One of the best things about vaping when you’re starting out is the wealth of choices available to you when it comes to how your vape will taste. Deciding on which vape juices you might choose with the many variations and colours around is fun for many and is comparable to being a child in a sweet shop. There are concerns however that vape juices may be appealing to the wrong audience. Well that’s the new concern being put forward by Public Health Wales who are worried that sweet e-liquids are enticing to children and should be banned. They are calling for there to be restrictions on e-cigarette advertisements in the media and for there to be a vaping ban in and around schools. The reasons for the worries stem from the idea that vaping can act as a gateway to smoking a controversial that has gained much media coverage, often without much in the way of evidence to back the claim up. There have been studies done by people who are opposed to e-cigarettes who claimed that vapers are very likely to pick up a smoking habit a year later. As well as those claims there are others that suggest e-cigarettes could cause diseases in the next ten to twenty years as a result of the ingredients used. With public opinion divided and the general public seemingly not coming to a consensus, it’s easy to see how misinformation can spread like wildfire, creating a lack of faith in the public.
E-cigarettes Are Not advertised For Children Though?
In 2016 The Tobacco Products Directive announced new laws which changed the vaping industry. Decreased nicotine strength, smaller refill containers and child proof packages are just some of the new laws put in place to discourage youngsters from starting and keep people using safe amounts. Since the e-cigarette industry exploded, more and more teenagers are trying out vaping and it is predicted that e-cigarettes are other vaping products will outsell cigarettes by the end of 2023. Though they are not explicitly advertised to teenagers they are finding the idea of vaping alluring and this is something that has caused concern for many people. But are those who oppose vaping really warranted to be so concerned about teenagers using e-cigarettes? Isn’t it much safer than smoking tobacco and potentially getting tobacco related diseases and ultimately death? Why is vaping not touted for what it is: A healthy alternative to smoking? Of course e-cigarettes should invariably be regulated and not advertised to young people. Steps should and must be taken to ensure that the young are protected and not exposed to anything harmful. But there are far more harmful substances in alcohol and tobacco than there are in e-cigarettes. Never-the-less while nicotine is not a cancer-causing substance, it is still addictive and is not recommended as a safe product for young people to consume.
Taking The Correct Precautions
Another problem with potentially banning e-juices is the knock on effect this must have on other adult substances. E-juices are not marketed or advertised for children just like alcohol and rum laced chocolates are not either. However these products are not banned or forced out of advertisement! Should we ban all products that aren’t suitable for children because they ‘might’ be tempted to experiment? This doesn’t make any sense. Surely it should be up to vaping manufactures to make sure their products are child proof and inaccessible to children. Vape shops should aid this progress by not selling any vaping products or e-cigarettes to anyone under 18. Strict laws and regulations regarding the sale and distribution of these products will go a long way in ensuring the safety of children and young people.
It is simply not feasible to ban all e-liquids because they are unwittingly enticing children and young people. A more realistic approach would be to make sure they are being advertised appropriately to the correct age audience, and out of reach from shop shelves, and this may mean vape shops introducing I.D restrictions on their products. As always it is about allowing adults to buy whatever vaping products they want to have an enjoyable experience, whilst protecting young people by enforcing reasonable measures.