Last Updated on February 8, 2016 by

Anti-Vaping? Well, Put up or shut up!

Since the pharmaceuticals, tobacco companies and politicians realised that the vaping industry is going nowhere there have been constant attacks on the sector. Innuendo, rumours, untruths and every other media related attack strategy has failed to bring down the sector. So, now is the time for politicians, large corporations and even the regulators to PUT UP OR SHUT UP!

Is vaping bad for your health?

If politicians had any reason to believe there were significant health risks from electronic cigarettes they would have closed the industry down already. The truth? They have no evidence, they have no facts on which to base their attacks so what do they do? If you can’t beat them, join them!

Unable to close down the industry, despite attempts in years gone by, politicians now seem happy to “join the party”. However, when any politician or regulator joins the party there is usually a serious cost to business and a serious cost to customers. While short-term regulations proposed by the FDA may not be as draconian as many had feared there are some serious costs creeping in further down the line.

Start a fight and step back!

Isn’t it ironic that while the vaping industry has survived and grown for the last decade without much fuss, the fairly recent introduction of tobacco companies has caused significant uproar and controversy? It will come as no surprise to learn that tobacco companies are flexing their financial muscles acquiring historic patents and now dragging the industry through the courts. Yes, there was a distinct lack of legal challenges prior to the entry of tobacco companies into the vaping industry but now a new one seems to be emerging every day.

The best way to ruin an industry is to camp yourself right in the middle, light the blue touch paper and step back. Yes, people will say that the vaping industry is now a multibillion-dollar business which needs protection, will claim that tobacco company dollars encourage growth but the fact is that starting a fight within the industry could create a win-win situation for the tobacco companies.

Do your worst!

How ironic that the incompetence of regulators around the world to grasp the difference between electronic cigarettes and tobacco products has given the industry more publicity and greater awareness than it could ever have hoped for. The FDA has been investigating the sector for over four years, the European Parliament was found to have misquoted research data records backing “extreme regulations” while consumers continue to ignore those looking to ruin the industry.

The fact is that those with a distinct grudge against the electronic cigarette industry have tried their worst, continue to hack away at the sector from the inside out but so far consumer power is winning the day. There may be ups and downs in the years to come, regulators may try their worst but we are now at the stage where each attack on the vaping industry seems to be crystallising support amongst consumers. In effect, politicians, regulators and large corporations have “cried wolf” once too often and their criticisms are now being completely ignored.

Mark Benson

Mark Benson is a Freelance writer living and working in the UK. Mark is an expert in the politics of Big Tobacco, Big Pharma, and of course, in the all these related to vaping. Benson is a regular contributor to Spinfuel eMagazine. To contact Mark, send an email to [email protected] and we’ll forward it straight away.