Alright, I’m going to be honest… I may have exaggerated the title.
Don’t kiss them goodbye completely just yet. E-cigarettes, vape pens, and the oils that come with them haven’t officially made their exit. However, they have been temporarily banned by some states until further research has been completed.
Governor Kate Brown ordered the temporary ban of all nicotine and cannabis vapes that contain artificial terpene. Since then, several other states have followed suit.
When I originally heard about this ban, I was confused. I may have even laughed. Not because I think our government is trying to serve as a morally just system is knee-slapping hilarious, but because I didn’t know they cared deeply about what some people consumed.
Why? Well, cigarettes are perfectly legal and they have a direct link to lung cancer among other health issues. I’m not denying that there may be a link between lung damage and vaping. But I do find it interesting how politicians have prioritized research on the pens as well as the oils’ connection to the many cases popping up around the country.
According to USA TODAY, Councilmember Paul Koretz stated: “The city of Los Angeles is not content to wait and do nothing as the numbers of illnesses and even deaths associated with unregulated vaping devices increases daily.”
The article also stated “Koretz cited U.S. statistics showing 1,080 cases of potential lung damage associated with vaping have required hospitalization as of last week, including 18 deaths. California has had about 100 cases, he said, including two deaths.”
In an ideal country, the acts of these politicians looking out for the people they serve makes more than enough sense.
But I’ve never looked at this country as one to act fast on harmful things we Americans consume. I always assume politicians have strong relationships with the companies that sell harmful products, like tobacco companies, and they aren’t looking to end those relationships.
Maybe I’m just a big conspiracy theorist and don’t know it yet.
Something seems odd about the urgency put on banning vapes and I don’t think it has anything to do with the American people. I guess I think there’s more to the story because there are plenty of harmful things Americans consume on a daily basis that have become a new norm. People living in low-income neighborhoods live in food deserts and the fast-food companies are the only thing available. I haven’t heard of a governor putting forth any regulations for that.
The answer to stopping people from smoking tobacco was simply to raise the taxes on the product, not ban it completely. Some people complain that this will have caused the government to have a say in every little thing we do as people.
The government will now make decisions on our daily lives. I don’t think that’s what this ban does especially considering it’s only a six-month ban that will blow over. My only concern is the motive behind targeting these vaping companies because I don’t think it’s for our health.
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