Strong Protest Against the Hangzhou Government Adding "Harmful" Before Vaping

 　　According to the Qianjiang Evening News, yesterday the 11th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th Hangzhou Municipal People’s Congress reviewed the “Decision on Amending the Regulations of Hangzhou on Smoking Control in Public Places (Draft)” (hereinafter referred to as the “Amendment Draft”).

  　　Compared with the original Smoking Control Regulations, the Amendment Draft under review includes many changes. It implements smoking control across all of Hangzhou, with a maximum fine of 20,000 yuan.   　　In particular, e-cigarettes are also included in the smoking control scope! 　　Not only are e-cigarettes included in the smoking control scope, but the word “harmful” is also added before e-cigarettes in the definition of smoking!   　　Article 26 of the Amendment Draft clearly states: “Smoking refers to the act of inhaling or exhaling tobacco smoke or harmful e-cigarette aerosol, as well as carrying lit tobacco products.”   　　According to research by scientists from multiple countries, e-cigarettes are healthier than cigarettes! A report sponsored by the UK Department of Health and issued by PHE (Public Health England) also shows that it has now been concluded that the harms of e-cigarettes are up to 95% lower than those of traditional cigarettes.   　　Not adding the word “harmful” before cigarettes, but adding “harmful” before e-cigarettes, which are healthier than cigarettes—how biased is this against e-cigarettes!   　　It may look like only two simple words were added, but those two words are extremely damaging! Once this is added, and after the Amendment Draft is passed and implemented, and major well-known media outlets report on it, will the general public who don’t understand e-cigarettes still dare to buy them? Still dare to vape them?   　　China is the world’s vaping manufacturing base, and more than 90% of the e-cigarettes produced are exported overseas. If this is added, what will other countries think when they see it?   　　We hereby strongly protest against the Hangzhou government adding the word “harmful” before e-cigarettes!