigars, flavored tobacco has been around for a long time. 

    • #38
  9. Judge Mental Member
    Judge Mental
    @JudgeMental

    You know what I haven’t been able to find?  A time frame for the six reported deaths.  If that is six deaths in the history of vaping it is quite a bit different than six since the beginning of the year, or this month, or this week.

    • #39
  10. SkipSul Inactive
    SkipSul
    @skipsul

    Judge Mental (View Comment):

    You know what I haven’t been able to find? A time frame for the six reported deaths. If that is six deaths in the history of vaping it is quite a bit different than six since the beginning of the year, or this month, or this week.

    Time is an illusion.  THC Vape Time doubly so.

    • #40
  11. Steve C. Member
    Steve C.
    @user_531302

    Judge Mental (View Comment):

    Randy Weivoda (View Comment):

    James Lileks: The prohibition argument says teens are using the flavored vapes, so adults can’t have them – an argument you could apply to every flavored vodka on the market, if you wished.

    I’ve been saying this from the beginning when people complain that the flavored cartridges are obviously there to appeal to youngsters, as if no adults like fruit-flavored things. Should we ban all sweet and fruity cocktails? Obviously the Mai Tai was invented to get the kids hooked on rum.

    There it is. I know a bunch of people who vape and no one uses tobacco flavored juice. Anything else… cherry, bubblegum, banana nut bread… you name it.

    When I quit smoking I started with tobacco flavored juice. It was quite a trick to find something that tasted like Marlboros. I guess for legal reasons a producer can’t say, “tastes like those friendly old cowboy killers you smoked all your life.” Instead they resort to “just like America’s most popular brand” or “American Red tobacco”. I never did find anything that fit the bill. My go to is coffee flavor with the lowest nicotine percent.

    Here’s where I’ve seen the greatest difference. In the old days while at work, I’d be itching for any excuse so I could grab a cigarette. Now, doesn’t bother me in the least to go all day without my vape pen.

    I believe that kids vaping is a fad. Not like cigarettes at all.

    When I was a kid, smoking was a sign of adulthood. It was cool. Everyone smoked. Well, our culture portrayed it that way. Objectively, vaping looks silly. Like most manufactured crises, this won’t last. 

    • #41
  12. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Steve C. (View Comment):
    When I was a kid, smoking was a sign of adulthood. It was cool. Everyone smoked. Well, our culture portrayed it that way. Objectively, vaping looks silly. Like most manufactured crises, this won’t last. 

    Yeah, that’s always the impression I got too.  Maybe it’s just a sign of my age?

    • #42
  13. Steve C. Member
    Steve C.
    @user_531302

    Skyler (View Comment):

    Steve C. (View Comment):
    When I was a kid, smoking was a sign of adulthood. It was cool. Everyone smoked. Well, our culture portrayed it that way. Objectively, vaping looks silly. Like most manufactured crises, this won’t last.

    Yeah, that’s always the impression I got too. Maybe it’s just a sign of my age?

    Right there with ya.

    • #43
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