I definitely support the e cigarette as an alternative to regular cigarettes and tobacco as well as a “quit smoking” aid but I will not tolerate kids using e-cigarettes with the excuse that it’s not as bad as regular cigarettes anyway. I know for sure that vaping is certainly much better than smoking for several reasons but I detest the thought of minors starting a nicotine habit through electronic cigarettes.
This realization came to me when I heard my sister complaining about her fourteen year old son and his new found habit – vaping. My sister was worried that her son might start a bad habit of smoking in the future because of those electronic cigarettes which he can freely buy even at his young age. I can understand her completely. My nephew is really young and so he might find it hard to buy regular cigarettes from the stores because he’s a minor but since electronic cigarettes are not regulated yet, he actually have access to it anytime he wants.
That is why I fully support banning the sale of e-cigarettes to minors just like how regular cigarettes are banned to minors as well. I don’t like the idea of children starting early on the habit just because they can get away with it. I’ve read about one city approving the ordinance, good for them! Once the ordinance takes effect, storeowners who sell electronic cigarettes to minor will be punished with a certain amount of penalty. There’s also a penalty for the minor who’s in possession of e-cigarettes.
I say this is just fair. True, an electronic cigarette is not damaging to the environment and it doesn’t release harmful second-hand smoke which is also detrimental to non-smokers. Not only that, the person using it can actually control his nicotine intake and that he won’t have to worry about ashes, cigarette butts, dark lips and many other bad effects of regular cigarette. But this doesn’t mean that anybody should be free to use it – certainly not minors who are not really having difficulties to stop nicotine smoking but just wanted to start early with the same addiction.
I just hope my sister can really stop my nephew from developing this new habit of him. I know she’s a very firm and determined mother but I know my nephew as well; he can be very hard-headed at times especially when he already put his mind into something.
Again, I have nothing against electronic cigarette as a tool to quit smoking or to curb nicotine addiction but I really don’t like the thought of it starting the same addiction to minors.
