ITV Claims Vaping Is Seen as a Safe, But Is it Really?
ITV Claims Vaping Is Seen as a Safe, But Is It Really?
British mainstream media company ITV claims that many people see vaping as a safe option after Public Health England advised smokers to use it to quit smoking.
The corporate owned, free-to-air U.K. media giant claims a belief has been reflected in a newly-released government-commissioned report that promotes vapes as an effective “swap to stop” tool to help people quit smoking.
And while vaping is reported to be less harmful than smoking and promoted as a great way to help one quit smoking, is it really seen as safe?
ITV Manipulates References to Fit its Agenda (Surprise, Surprise)
In the article ITV tries to compare vaping to smoking in their claim, highlighting an NHS statement that says, ‘liquid and vapour contain some potentially harmful chemicals also found in cigarette smoke.’ But what it missed from the last part of the sentence was '...but at much lower levels.'
So, allow us to fully quote the NHS for ITV, mainstream media outlet: 'The liquid and vapour contain some potentially harmful chemicals also found in cigarette smoke, but at much lower levels.'
They also quote a World Health Organization (WHO) representative that claims there’s ‘growing evidence suggesting that smoking e-cigarettes could be associated with lung injuries.’ “Could” being the operative word.
They also say, ‘e-cigarettes and vapes, which simulate the feeling of smoking, could act as a "gateway" to tobacco consumption.’ And while there's no evidence of this, it's just another part of ITV's agenda.
ITV also uses charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) study that says ‘11.2% of 11 to 17-year-olds in Britain had tried vaping last year,’ before claiming that disposable vapes are being sold illegally online.
But has ITV got a point? Are vapes thought of as being safe? And are they being sold online to under 18s?
Cancer Research has recently published an article titled: Vaping Demistyfied saying, vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking cigarettes. Now they don’t say vaping is good for your health, but a 95% drop in harmful risk that's associated with smoking can only be a good thing. And this is coming from Cancer Research.
Almost six million people in England smoke, and tobacco is the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death. In fact, one in three of cancer deaths are also smoking related.
A 95% drop in harmful chemicals makes vaping a viable option and it’s the reason why Public Health England and the NHS are recommending people try vaping to help them quit smoking.
It’s not just Public Health England, a recent report, commissioned by former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, also promotes vaping as an effective “swap to stop” tool to help people quit smoking.
The report actually states: 'The government must embrace the promotion of vaping as an effective tool to help people to quit smoking tobacco. We know vapes are not a ‘silver bullet’ nor are they totally risk-free, but the alternative is far worse.'
Not Seen As Safe, But Definitely a Better Option
Now nobody is saying vaping is safe, and neither Cancer Research or the NHS is recommending any non-smoker to start vaping.
As for under 18s being sold vapes online. Vaping regulation in the UK is some of the strictest, and much stricter than the USA.
It is illegal to sell vapes to under 18s, but of course determined under age people might still be able to buy it, as they do with alcohol.
Any online or physical vape store that knowingly sells it to under 18s should be closed down and prosecuted immediately, but what is the government to do? Make it illegal?
Why would the government make vaping illegal when it’s much less harmful than smoking? Of course, it should be regulated. But if vaping helps people stop smoking, which it provably has, it should be recommended, not as a safe option, but certainly as a safer option.
