Is Vaping Being Deliberately Suppressed? An Alternative View from Zhihu Users
Recently, I came across a hot topic on Zhihu about vaping that sparked intense discussion. The topic was: Is vaping being deliberately suppressed? It had 54 answers, 83 followers, and more than 25,000 views. Under each answer were user comments, ranging f
Recently, I saw a hot topic about e-cigarettes on Zhihu, which caused a heated discussion. The topic was "Are e-cigarettes deliberately suppressed?" Seeing that there were 54 answers to this topic,83Each follower,25000The above browsing. Below each answer, there are also comments. Leave a few comments, usually a dozen, and dozens.
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Among these answers, I saw a very different answer with the online name of "Tobacco Chain Technology", but there were also some words full of wisdom, especially the last two paragraphs. The release of the e-cigarette public account here can be regarded as a discussion of opinions and expand thinking and understanding.The views are as follows:
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First of all, if the subject person believes that e-cigarettes have been deliberately suppressed, then the problem will follow?
?
1Who suppressed it?
2Why suppress?
3#p #Pagination Title #e#How to suppress it?
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Let's take it apart one by one.
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First question: Who suppressed it?
?
The subject may think that e-cigarettes are being suppressed by the government or tobacco companies. But in fact, this is paranoid persecution.
?
At present, the country still holds a prudent and tolerant attitude towards e-cigarettes, and neither denies nor affirms it. Even in places such as Shenzhen and Dongguan where the e-cigarette industry chain is concentrated, local governments still focus on encouragement and protection. As for the country's special management of e-cigarettes mentioned by some people (see the follow-up explanation for details), this is actually a market supervision method equal to the same, and the purpose is to protect the interests of minors and safeguard the interests of consumers.
?
After all, the current laws and regulations prohibit online trading of all tobacco products and prohibit smoking by minors. There is no doubt that tobacco companies are relatively standardized in this regard, unlike e-cigarettes that once used to be a large number of online and self-media platform sales (currently transformed into more hidden social marketing).
?
E-cigarettes are electronic products that imitate cigarettes and have the same appearance, smoke, taste and feeling as cigarettes. It is a product that users can smoke after turning nicotine into steam through atomization and other means. Since the emergence of e-cigarettes, they have always been labeled "Quit Smoking #p#paginated title #e#+Develop under the banner of "substitution".
?
Global e-cigarette sales in 2018250?Billions of dollars, more users?2011?Annual?700?Ten thousand rose to2018?Annual?4000?Ten thousand people, the proportion of e-cigarettes is also increasing significantly, and sales have exceeded nicotine chewing gum. electronic cigarettes in2019Once in 2000, everyone became a rat crossing the street. Some low-quality e-cigarettes with irregular, unclear ingredients, and potential threats to the body disrupted the market, forming a phenomenon of bad money driving out good money at the e-cigarette venue.
?
in 20207In September, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration held a video and telephone conference to deploy a special inspection operation for the e-cigarette market. This action demonstrated the clear attitude and firm determination of the two departments to continue to crack down on illegal and illegal production and sales of e-cigarettes in accordance with the law and protect the rights and interests of minors. All provincial bureaus must work closely with market supervision departments, clarify the division of labor, complement each other's advantages, actively seek the support of relevant law enforcement departments, and form effective law enforcement practices on prominent issues such as disguised online sales, false advertising, self-media communication, vending machines, and age verification of physical stores.
?
Are tobacco companies suppressing it? At present, what we see is that the Tobacco Bureau is carrying out market supervision and special inspections and rectifications in accordance with relevant national arrangements, while tobacco companies do not seem to have a keen interest in e-cigarettes-after all, the market for traditional cigarettes is the largest. Under the strict implementation of the monopoly and monopoly system, e-cigarettes are not included in the legal regulatory framework, and tobacco companies will not engage in e-cigarette sales.# p#pagination title #e#
?
As for suppression? If we fulfill our responsibilities in accordance with the law to crack down on prominent issues such as disguised online sales of e-cigarettes, false advertising, self-media dissemination, vending machines, and age verification in physical stores, we will have no way to chat!
?
As for tobacco industry companies, in fact, many have already entered the e-cigarette track, and some industrial companies that are not at the forefront even want to use the e-cigarette track to achieve overtaking in corners. For example, Sichuan China Tobacco, Henan China Tobacco, etc.
?
Therefore, if there is suppression, the real suppression may be more of the infighting and disappointment in the e-cigarette industry itself. Bad money drives out good money, and a large number of barbaric growth and chaos caused by irregularities, eagerness for quick success and price wars.
?
Second question: Why suppress it?
?
Taking a step back, let's regard the current government's special inspection of e-cigarettes as a kind of "suppression". So, why should we "suppress"?
?
The first is that the industry is not standardized and the good and bad are mixed.How many merchants are there in the e-cigarette industry now? How do they produce? How to ensure product quality? Which so-called e-cigarettes must be less harmful than traditional cigarettes, and even publicly advertised how much harm they reduce, do they really dare to accept public monitoring? Or even if there are some very excellent products that can do it, can we ensure that more than half of the industry's products can do it? No one dares to be sure! In this situation, I think it is reasonable for the Market Regulation Bureau and the Tobacco Monopoly Bureau to carry out special inspections. It is a proactive action to protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, especially minors from e-cigarettes, rather than the so-called "suppression".# p#pagination title #e#
?
