After the US Vaping Controversy, Will You Still Use E-Cigarettes?

Over the past few months, the world of vaping has been far from calm.

Since late August, six deaths related to vaping have been reported in the United States.

During this period, Michigan announced a ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes.

On September 12, Trump called for a ban on all non-traditional tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes sold on the U.S. market. Two days later, he tweeted that he supports e-cigarettes as an alternative to cigarettes, but that this alternative must be proven safe and reliable.

On September 16, the governor of New York also said that administrative action was being taken to prohibit the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes in the state.

But there have also been many opposing voices in the market—on September 11, a petition was launched on the White House petition website calling for Trump not to sign a ban on flavored e-cigarettes. So far, the petition has gathered more than 120,000 signatures.

The American Vaping Association, meanwhile, said that a total ban on e-cigarettes could lead to a thriving black market.

This is not the first time the vaping industry has gone through turmoil. Since 2018, e-cigarettes have stood at the center of attention while also being mired in controversy.

Some believe that, compared with traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes are relatively less harmful and can help with smoking cessation or controlling nicotine intake.

Others believe that e-cigarettes contain complex ingredients, and their harmful components are still not fully understood, so their smoking-cessation effects should not be promoted blindly. In addition, their stylish appearance and wide variety of flavors may entice minors to try them. Online sales channels further increase that possibility. An even bigger issue is that e-cigarettes are currently used in a wider range of settings than cigarettes, which is not conducive to quitting smoking.

After a series of vaping controversies erupted in the United States, some people argued that e-cigarettes should be banned altogether; some said their harm is far less than that of traditional cigarettes, and that any comprehensive smoking ban should start with conventional tobacco products; others believed the U.S. cases were largely linked to a substance called THC and that the industry should instead be regulated; still others argued that the real driver of youth uptake is the wide variety of e-cigarette flavors, and that all flavors except tobacco and menthol should be banned……

At present, the vaping industry is still in a chaotic, highly competitive phase. Amid all the controversy, Bian Ge is even more interested in hearing the voices of ordinary consumers:

After being flooded with this wave of news, what do you think about e-cigarettes? Will you continue using them?