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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think they shouldn't ban vapes?

214 replies

Vapes1 · 15/07/2023 18:49

I've just heard on the news that there is talk of banning vapes.

Vaping successfully got me and thousands of others off the cigarettes when all else failed. They're safer, cheaper, less offensive.

They say the fruity flavours entice children, well so do alcoholic drinks like WKD, fruit ciders etc. You don't see any bans on alcohol coming into play. Alcohol is a far more problematic 'vice' than vaping.

Adult vapers are not responsible for somebody else's child deciding to vape any more than a parent having a glass of wine of an evening is encouraging children to drink.

Why can't we move towards mass recycling them as opposed to an outright ban? I would happily recycle every one I use. Many would. Gladly. It's not just about the environmental issue though is it?

What happened to banning cigarettes? That never came to fruition did it, perhaps they should start there.

AIBU?

OP posts:
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Papernotplastic · 15/07/2023 20:59

Also, they should all look the same (and dull) the way that cigarette packets do now. That’ll have a much bigger impact on teenagers than it will on adults.

Sometimeswinning · 15/07/2023 21:01

Runnersandtoms · 15/07/2023 20:54

No but it's dodgy if it's selling vapes to under 18s and should be reported. Our school sent a letter to parents warning they are aware of shops selling to children. My immediate response was why haven't they reported these shops to the police.

Show quote history

Yes a well known shop in our town sells to the school kids. You see them going in wearing their uniforms. Its a shop I wouldn't touch with a bargepole to be fair!

Original poster
Vapes1 · 15/07/2023 21:02

Why vapes need to be unicorn coloured and cherry pie flavoured is all too clear - they're for children. Adults coming off cigarettes don't need this frippery.

Don't be so bloody ridiculous. Is fruit flavored alcohol marketed for kids aswell or is such ridiculousness reserved only for the vapes argument.

Are adults not allowed to enjoy nice flavours?

Maybe you should campaign to ban all alcoholic drinks that don't taste like lager. Yuck.

OP posts:
Papernotplastic · 15/07/2023 21:04

It’s absolutely not comparable to alcohol. It’s not at all accidental and it is aimed at children.

MumGMT · 15/07/2023 21:04

sweatybettii · 15/07/2023 20:58

@MumGMT a nicotine rush is usually something that happens when you first ever start smoking, as your tolerance builds up it doesn't happen anymore.

Lots of kids don't own their own and just share them in the toilets etc at break so they're not regularly puffing on them so they do continue to get a headrush.

Mumtothreegirlies · 15/07/2023 21:05

Tempone · 15/07/2023 18:50

I disagree, I think they should be on prescription for people who need them to give up cigarettes.

spoken like a true non smoker

R3dSh035 · 15/07/2023 21:05

They up the amount of nicotine and then they’re addicted.

Papernotplastic · 15/07/2023 21:08

Australia made them prescription only in 2021. It’s a totally reasonable position.

Confusion101 · 15/07/2023 21:09

Papernotplastic · 15/07/2023 21:08

Australia made them prescription only in 2021. It’s a totally reasonable position.

Is this true? My friends live in Australia and have far higher strength ones than are available here?

Feelingcrazy123 · 15/07/2023 21:12

People suggesting vapes on prescription 🤯 can you imagine how much that will cost our country?? How many people will be getting free vapes who don’t pay for their prescription but can afford but vapes.

i vape but use a rechargeable and refillable type and only occasionally get disposable

Nowdontmakeamess · 15/07/2023 21:14

Vapes1 · 15/07/2023 21:02

Why vapes need to be unicorn coloured and cherry pie flavoured is all too clear - they're for children. Adults coming off cigarettes don't need this frippery.

Don't be so bloody ridiculous. Is fruit flavored alcohol marketed for kids aswell or is such ridiculousness reserved only for the vapes argument.

Are adults not allowed to enjoy nice flavours?

Maybe you should campaign to ban all alcoholic drinks that don't taste like lager. Yuck.

You are being ridiculous if you can’t see that they are targeting children. You’re right, alcohol shouldn’t be so easily available either, it causes a huge amount of damage in terms of health, society and wasting money. Two wrongs don’t make a right you know.

R3dSh035 · 15/07/2023 21:14

It will save a fortune further down the line if it stops all manner of problems caused by nicotine and toxic chemicals, addiction treatment and damage to the environment.

sweatybettii · 15/07/2023 21:16

@MumGMT Yes that makes more sense in that situation. But I was commenting on the poster who said her dd and her friends use them and don't get hangovers, that didn't make sense as they're obviously older and use them more regularly

annahay · 15/07/2023 21:17

Mortimermay · 15/07/2023 20:35

There is research to show that the vast majority of teenagers who were vaping regularly had previously smoked cigarettes or at least tried cigarettes, of those who hadn't they only tried vapes a couple of times and didnt continue to do it regularly. So it's difficult to support the idea that kids are all vaping and would never have touched nicotine otherwise - these are in the majority of cases, the kids who would previously have been smoking cigarettes. That's not to say that vaping is healthy and that there wouldn't be long term health effects but they are known to be less unhealthy than cigarettes.
I'm finding some of these comments very judgy. It's interesting that a nicotine addiction doesn't get the same level of empathy or understanding than other Addictions and that people feel free to make some pretty horrible comments to someone about it, which they'd never do if the poster had mentioned an addiction to another substance.
I also think it's interesting that everyone agrees that cigarettes should be hidden away, that it's a "nasty addiction" etc, but no one ever calls for a ban on alcohol or discusses alcohol advertising or the presentation of alcohol in literally every aspect of our lives. Alcohol causes exactly the same health issues as cigarettes and far more issues relating to antisocial behaviour, assault etc.
I do think that disposable vapes do need looked at in terms of their damage to the environment but I wish everyone could just see the hypocrisy of how our society treats nicotine use versus alcohol use.

I'd be just as happy for alcohol to be banned.

PriamFarrl · 15/07/2023 21:18

I was talking to a friend about this today. He works for the council in waste management (actually in the office, not a bin man). He was saying that in the last year there have been 40 fires in bin lorries or waste processing centres across the county due to batteries, most of them in disposable vapes.
If one of these gets onto a bin lorry, which then crushes it, there is a real chance of it catching fire.

Papernotplastic · 15/07/2023 21:22

I smoked from 17 to 30, getting through 20-30 a day. Quitting was incredibly difficult. The link between relaxing and smoking is hard wired into my brain and I still miss the idea of it (though not the reality.) I would never want to take that crutch away from people who have switched from cigarettes to vaping.

Getting children addicted to nicotine by actively marketing vaping as an attractive lifestyle choice rather than a smoking cessation aid like patches or gum is exactly what we should expect from the tobacco industry. These are the people who marketed cigarettes as healthy and as a slimming aid, who artificially increased the nicotine content to make them more addictive and who denied the link between smoking and cancer for decades after it was established beyond doubt.

Mortimermay · 15/07/2023 21:28

R3dSh035 · 15/07/2023 20:39

Mortimermay

What research? My Dd has never had a cigarette. She liked the flavours of vapes and preferred them to the taste of alcohol. All her friends doing it have never smoked. The tastes and designs are collectable. It’s win win. A high, nice taste, pretty packaging. No hangover. Easy to buy online.

https://ash.org.uk/media-centre/news/press-releases/experimental-child-vaping-up-significantly-since-2022-but-not-current-vaping

Experimental child vaping up significantly since 2022 but not current vaping - ASH

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is a campaigning public health charity that works to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco.

https://ash.org.uk/media-centre/news/press-releases/experimental-child-vaping-up-significantly-since-2022-but-not-current-vaping

Isthatascratchonmygrandmother · 15/07/2023 21:28

Disposable vapes give me so much anxiety. Why on earth ban plastic straws to replace them with millions of these things. More shite for the landfill.

ManchesterLu · 15/07/2023 21:29

Tempone · 15/07/2023 18:50

I disagree, I think they should be on prescription for people who need them to give up cigarettes.

This would be great.
And I talk as someone who is a 'social vaper' on 0%.

Stomacharmeleon · 15/07/2023 21:31

@Mortimermay that's certainly not the case where I am. They like vaping not smoking and have no desire to smoke.

It's totally aimed at children. Names and packaging.

luckylavender · 15/07/2023 21:33

GetInTheBinThenGetInTheSea · 15/07/2023 19:00

I definitely don't want them banned!

I have a reusable one but I need disposables as well. I can't always be fiddling around with filling up.

🙄