Second is political and public opinion risks.It is precisely because of the current irregular status of the e-cigarette industry that it is easy to cause major social problems due to lack of standards and supervision, which in turn induces public opinion risks. Even if a small number of substandard e-cigarette products cause social harm due to quality problems, people are accustomed to not criticizing producers and sellers, but will point the blame at regulators like the government. It is said that its supervision is not in place or even dereliction of duty. In the current situation, I think neither the Secretary for Industry and Commerce nor the Director for Tobacco are willing to shoulder such a mistake, especially when it comes to the protection of minors and tobacco control and compliance issues.
?
Finally, there are economic and tax issues.In fact, the biggest advantage of e-cigarettes over traditional cigarettes is not harm reduction. This is just a gimmick and cannot stand the test. Because from a health perspective, the biggest harm reduction should be to ban the production and sale of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.(Note: The view here is not in line with reality:1. There are scientific research conclusions on e-cigarette harm reduction;2Banning all tobacco products does not mean that the demand of smokers can be banned）。One of the biggest advantages of e-cigarettes at present is their low selling price, and the other is their many flavors and rapid evolution and iteration.
?
The low selling price is because e-cigarettes do not pay high taxes like traditional tobacco (currently, the nominal tax rate of cigarettes in my country is about 56.5%. Coupled with other fees paid to the government, the actual tax rate is in #p#paginated title #e#65%-67%Between), while e-cigarettes either pay taxes based on electronic products or directly evade taxes, their contribution to national taxes and fees is not prominent.
?
As for evolutionary iteration, this is a characteristic of electronic products. It is reflected in e-cigarette products and constitutes a major competitive tool for e-cigarettes against traditional cigarettes. It is also the fundamental driving force for their long-term development and victory. To put it bluntly, once the taste of e-cigarettes can be perfectly restored to traditional cigarettes, then bringing more objective economic benefits and paying more taxes will not be a problem at all.
?
Third question: How to suppress it?
?
As mentioned above, there is no question of deliberate suppression, so what is the means of suppression? In essence, the birth of any emerging industry, if there is suppression, will be more due to disorderly competition in the early market and consumers 'lack of understanding and recognition. Therefore, whether it is an e-cigarette practitioner or a business, it is best not to die in the early stage, not to challenge public opinion, and not to touch the government's regulatory bottom line. Actively embrace supervision, do yourself well, and do your products well. The king of development.
?
Good products cannot be suppressed. Look at Didi and WeChat. In the long run, all things that are beneficial to the people will be recognized and incorporated into regulations by law, so as to achieve long-term healthy and orderly development.
?
Among these answers, I saw a very different answer with the online name of "Tobacco Chain Technology", but there were also some words full of wisdom, especially the last two paragraphs. The release of the e-cigarette public account here can be regarded as a discussion of opinions and expand thinking and understanding.The views are as follows:
?
First of all, if the subject person believes that e-cigarettes have been deliberately suppressed, then the problem will follow?
?
1Who suppressed it?
2Why suppress?
3#p #Pagination Title #e#How to suppress it?
?
Let's take it apart one by one.
?
First question: Who suppressed it?
?
The subject may think that e-cigarettes are being suppressed by the government or tobacco companies. But in fact, this is paranoid persecution.
?
At present, the country still holds a prudent and tolerant attitude towards e-cigarettes, and neither denies nor affirms it. Even in places such as Shenzhen and Dongguan where the e-cigarette industry chain is concentrated, local governments still focus on encouragement and protection. As for the country's special management of e-cigarettes mentioned by some people (see the follow-up explanation for details), this is actually a market supervision method equal to the same, and the purpose is to protect the interests of minors and safeguard the interests of consumers.
?
After all, the current laws and regulations prohibit online trading of all tobacco products and prohibit smoking by minors. There is no doubt that tobacco companies are relatively standardized in this regard, unlike e-cigarettes that once used to be a large number of online and self-media platform sales (currently transformed into more hidden social marketing).
?
E-cigarettes are electronic products that imitate cigarettes and have the same appearance, smoke, taste and feeling as cigarettes. It is a product that users can smoke after turning nicotine into steam through atomization and other means. Since the emergence of e-cigarettes, they have always been labeled "Quit Smoking #p#paginated title #e#+Develop under the banner of "substitution".
?
Global e-cigarette sales in 2018250?Billions of dollars, more users?2011?Annual?700?Ten thousand rose to2018?Annual?4000?Ten thousand people, the proportion of e-cigarettes is also increasing significantly, and sales have exceeded nicotine chewing gum. electronic cigarettes in2019Once in 2000, everyone became a rat crossing the street. Some low-quality e-cigarettes with irregular, unclear ingredients, and potential threats to the body disrupted the market, forming a phenomenon of bad money driving out good money at the e-cigarette venue.
