Wales e-cig ban: "It’s hard to think of a more irrational policy”
Tuesday, June 9, 2015 at 8:38 The use of electronic cigarettes is to be banned in all enclosed public spaces and workplaces in Wales.
The Guardian has the story here: Wales to introduce e-cigarette ban.
My colleague Rob Lyons, campaigns manager for Action on Consumer Choice, is quoted as follows:
“E-cigarettes are widely recognised as much safer than tobacco cigarettes both for users and those around them.
"Banning e-cigarettes from public enclosed spaces and workplaces would take away one of their major attractions to potential users – they can be used where cigarettes can’t – and wrongly implies they are dangerous.
"It’s hard to think of a more irrational policy in terms of promoting health.”
Rob is currently doing some radio interviews on the subject. I'm also on BBC Hereford and Worcestershire around 9.30.
Reader Comments (3)
As we know alleged harm caused to others from smoking is rubbish too so why not say it instead of using the alleged harm of shs to gain favour for ecigs
Ha! Yes, I agree with Pat.
“E-cigarettes are widely recognised as much safer than tobacco cigarettes both for users and those around them."
It's a bit like saying "walking across a meadow is much safer than walking across a common". Since the danger from doing either is negligible, it really is a pointless statement. I can understand why he's said it, but it sticks in my craw that people like RL have to pander to the twisted fantasies of Tobacco Control.
"Banning e-cigarettes from public enclosed spaces and workplaces would take away one of their major attractions to potential users – they can be used where cigarettes can’t..."
Which of course is the entire reason that Tobacco Control want to ban them. The smoking bans, as we all know, were nothing to do with health. They were a punishment for those who would not obey the orders of the zealots. They certainly don't intend to allow anyone to avoid that punishment by using an alternative delivery system.
"You WILL obey"
The big difference in this compared with banning smoking is that, whatever the truth about the health risks of passive smoking, smoking can impact on the comfort of those around the smoker (if they don't like smoke or the smell it leaves), whereas e-Cigs have no impact whatsoever on those around.
This latest move demonstrates so clearly that banning smoking in public places was never about the health or even comfort of non-smokers, and everything to do with taking away the choice of individuals to smoke.