Golden Globes criticism plays into hands of electronic cigarettes industry

 

While the Golden Globes ceremony has attracted an array of publicity in years gone by due to the comments, activities and the general demeanour of many actors and actresses, this year has been very different. Leonardo DiCaprio was one of a number of prominent actors filmed using electronic cigarettes at a time when the industry is under intense pressure from US regulators. Even though using electronic cigarettes in public is not illegal in California there is a ban on smoking tobacco cigarettes in public places. Why all the fuss about using  electronic cigarettes at the Golden Globes awards?

A number of US senators have come forward to criticise the televising of prominent members of the acting fraternity using electronic cigarettes at the awards ceremony. Indeed these politicians have written to the Hollywood Press Association and television companies to “express their concern” at the prominent display of electronic cigarettes on the night.

Playing into the hands of the electronic cigarette industry

Even though the number of users of electronic cigarettes around the world continues to grow, now numbered in millions, there are still many people who are blissfully unaware of these new devices. Inadvertently, the criticism put forward by various US politicians has become headline news and highlighted electronic cigarettes to the wider public.

This is the kind of publicity which electronic cigarette companies could not even dream of, could never afford and it certainly plays into the hands of the industry. We now have many people across the US asking why electronic cigarettes, which even the most ardent of critics admit are significantly less harmful than tobacco cigarettes, are coming under so much pressure. There are some very awkward questions being asked of politicians across the US, and indeed across Europe, with accusations that tobacco cigarette companies and pharmaceutical groups may well be playing a role behind the scenes.

Why do politicians think they know best?

While there’s no doubt that further medical trials are required for electronic cigarettes there is also no doubt about a growing bias against these new devices. Sceptics might suggest there are 17 billion reasons why the US authorities seem so against electronic cigarettes which is one reason for every dollar of tobacco tax received by the US government in 2011!

Despite the fact that a number of prominent doctors and medical experts have stepped forward to applaud the introduction of electronic cigarettes, which some believe could potentially save millions of lives in the long-term, the political scene is very different. Indeed earlier this week we saw the European Parliament coming under intense pressure from a medical expert who produced a report on which European Parliament’s regulatory suggestions were based. The doctor in question has now formally reported the European Parliament with a maladministration complaint suggesting that his data was misinterpreted to support a predetermined position.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that politicians seem determined to crush the electronic cigarettes industry in the US, against the face of massive resistance, many seem to enjoy the sound of their own voices. Those senators who decided to formally complain about electronic cigarette coverage at the Golden Globes awards may inadvertently have given the industry the biggest boost in recent times. Many people are now starting to ask awkward questions of the proposed regulatory situation and why governments and regulators seem so determined to rein in growth in the popularity of these devices.

Mark Benson

Bio

Mark Benson is a contributing author for Spinfuel eMagazine. His continuing columns will bring a level headed approach to the dynamics involved in realizing a positive future for the e-cigarette industry. For more information on electronic cigarettes and the various products available please visit the OKCigs website.