?
in 20207In September, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration held a video and telephone conference to deploy a special inspection operation for the e-cigarette market. This action demonstrated the clear attitude and firm determination of the two departments to continue to crack down on illegal and illegal production and sales of e-cigarettes in accordance with the law and protect the rights and interests of minors. All provincial bureaus must work closely with market supervision departments, clarify the division of labor, complement each other's advantages, actively seek the support of relevant law enforcement departments, and form effective law enforcement practices on prominent issues such as disguised online sales, false advertising, self-media communication, vending machines, and age verification of physical stores.
?
Are tobacco companies suppressing it? At present, what we see is that the Tobacco Bureau is carrying out market supervision and special inspections and rectifications in accordance with relevant national arrangements, while tobacco companies do not seem to have a keen interest in e-cigarettes-after all, the market for traditional cigarettes is the largest. Under the strict implementation of the monopoly and monopoly system, e-cigarettes are not included in the legal regulatory framework, and tobacco companies will not engage in e-cigarette sales.# p#pagination title #e#
?
As for suppression? If we fulfill our responsibilities in accordance with the law to crack down on prominent issues such as disguised online sales of e-cigarettes, false advertising, self-media dissemination, vending machines, and age verification in physical stores, we will have no way to chat!
?
As for tobacco industry companies, in fact, many have already entered the e-cigarette track, and some industrial companies that are not at the forefront even want to use the e-cigarette track to achieve overtaking in corners. For example, Sichuan China Tobacco, Henan China Tobacco, etc.
?
Therefore, if there is suppression, the real suppression may be more of the infighting and disappointment in the e-cigarette industry itself. Bad money drives out good money, and a large number of barbaric growth and chaos caused by irregularities, eagerness for quick success and price wars.
?
Second question: Why suppress it?
?
Taking a step back, let's regard the current government's special inspection of e-cigarettes as a kind of "suppression". So, why should we "suppress"?
?
The first is that the industry is not standardized and the good and bad are mixed.How many merchants are there in the e-cigarette industry now? How do they produce? How to ensure product quality? Which so-called e-cigarettes must be less harmful than traditional cigarettes, and even publicly advertised how much harm they reduce, do they really dare to accept public monitoring? Or even if there are some very excellent products that can do it, can we ensure that more than half of the industry's products can do it? No one dares to be sure! In this situation, I think it is reasonable for the Market Regulation Bureau and the Tobacco Monopoly Bureau to carry out special inspections. It is a proactive action to protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, especially minors from e-cigarettes, rather than the so-called "suppression".# p#pagination title #e#
?
Second is political and public opinion risks.It is precisely because of the current irregular status of the e-cigarette industry that it is easy to cause major social problems due to lack of standards and supervision, which in turn induces public opinion risks. Even if a small number of substandard e-cigarette products cause social harm due to quality problems, people are accustomed to not criticizing producers and sellers, but will point the blame at regulators like the government. It is said that its supervision is not in place or even dereliction of duty. In the current situation, I think neither the Secretary for Industry and Commerce nor the Director for Tobacco are willing to shoulder such a mistake, especially when it comes to the protection of minors and tobacco control and compliance issues.
?
Finally, there are economic and tax issues.In fact, the biggest advantage of e-cigarettes over traditional cigarettes is not harm reduction. This is just a gimmick and cannot stand the test. Because from a health perspective, the biggest harm reduction should be to ban the production and sale of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.(Note: The view here is not in line with reality:1. There are scientific research conclusions on e-cigarette harm reduction;2Banning all tobacco products does not mean that the demand of smokers can be banned）。One of the biggest advantages of e-cigarettes at present is their low selling price, and the other is their many flavors and rapid evolution and iteration.
?
The low selling price is because e-cigarettes do not pay high taxes like traditional tobacco (currently, the nominal tax rate of cigarettes in my country is about 56.5%. Coupled with other fees paid to the government, the actual tax rate is in #p#paginated title #e#65%-67%Between), while e-cigarettes either pay taxes based on electronic products or directly evade taxes, their contribution to national taxes and fees is not prominent.
?
As for evolutionary iteration, this is a characteristic of electronic products. It is reflected in e-cigarette products and constitutes a major competitive tool for e-cigarettes against traditional cigarettes. It is also the fundamental driving force for their long-term development and victory. To put it bluntly, once the taste of e-cigarettes can be perfectly restored to traditional cigarettes, then bringing more objective economic benefits and paying more taxes will not be a problem at all.
?
Third question: How to suppress it?
?
As mentioned above, there is no question of deliberate suppression, so what is the means of suppression? In essence, the birth of any emerging industry, if there is suppression, will be more due to disorderly competition in the early market and consumers 'lack of understanding and recognition. Therefore, whether it is an e-cigarette practitioner or a business, it is best not to die in the early stage, not to challenge public opinion, and not to touch the government's regulatory bottom line. Actively embrace supervision, do yourself well, and do your products well. The king of development.
?
Good products cannot be suppressed. Look at Didi and WeChat. In the long run, all things that are beneficial to the people will be recognized and incorporated into regulations by law, so as to achieve long-term healthy and orderly development.
