Federal laws raised the minimum age for purchasing smoking products to 21 in December 2019. The legislation applies to Tennessee, as well. The state is also pushing to bring the electronic cigarettes and vape industry in compliance with tobacco products to place the 62% tax bracket.
The vape industry stakeholders argue that the FDA places them in a blanket category of tobacco products with cigarettes. However, "vapes" are nicotine-based products that are less harmful than cigarettes. Statistics show that as opposed to smoking vapes, conventional cigarette smoking kills about 11,000 Tennesseans annually.
One of the most common reasons people turn to vape products is to curb nicotine cravings and addiction. Therefore, a ban on people specifically attempting to combat smoking addiction will only make matters worse for them. Additionally, people turning 18 are mature enough to make choices and accept the consequences.
That is why age restrictions and product access for those battling smoking problems are impractical. Nicotine cravings are real, and restricting access to alternative smoking products will only cause frustration among affected individuals.
Popularized in the last decade, e-cigarettes and vapes have been used as successful alternatives to quit smoking. Some researches imply that vapor smoking has specific health implications, but many stakeholders argue that the adverse effects of cigarette smoking are significantly less. Vape advocates also question the legislation's disparity in adulthood.
These sections debate that youth can join the army and military when they turn 18, yet they must be 21 to buy electronic cigarettes. They also question why a person can be held accountable for their actions at 18 in court, yet the decision to smoke or vape is restricted to 21. Policymakers must find a solution that unifies the age classification of adulthood across the board. Many youngsters feel that these age restrictions attempt to tarnish their freedom.
Many believe that conventional cigarettes and vapes harm health, yet the latter is less dangerous. Also, with the advent of social media and enhanced awareness, many people believe that placing bans and exceptions is a way of stripping the public of their freedom of choice.
However, many health advocates question the legitimacy of the morality argument since they maintain that getting hooked to nicotine has profound health implications. As time has passed, people have come to agree that smoking possesses detrimental side effects; yet cigarette smoking continues, and the same can be said for vape products. Giving up these practices should be a matter of personal choice rather than resorting to the ban.
A more moderate section of vaping advocates believes that the complete prohibition of vape distribution could result in the rise of the black market and illegal procurement sources. Instead, the authorities should work towards a sustainable solution to regulate nicotine products.
We live in an age where everyone has enough awareness of what's harmful and what's not. This includes carbonated drinks, high-calorie food, and alcoholic drinks in the same regard as nicotine and vaping products.
Rather than going for an outright ban, a more fruitful approach would be to create awareness around the product and its safe usage. Banning it completely will take away people's freedom of choice and put many recovering smokers on relapse. Therefore, access to vape purchases should be allowed at the legal age of 21 and must depend on the individual's personal choice. Fighting nicotine addiction is a slow process, with or without alternate products.
