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Thursday 16 January 2014

Sod it! Save vaping

This is a collection of little thoughts that crossed my mind  whilst watching tweets and reading stuff -

"Even the most oblivious non-smokers are beginning to ask questions when a vaper tells them that he/she, too, is “exiled to the outdoors”. I wondered how many people ACTUALLY would support the smoking bans if they were ever consulted. And how many think the vaping ban is totally wacky. Why vaping is becoming clamped down on is "because it looks like smoking". It's not vaping that's the problem - it's the denormalising of smoking that's the nub.

"Would Hon Lik have invented the electronic cigarette if not for the smoking ban?"  Well of course he would! He was responding to the death of his father from smoking and not feeling good himself. There was no smoking ban in China.

"Official statistics show that there are in excess of 300 million tobacco cigarette smokers in China and more than 1 million people die each year as a consequence of smoking-related illnesses. Indeed there are also in excess of 100,000 deaths which are directly attributable to secondary smoking which is obviously an alarming statistic." Well, to anyone with basic math, this statistic is not nearly as alarming as the statistics on smoking the Western world presents! Is there something different about the Chinese?   No - I think OUR statistics are Chinese whispers!

"Prohibitionism is a legal philosophy and political theory often used in lobbying which holds that citizens will abstain from actions if the actions are typed as unlawful (i.e. prohibited) and the prohibitions are enforced by law enforcement. This philosophy has been the basis for many acts of statutory law throughout history, most notably when a large group of a given population disapproves of and/or feels threatened by an activity in which a smaller group of that population engages, and seeks to render that activity legally prohibited."  Well nowadays it's a "small group" that controls the larger group. Complete reversal actually.

"Bhutan is the only country in the world to completely outlaw the cultivation, harvesting, production, and sale of tobacco and tobacco products under the 'Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan 2010'. However, small allowances for personal possession are permitted as long as the possessor can prove that they have paid import duties." Yup - Import duties.

"The Pitcairn Islands had previously banned the sale of cigarettes, however it now permits sales from a government run store." Well I never, fancy that! 

"Iceland is also proposing banning tobacco sales from shops, making it prescription only and therefore dispensable only in pharmacies on doctor's orders." Uh huh, Doctors and pharmacies hey? 

"In 2012, anti-smoking groups proposed a 'smoking licence' – if a smoker managed to quit and hand back their licence, they would get back any money they paid for it." This would mean buying cigarettes with your birth certificate after you had BOUGHT your licence? Maybe we'll have to BUY a licence for nicotine e liquid ad produce our birth certificates?

These random thoughts bring me to the idea that vaping might be doomed because it's like smoking and the prohibitionist Tobacco Control/Pharmaceutical Corporation "Chinese Whispers" are going to kick the shit out of us.

Have you not reason then to bee ashamed, and to forbeare this filthie noveltie, so basely grounded, so foolishly received and so grossely mistaken in the right use thereof? In your abuse thereof sinning against God, harming your selves both in persons and goods, and raking also thereby the markes and notes of vanitie upon you: by the custome thereof making your selves to be wondered at by all forraine civil Nations, and by all strangers that come among you, to be scorned and contemned. A custome lothsome to the eye, hatefull to the Nose, harmefull to the braine, dangerous to the Lungs, and in the blacke stinking fume thereof, neerest resembling the horrible Stigian smoke of the pit that is bottomelesse.— James 1604

Sod it!

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2 comments:

  1. "Indeed there are also in excess of 100,000 deaths which are directly attributable to secondary smoking"

    I bet they can't name one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 100 000 people is much LOWER than our estimates, sorry guesses. And I bet you're right!

      Delete