{"id":516,"date":"2014-04-27T12:22:58","date_gmt":"2014-04-27T20:22:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/?p=516"},"modified":"2014-07-28T09:13:43","modified_gmt":"2014-07-28T17:13:43","slug":"old-and-busted-smoking-bad-new-hotness-smoking-good-vaping-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/old-and-busted-smoking-bad-new-hotness-smoking-good-vaping-bad\/","title":{"rendered":"Old and busted: &#8220;smoking bad&#8221;             New Hotness: &#8220;smoking good, vaping bad&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"TweetButton_button\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 10px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\"  data-url=\"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/old-and-busted-smoking-bad-new-hotness-smoking-good-vaping-bad\/\" data-text=\"Old and busted: &#038;%238220;smoking bad&#038;%238221;%2520New Hotness: &#038;%238220;smoking good, vaping bad&#038;%238221;\" data-lang=\"en\">Tweet<\/a><br \/>\n<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,\"script\",\"twitter-wjs\");<\/script><\/div>\n<p>There are two trends happening in society today the public perceptions of which seem at odds to me. \u00a0One is the appearance and increasing use of electronic cigarrettes, or e-cigs, which is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2014\/04\/26\/opinion\/wise-controls-on-e-cigarettes.html?smid=pl-share\" target=\"_blank\">portrayed in the media as bad<\/a> and in need of regulation if not outright ban, and the other is the increasing de-criminalization and indeed in some cases legalization of marijuana which is \u00a0generally portrayed <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2013\/12\/28\/us\/10-things-colorado-recreational-marijuana\/\" target=\"_blank\">positively<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0\u00a0as a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/storyline\/legal-pot\/denver-celebrates-first-4-20-marijuana-legalization-n85881\" target=\"_blank\">simple matter of personal freedom<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>I must say that I do not understand the crusade against electronic cigarettes. \u00a0Anti smoking zealots have argued that the adverse health effects of smoking, not just for the smoker but for anyone in the vicinity via second-hand smoke (and currently for the entire environment because discarded <a href=\"http:\/\/www.legacyforhealth.org\/our-issues\/cigarettes-and-the-environment\/help-us-stop-toxic-litter\" target=\"_blank\">cigarette butts are <em>poisonous<\/em>!<\/a>) justified their vendetta against a legal product. \u00a0And the public at large has generally bought into this because no one likes the smell of cigarette smoke. \u00a0However&#8230;the advent of electronic cigarettes adresses every one of these issues &#8211; healthier for the smoker, no second hand smoke and no butts on the sidewalk. \u00a0Your dog is safe! \u00a0The anti smokers should be hailing this as a win-win: \u00a0Smokers get to smoke and no threats to non-smokers! \u00a0But that is not the case. \u00a0Smoking of electronic cigarettes, or &#8220;vaping&#8221; <a href=\"http:\/\/reason.com\/blog\/2014\/04\/25\/cdc-director-says-switching-from-smoking#fold\" target=\"_blank\">must be prohibited just like regular smoking because it<em> looks<\/em> like regular smoking<\/a>. \u00a0And don&#8217;t forget the children. \u00a0Children might see someone vaping and try it themselves and then move on to the hard stuff &#8211; real cigarettes! \u00a0Another argument is that e-cigs contain nicotine, just like real cigarettes. \u00a0But there is no nicotine in the vapor for second hand effect, only the user is exposed. \u00a0Besides &#8211; other antismoking aids such as nicotine gum and patches also contain nicotine. \u00a0And both of these are arguably less safe for children as they could be extremely harmful if accidentally ingested by a child. \u00a0 And finally, there is the uncertainty and over abundance of caution factor: \u00a0<em>E-cigs might be bad and that&#8217;s a risk we can&#8217;t take. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_525\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/old-and-busted-smoking-bad-new-hotness-smoking-good-vaping-bad\/willy-wonka-vape\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-525\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-525\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-525\" src=\"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Willy-Wonka-vape-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"H8rs gonna H8\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Willy-Wonka-vape-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Willy-Wonka-vape-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Willy-Wonka-vape.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-525\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">H8rs gonna H8<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Now for the weed thing. \u00a0First, I am not a weed prude. \u00a0In my lifetime I have probably lost more weed in my couch cushions than any thirty something hipster today will ever smoke. \u00a0But I don&#8217;t smoke it any more and have no desire to. \u00a0Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. \u00a0A very expensive t-shirt at that considering the money spent and time squandered on the habit. \u00a0But if you want to smoke it, knock yourself out. \u00a0Kind of like my attitude toward cigarettes real and electronic. \u00a0But there is a potential danger to marijuana smokers posed simply by the act of smoking a substance. \u00a0Marijuana contains no nicotine that I am aware of, but the absorption of nicotine is not the only danger of smoking, inhaling smoke of any kind is traumatic to the lungs and cardio-vascular system in general. \u00a0This is never mentioned in reporting on this subject. \u00a0Folks who are against liberalization of marijuana laws argue that it is a gateway drug that will lead users onto harder drugs. \u00a0Anectdotally I have seen this to be true, though not universally. \u00a0Such fears are rebutted with assertions that there is no evidence to support that stance. \u00a0So the risk that smoking pot <em>might be harmful for some people<\/em> is a risk we <em>can<\/em> \u00a0afford to take and abundance of caution is not justified in this case. \u00a0But consider this &#8211; in Colorado, the first state to legalize recreational pot use, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cuanaenterprises.com\/wordpress\/?p=386\" target=\"_blank\">the nascent pot industry is looking for ways to expand the customer base and to entice non users to try marijuana<\/a>. \u00a0Granted, they seem to be sensitive about marketing to a youth audience but I don&#8217;t think that you can argue that marketing of cigarettes (or liquor for that matter) specifically aimed at adult audiences will influence children and that similar marijuana marketing will not.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_524\" style=\"width: 270px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/old-and-busted-smoking-bad-new-hotness-smoking-good-vaping-bad\/portugal-marijuana-march\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-524\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-524\" class=\"size-full wp-image-524\" src=\"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/s-LEGALIZED-MARIJUANA-REVENUE-large.jpg\" alt=\"&quot;It's not just for stoners anymore&quot;\" width=\"260\" height=\"190\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/s-LEGALIZED-MARIJUANA-REVENUE-large.jpg 260w, https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/s-LEGALIZED-MARIJUANA-REVENUE-large-150x109.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 260px) 100vw, 260px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-524\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8220;It&#8217;s not just for stoners anymore&#8221;<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I guess I wonder why Vaping isn&#8217;t hailed as a breakthrough for public health and that marijuana legalization isn&#8217;t viewed with a little more caution or skepticism. \u00a0Perhaps I&#8217;m crazy &#8211; or is everyone else? \u00a0Or I&#8217;m straight and everyone else is stoned? \u00a0What<em>ever<\/em>. \u00a0Personally, my attitude is live and let live. \u00a0You want to smoke? \u00a0Spark one up. \u00a0You want to vape? \u00a0Have at it.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tweet There are two trends happening in society today the public perceptions of which seem at odds to me. \u00a0One is the appearance and increasing use of electronic cigarrettes, or e-cigs, which is portrayed in the media as bad and in need of regulation if&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,4,11,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-law-order","category-life","category-oldandbusted-newhotness","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=516"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/516\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1322,"href":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/516\/revisions\/1322"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ego-vero.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}