As the war on smoking extends into its sixth decade, it seems like society has reached the (proper) consensus that tobacco is bad.
We’ve all heard of the studies. The ones that suggest that in the 20th century, tobacco use killed at least 100 million people (more than both world wars combined). Or the study that estimated that heavy smoking reduces one’s lifespan by 13 years.
We can all agree this is pretty alarming, right?
To wean people off of tobacco dependence, an effort was made to provide people with healthier alternatives. Thus, herbal cigarettes. nicotine patches and. most recently, vaping were born.
By all metrics, the introduction of vaping as a tobacco alternative has been a resounding success. The United Royal College of Physicians concluded that vaping is 95 percent safer than smoking. Another study found that if all American smokers switched to vaping over a 10-year period, this could lead to our population gaining as many as 86.7 million years of life. Vaping also eliminates the harmful combustion process of cigarettes, which produces all manners of toxic chemicals.
Claiming that vaping is significantly healthier than smoking is not just conjecture. It’s a definitive fact.
Despite these undeniably positive developments, the federal government has begun making overtures toward potentially banning flavored vaping products, or seriously regulating them. This action could reverse all the progress America has made in its war against tobacco.
Quitting smoking isn’t easy. Fighting an addiction never is. Therefore, to help break people from tobacco consumption we must provide them with viable alternatives. Vaping is the most successful harm reduction tool we have developed so far. Turning our fire on that alternative is one of the most counterproductive notions imaginable.
Recently, the former presidents of anti-tobacco group the Society of Research on Nicotine and Tobacco challenged the U.S. government’s new vaping policies, arguing that there is inherent importance in supporting the benefits of vaping and reducing smoker rates. They’ve even gone so far as to urge lawmakers to heed scientific warnings in order to reshape U.S. policy to include a balanced discussion on vaping policy.
We’ve all heard the phrase “trust the science.” Well, science suggests that vaping saves lives. So, why are we abandoning science in this instance?
Next, we must also acknowledge that it is very likely that any regulation of the vaping industry will have a disproportionate impact on lower-income and black communities.
In mid-2021, the Biden administration moved to ban menthol cigarettes. This was met with instant derision by African Americans and led to very real fears that such a ban would only increase this community’s interactions with law enforcement and incentivize clandestine sales.
No one wants that. So, why deny these communities an affordable, accessible and healthy option like vaping?
Lastly, we must address the most common argument deployed by advocates of bans and regulations: “Won’t somebody think of the children?”
To put it simply, we are. No one wants children smoking. It’s obviously bad for their health. But every single parent has learned that if you take something away and forbid it, it will only make the kids want it more.
What would you rather have your child using? Cigarettes or a vape pen?
The flippant response is neither. But that’s unrealistic. Zero smoking is an impossibility. We must instead assess how we can support policies that protect minors from underage vape use, while also not incentivizing them to pursue other, harder alternatives. It is our responsibility to shield children from smoking and vaping, but the solution isn’t to isolate them. It’s to educate them. We simply can’t afford to ban vaping altogether.
Smoking can be a vicious cycle. If you talk to anyone who has managed to quit they talk about needing to find a tool to break that cycle. For many, vaping is that tool. Will there be a better tool available at some point? I sure hope so. But as it stands, vaping is our best way of combatting tobacco addiction. As with any substance, we welcome a conversation about the potential risks. But an outright ban? Onerous regulations? Those are no solutions at all.
Colton Duncan is a political advocate dedicated to fighting the culture war and pushing back against the tyranny of government overreach.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller.