In the midst of an epidemic, it feels that there is no end in sight. There is no cure or solution. The smoking epidemic in the US has caused over 480,000 deaths per year for Americans. Vaping is considered at least “95% safer” than traditional tobacco in the UK (per the Royal College Of Physicians). Why hasn’t the United States had the same enthusiasm for vaping as an effective solution to the smoking epidemic?
It is very simple; the United States’ public health system is NOT public. “The colonies” have relied on private pharmaceutical companies and corporations that offered them criminal pricing for drugs and healthcare. In turn, you are more profitable sick than healthy. It comes down to money and corporate profit.
Let us note that not all Americans are anti-vaping. In fact, there have been groups, coalitions, and movements to expose the exploits of the US healthcare system. These groups want to teach the masses why the media has taken such a harsh stance against vaping. But what does the media have to do with health? Again, the answer is financial profits.
US pharmaceutical companies have close ties with US politicians. Many media outlets are biased and also have close ties with politicians spinning information to support their own narratives. This is not a conspiracy since information regarding campaign contributions to American politicians is public. On the list of contributors, you will see plenty of drug companies, media outlets, and non-profit organizations. For example, former California Senator Mark Leno, created the SB-140 bill which regulates vaping products in the same manner as traditional cigarettes. He was so close to these big pharma companies that he was quoted to have been considered a lobbyist for them after his political career.
California is where the heart of the vaping industry was at one point. Today, California does not even allow in-person sales of flavored e-liquid other than tobacco flavors. California and the rest of the US would rather see you smoke traditional combustible cigarettes, get sick enough for the pharmaceutical companies to sell you medication at outrageous prices, OR use one of the pharmaceutical companies’ “quit smoking,” or “smoking cessation” aids.
Unfortunately, due to the narrative pushed by media outlets, many American citizens believe that vaping is “the devil” and disregard the remarkable and detailed studies conducted by the Royal College of Physicians.
In addition, these pharmaceutical companies hide behind groups that have been tainted by the propaganda such as Parents Against Vaping and get them to do their dirty work. Nothing gets in the emotions of a city or county representative like a mother crying and pleading to “think of the children!”. In reality, it has little or nothing to do with the children. This being said, I will acknowledge the fact that in the US there is a problem with underage usage of vaping products. One can’t help but ask, “wouldn’t those children be smoking instead?”. No one in the vape industry condones underage usage at all, but for some reason, the US vaping industry was painted as the culprit.
Americans were quick to dump chests of tea into the Boston Harbor due to taxation and yet cannot think for themselves nowadays. As an American, I feel like our founding fathers are rolling in their graves and would be incredibly disappointed. Well, this American says “Make America Great Britain Again!”.
*This blog is the opinion of the author and does not reflect Apollo E-Cigs or its parent company Apollo Future Technology.*
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