So it turns out ecigarettes may not be as good as was originally thought. To which I would like to say: No sh*t, Sherlock! So you’re not inhaling nicotine, tar and goodness knows what else into your lungs – you’re still inhaling chemicals into your lungs which could (and now seems potentially do) have major negative effects on your health.
The main issue here/cause of this misconceived view seems overall
to be down to the fact that the view of or approach to ecigarettes has become
twisted – the focus has been extolling or emphasising claims such as ‘they’re
not as bad as cigarettes’. Yeah, and shooting yourself in the foot’s not as bad
as shooting yourself in the head – you still get shot (and the former can still
kill you).
Another favourite is ‘they can help you wean yourself of
cigarettes’... by giving you currently unknown health defects as a result of
the health risk that ecigarettes are increasingly found to represent.
By switching from cigarettes to ecigarettes you are not
going from bad to good you are going from a known health risk to an unknown
health risk – both cause harm, both poison your body, both will kill you.
As you may be able to tell, I am a vehement anti-smoker
although I am also extremely pro-choice meaning I understand and respect that
it’s your choice and I’m not going to tell you what to do – just mourn the
impending pointless loss of life through societal ignorance.
Tbh, this is not uncommon - ecigarettes are just the latest
in a centuries-long series of fads of supposedly marvellous or miraculous new products
which have turned out to be deadly/harmful.
From ancient times, a popular beauty regime included using
make-up containing large quantities of lead. Followers of this regime included
Queen Elizabeth I - whose white lead-based face make-up ate into her face and is
believed to have led to her eventual death – and Maria Gunning – an 18th
century renowned beauty who died from lead poisoning aged 27. There’s also the
small matter of the numerous boyfriends, husbands and partners who died from
kissing the lead-covered faces of their amours.
Arsenic became increasingly popular during the Victorian era
primarily for use either as a face powder or health supplement but it could
also be found in wallpaper – which is believed to have led to the death of
Napoleon Bonaparte – and even ladies dresses. Also laudanum, morphine and opium
were regularly added to ‘health’ tonics – including those of children.
Following this, from the end of the 19th century,
asbestos became a fashionable fabric and could be found in building
construction and decoration and also fireproof items and increased in use
throughout the 20th century despite its negative health effects
being established as early as 1924.
My point is, just as with all the above, cigarettes used to
be viewed as a health supplement, with even doctors advocating their use – now
we know better. Yet we still choose to ignore any advice which contradicts our
views on the ‘health benefits’ of something that will kill us!
The experts do not warn us of these things to be killjoys –
they do it to SAVE YOUR LIFE so you ignore them literally at your peril.
Also, given the massive negative health impacts that passive
smoking has shown to produce, you can’t help but wonder what the effects of
passive ecigarette smoking are going to be proven to be in 50-60 years time.
Here’s an idea – how about we don’t wait to find out? Let’s
prevent the need to find out. Let’s, in effect, prevent the opportunity to find
out. Please – don’t risk your life or let your choices risk other people’s
lives.
