LilyRed
Postman
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- Oct 11, 2013
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Mawsley - if you haven't found it up yet then I'm hoping this is it.... Diggingupallsortsofshitfromtheinternetology is one of my qualifications 
E-cigarettes could be a gateway to harder drugs, says Leicester expert
By Peter Warzynski
Breath of fresh air: Former smoker Sean Gray says e-cigarettes have helped him kick the habit
Comments (0)
E-cigarettes could be a gateway to harder drugs, according to a city expert.
University of Leicester sociology professor Jason Hughes believes electronic cigarettes face tight restrictions in the near future and could even be outlawed.
The devices - which give the nicotine hit of a cigarette without the toxins - have become a big hit among people trying to kick the habit.
But Prof Hughes said they could end up being banned for social - rather than health - reasons.
He predicted e-cigarettes, which are unregulated, will soon face legislation which will limit their sale, a move already taken by countries such as Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. He said that "vaping'' - a term used to refer to e-cigarette use - encouraged addiction, gave mixed messages about healthy alternatives and could lead to the use of drugs.
He believes legislation will be brought in to control their sale in the UK and Europe.
He said: "These bans will likely not be based on the physical dangers of vaping, but on the social dangers.
"That it is offensive to others; that it may re-normalise smoking; that it may become a gateway drug to others more dangerous; and - on a moral sentiment - that it is wrong for anyone to be addicted to anything, no matter whether there are physical dangers or not."
Prof Hughes said electronic cigarettes blurred the line between tobacco products and stop-smoking aids - and sent confusing messages about what is healthy.
He said: "At one point, we could draw a fairly clear distinction between 'keep smoking' devices such as cigarettes containing tobacco, nicotine, tar - and a bewildering array of carcinogens - and 'stop smoking devices' such as patches, gum, lozenges, throat sprays and inhalators.
"But with e-cigarettes - which are marketed as 'recreational' nicotine products - that simple distinction between 'keep smoking' and 'stop smoking' devices breaks down. This ambiguity has brought e-cigarettes under scrutiny from tobacco control circles, who have fought to enforce restrictive legislation."
Ex-smoker Sean Gray, 74, from Aylestone, dismissed claims that e-cigarettes have a detrimental effect on users.
The former 25-a-day man said: "I think it's rubbish, they've really helped me. The cough I used to have is gone and my breathing is brilliant. It would be crazy to ban them because they help people so much."
Louise Ross, service manager at Stop Smoking, which is run by the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, said banning the product would be disastrous.
She said: "It could be that the e-cigs are classed as a tobacco product and, if that's the case, they could be crushed out of existence. As someone who is an advocate of stopping smoking, that would be dreadful. We launched the first e-cigarette stop-smoking scheme in the UK because we're confident of their ability to help people quit."
Dr Angela Lennox, a GP in St Matthew's, Leicester, said there are no medical guidelines for e-cigarettes as they are not classed as a drug. She said: "It's a bit like these skin creams which promise to make you look 16 again, they're not medical drugs and therefore don't go through medical systems.
"I know e-cigarettes play an important part in stop-smoking schemes and there's evidence to suggest you're more likely to stop smoking if you visit a stop-smoking clinic. But as for the dangers - it's hard to say." *
E-cigarettes could be a gateway to harder drugs, says Leicester expert
By Peter Warzynski
Breath of fresh air: Former smoker Sean Gray says e-cigarettes have helped him kick the habit
Comments (0)
E-cigarettes could be a gateway to harder drugs, according to a city expert.
University of Leicester sociology professor Jason Hughes believes electronic cigarettes face tight restrictions in the near future and could even be outlawed.
The devices - which give the nicotine hit of a cigarette without the toxins - have become a big hit among people trying to kick the habit.
But Prof Hughes said they could end up being banned for social - rather than health - reasons.
He predicted e-cigarettes, which are unregulated, will soon face legislation which will limit their sale, a move already taken by countries such as Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. He said that "vaping'' - a term used to refer to e-cigarette use - encouraged addiction, gave mixed messages about healthy alternatives and could lead to the use of drugs.
He believes legislation will be brought in to control their sale in the UK and Europe.
He said: "These bans will likely not be based on the physical dangers of vaping, but on the social dangers.
"That it is offensive to others; that it may re-normalise smoking; that it may become a gateway drug to others more dangerous; and - on a moral sentiment - that it is wrong for anyone to be addicted to anything, no matter whether there are physical dangers or not."
Prof Hughes said electronic cigarettes blurred the line between tobacco products and stop-smoking aids - and sent confusing messages about what is healthy.
He said: "At one point, we could draw a fairly clear distinction between 'keep smoking' devices such as cigarettes containing tobacco, nicotine, tar - and a bewildering array of carcinogens - and 'stop smoking devices' such as patches, gum, lozenges, throat sprays and inhalators.
"But with e-cigarettes - which are marketed as 'recreational' nicotine products - that simple distinction between 'keep smoking' and 'stop smoking' devices breaks down. This ambiguity has brought e-cigarettes under scrutiny from tobacco control circles, who have fought to enforce restrictive legislation."
Ex-smoker Sean Gray, 74, from Aylestone, dismissed claims that e-cigarettes have a detrimental effect on users.
The former 25-a-day man said: "I think it's rubbish, they've really helped me. The cough I used to have is gone and my breathing is brilliant. It would be crazy to ban them because they help people so much."
Louise Ross, service manager at Stop Smoking, which is run by the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, said banning the product would be disastrous.
She said: "It could be that the e-cigs are classed as a tobacco product and, if that's the case, they could be crushed out of existence. As someone who is an advocate of stopping smoking, that would be dreadful. We launched the first e-cigarette stop-smoking scheme in the UK because we're confident of their ability to help people quit."
Dr Angela Lennox, a GP in St Matthew's, Leicester, said there are no medical guidelines for e-cigarettes as they are not classed as a drug. She said: "It's a bit like these skin creams which promise to make you look 16 again, they're not medical drugs and therefore don't go through medical systems.
"I know e-cigarettes play an important part in stop-smoking schemes and there's evidence to suggest you're more likely to stop smoking if you visit a stop-smoking clinic. But as for the dangers - it's hard to say." *
