What Is Vaping? Is Vaping Useful?

Since tobacco was introduced to China, the government has started to impose bans. Historical records mention Lin Zexu's anti-opium efforts, which sound very positive and have been stored in my mind, reminding me that tobacco is not a good thing. However, I still smoke; I am a genuine second-generation smoker. The reasons are obvious: there is history and tradition, and I smoke every day, spending at least 20% of my income on tobacco. In this mutually harmful society, smoking harms both oneself and others, while also driving consumption. On one hand, it harms people, and on the other, it benefits society!

Why am I a second-generation smoker and not a second-generation official or wealthy person? It's all fate, each with its own destiny!

Of course, the ban on smoking is a thing of the feudal society. Theory must be combined with practice to yield results and profits. No matter how much you try to ban it, you can't eliminate it. You can't leave a vacuum in the market; the benefits must not be taken by foreign tobacco dealers and local vendors. Only by implementing state-run operations can we ensure that the profits do not flow into foreign fields!

The social benefits are also significant. We can cultivate an industrial chain from the onlookers, helping to plant, produce, sell, and smoke, without having to do anything ourselves, just counting money, which is incredibly satisfying.

If you genuinely want to make money and count it until your hands are sore, there is nothing to be ashamed of. It is justifiable to monopolize by law and make money through ability. There is no need to push and shove over what should be one's own merit: on one hand, it solves employment issues, on the other, it addresses tax revenue, and thirdly, it helps hospitals cultivate a large number of potential customers. It is hard not to make a fortune when strong forces join hands. This business is seamlessly connected, and it is simply a continuous source of fame and fortune!

Data shows that in 2017, China's tobacco industry had a total revenue of 1.11451 trillion yuan, with a total contribution to the treasury of 1.095 trillion yuan! In comparison, the profits of two companies with revenues exceeding 2 trillion yuan, PetroChina and Sinopec, were only 51.119 billion and 22.793 billion yuan, respectively!

As for the harms, tobacco certainly harms people, and even tobacco dealers admit this. However, tobacco is definitely not as harmful as opium was back in the day, nor is it as harmful as current drugs. Tobacco dealers are still quite admirable; you have to admit this.

However, petroleum products and their derivatives pollute the entire Earth's environment through air, land, and water, which may not be better than directly harming people! In comparison, the tobacco industry is quite admirable! There is also the steel industry; have you heard of smog? The pollution and harm are no less, and they have been in long-term losses, not paying taxes properly!

These industries are not as great as tobacco dealers.

Don't worry too much about the ban on smoking; no one wants it.

Both the tobacco and medical industries constantly say, "Smoking is harmful to health," but for the sake of money, they let you smoke. If you really stop smoking, it would be a problem. Moreover, alcohol is also harmful, even more so, and almost everyone drinks. Research shows that white wine, rice wine, red wine, and beer are all harmful; they are all equally bad, so don't laugh at others for being worse.

The medical industry, as a community of interests with the tobacco and alcohol industries, shares the same fate and cannot really undermine each other. The tobacco and alcohol manufacturing issues are solved by the medical industry; this is business.

The huge profits of the tobacco industry are based on "exclusive operation and sale." Exclusive operation and sale are what we refer to in antitrust law as monopolies. The difference is that "exclusive operation and sale" is a legal monopoly, which can be regulated by law. Exclusive operation and sale and monopolies are not invincible; the biggest enemy is market competition! Therefore, for cross-regional trading, self-production and self-sale, and smuggling imports, there has always been a need to resolutely unite with the authorities or take strong action against them! Of course, these only affect the cheese of tobacco dealers in various provinces, cities, and counties. The big market is still controllable, and the total profit is still certain; internal issues have never been a problem.

The most frightening thing is that some people actually do not smoke! How can you call yourself patriotic if you don't smoke? Tobacco dealers say that more than half of their earnings are sources of military taxes and national defense spending. This statement should be familiar to many; if you don't believe it, you can ask on Taobao and Zhihu. I believe it!

However, such a powerful tobacco monopoly industry is actually facing troubles! This trouble is not about counterfeit cigarettes or cross-regional trading; it is actually about e-cigarettes, a name that sounds high-tech and sophisticated. Just ask if you are afraid. And this trouble cannot be solved by themselves; they actually need to find helpers and enforcers, indicating that this is a big problem concerning power, fate, and survival!

People in the tobacco system say that e-cigarettes are very harmful: first, they harm their own business; second, they harm national defense security; and third, they also harm health! They must be resolutely struck down and completely eradicated!

E-cigarettes, I have heard of them before, and many friends have bought them. Although I have a natural fondness for electronic products, I have always thought of them as toys and never felt the need to try them. But now, they have actually attracted the attention of the tobacco monopoly giants, indicating that this is a very competitive and powerful product, which makes me a bit interested.

Quickly go to Zhihu and Taobao to see what e-cigarettes are all about!

Zhihu says: "The most representative e-cigarettes include iQOS produced by Philip Morris International, the Glo series from British American Tobacco, and the Ploom Tech series from Japan Tobacco.

Among these, the most representative are iQOS produced by Philip Morris International, the Glo series from British American Tobacco, and the Ploom Tech series from Japan Tobacco. Tobacco companies have invested significantly to develop new products. According to an OBRC survey, British American Tobacco has invested $580 million in e-cigarette product research and development over the past three years, while Philip Morris has invested hundreds of millions over the past ten years in e-cigarette research and development!"

"In addition, in recent years, the global tobacco industry's development environment has been deteriorating, especially as smoking control measures have been implemented worldwide, leading to increasing restrictions on smoking environments. Moreover, many cigarette consumers are continuously reducing their tobacco expenditures due to health concerns, which has also had a significant impact on the development of the tobacco industry."

Then I continued to check on Taobao:

E-cigarettes are very complex products, with devices, accessories, and consumables! The device prices range from hundreds to thousands of yuan, with three to five hundred yuan being the normal range and quite popular. Consumables, which are the e-liquids, vary in price from dozens to hundreds depending on quality and capacity, with both domestic and imported options. Accessories mainly include filters, costing tens of yuan, generally lasting about a month.

The sellers' advertisements mainly promote the smoking cessation function of e-cigarettes, which is quite alarming for tobacco dealers. Smoking cessation can indeed deal a devastating blow to the sales of traditional cigarettes! More importantly: first, non-smokers who try e-cigarettes may not like traditional cigarettes, directly intercepting the market; second, traditional smokers who try e-cigarettes may not be able to adapt to traditional cigarettes, directly impacting consumption habits!

If action is not taken soon, it will impact employment and national defense security! Such a large monopoly enterprise has so many employees; what will they rely on for a living in the future? Moreover, their previous income was so high; how could they possibly go back to low-end jobs? They must fight against e-cigarettes!

Knowing oneself and the enemy ensures victory in every battle! After studying the principles of e-cigarettes for a while, I found that this thing is essentially a small inkjet printer! It vaporizes the consumable "e-liquid" using an internal lithium battery to produce vapor, which can then be inhaled after filtration. The main component is flavored vapor, which is basically harmless and does not produce secondhand smoke, which is also an important selling point!

Selling points are pain points for tobacco dealers.

Because although smokers have poor self-control, every smoker has non-smokers around them who are very angry and distressed, and the victims also want to solve this problem. Moreover, e-cigarettes can also be used in non-smoking areas because, in essence, they are not cigarettes, which is a blessing for old smokers.