Is Vaping a Redemption for a Troubled Industry or a New Addiction?

 
Introduction: When smoking bans are implemented, smokers claim that e-cigarettes are their salvation. Amidst various doubts about e-cigarettes, health and medical professionals have raised questions about these products. Are e-cigarettes truly a salvation for smokers, or are they a poison that leads to their demise?
According to news from the Chinese e-cigarette industry: Despite optimism from industry insiders about e-cigarettes, health and medical professionals view them with suspicion. After all, the vaporization of e-cigarettes relies on nicotine, flavorings, and other chemical materials, which can also be harmful to the body. Industry insiders hope that e-cigarettes will become a substitute for tobacco or, at the very least, a transitional product. However, some health organizations wish to eliminate e-cigarettes along with tobacco.

“We have data proving that e-cigarettes are a good choice for customers and a great opportunity for businesses. E-cigarettes can be improved in many ways to become a widely accepted product.”

Simultaneous translation was provided by a young person who is well-versed in languages and keeps up with the times, vividly translating the speech of Farrell Delman, president of the Tobacco Merchants Association (TMA).

On September 2, at the China E-Cigarette Summit held in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, industry professionals from China and abroad gathered to listen to a group of foreigners speaking eloquently on stage. One might feel that the most articulate individuals are concentrated in the tobacco industry, as this sector inherently lacks moral integrity while seeking a path to survival.

Tobacco companies meet customer demands, but due to the harmful nature of tobacco, this supply is not ethical. For years, to improve public opinion, tobacco companies have generously donated to charitable causes, even funding smoking cessation promotions.

However, the tobacco industry has lost public support, with countries striving to reduce tobacco sales and the number of smokers. Even retailers are taking action; CVS Caremark in the U.S. recently announced it will stop selling cigarettes by October 1 this year, potentially reducing annual sales by $2 billion.

It is said that tobacco industry professionals are eloquent because they understand all the data regarding the health risks of tobacco and how government and public opinion are against them, yet they always find a way to justify their existence.

The survival strategy of the Tobacco Merchants Association is to sell various industry publications and research reports to both members and non-members. In his speech, president Farrell Delman emphasized the need to reduce the number of smokers and the harm caused by tobacco, and to contribute to this effort.

His suggestion is to expand the popularity of e-cigarettes. He believes that 60% of smokers want to quit but lack methods and professional guidance, making e-cigarettes a great transitional product that can contribute to reducing tobacco harm. His reasoning is, “It is unclear whether e-cigarettes cause harm, but it is certainly much less than cigarettes,” comparing the two harms and choosing the lesser one.

Ron Tully, vice president of the National Tobacco Company, seems to agree with Farrell Delman’s viewpoint, believing that e-cigarettes have a bright sales outlook in the U.S., with 300,000 terminals, including Walmart, potentially becoming sales points.

He described Shenzhen as a “very good, amazing e-cigarette production base.” This is indeed true; in 2013, smokers consumed $3 billion worth of e-cigarettes, with 90% coming from Shenzhen, primarily from the Shajing Street Office in Bao'an District.

This industry also provides many opportunities. Lu Mei from Shaanxi Yunzh Biotechnology Co., Ltd. attended the forum looking for opportunities to promote nicotine, while a woman from Eastman Chemical wanted customers to use their chemical materials to produce tobacco sticks. Liu Tuanfang, chairman of Shenzhen Yijiate Technology Co., Ltd., is evidently very interested in research and development and feels a sense of accomplishment, expressing deep affection for e-cigarettes.

Most of the first three rows at the forum were occupied by foreigners, which is an interesting phenomenon. It clearly indicates that Shenzhen is merely a production base, with brands, formulas, and markets still in the hands of Europeans and Americans.

This is not surprising; it is just a microcosm of the struggles faced by the tobacco industry in developed countries. The U.S. is the largest cigarette market globally, but sales are declining at a rate of 3% per year. Europe is also striving to control smoking rates below 12% by 2020, so European and American businesses are more actively seeking tobacco alternatives. From the speakers, it is evident that European and American businesses have greater hopes for e-cigarettes and a more proactive attitude towards them.

The tobacco industry has a poor reputation, and those working in it are also viewed unfavorably. However, China is an exception; Chinese people admire those working in the tobacco industry because it signifies shorter working hours and higher pay. Thus, while China invented e-cigarettes, it found a market in Europe and America, simply because tobacco prices in China are too low. Currently, there are 350 million smokers in China, with 1.2 million dying from tobacco each year, the highest in the world. #p#分页标题#e#

Despite optimism from industry insiders about e-cigarettes, health and medical professionals still view them with suspicion. After all, the vaporization of e-cigarettes relies on nicotine, flavorings, and other chemical materials, which can also be harmful to the body. Industry insiders hope that e-cigarettes will become a substitute for tobacco or, at the very least, a transitional product. However, some health organizations wish to eliminate e-cigarettes along with tobacco.

A report released by the World Health Organization on the 26th in Geneva stated that e-cigarettes also produce toxic substances and harm health. Governments worldwide should take measures to prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and classify e-cigarettes as tobacco products and medical supplies.

If government policies align with the World Health Organization's regulations, e-cigarettes will face high taxes, losing their price advantage, which will inevitably harm sales and limit sales channels.

It is still difficult to say whether e-cigarettes are a promising star industry or a transitional product at the end of its rope. This likely depends on how many people continue to vape in the future. Sometimes, industry developments are so rapid that insiders cannot accurately judge them. For example, e-readers were once all the rage but have now faded into obscurity.

However, the heads of e-cigarette manufacturing companies in Shenzhen are mostly practical entrepreneurs who have navigated the market and likely do not think too far ahead.