Letters to the editor represent the views of the letter writer, and their publication should not be construed as an endorsement by Lowell’s First Look.
To the editor:
As an owner-operator of a shop selling vapor technology and e-cig products, I am deeply concerned about the recent outbreak of acute respiratory problems linked to vaping. I’m also deeply concerned that the way the story is being reported may hurt and not help the public.
As researchers investigate, it is becoming clear that the vast majority of the cases of illness and injury are linked to “bootleg” and adulterated cartridges purchased from bootleggers and black market sources, containing what is marketed as cannabis THC oil. Nevertheless, most headlines still highlight “vaping” and “ecigs” as the source of the danger.
It’s always good to be careful of what we ingest in any way, which is why my business handles only devices and e-liquids from manufacturers that observe the highest health and safety standards.
Our products, which are sold only to customers who present proof of age, cannot legally be marketed as smoking cessation aids, but we have mountains of anecdotal evidence supporting the fact that vaping can be a tool that helps responsible adults stop smoking tobacco. Again anecdotally, our customers report huge improvements in lung function and overall health when they switch from tobacco products to e-liquids.
If the current wave of negative publicity surrounding vapor products is to have any positive effect on public health, it’s important that the media make the distinction between the safety of using responsibly made e-liquids and vaping devices and the dangers of black-market products. Nobody wants to see teens or anyone else get addicted to nicotine in the first place, but studies of vaping and e-cigs indicate enormous potential for smoking cessation and harm reduction. For those who already vape or are considering it as an alternative to smoking, it is important for them to know the difference between safe and unsafe products.
Headlines about “mysterious” illnesses linked to vaping, when it is rapidly becoming clear that the illnesses relate to illicit oil cartridges marketed as “cannabis” that may actually contain who-knows-what, are irresponsibly creating a climate of fear around products that have been widely used by adults for years now. Focus on the real problem — bootleg cartridges purchased on the street from sellers who are either ignorant or irresponsible or both — and stop frightening adult smokers away from products that can help them break the chains of tobacco dependency and lead longer, healthier lives.
Sincerely,
Michael Lowery
NatureVaper & CBD
City of Lowell
Those wishing to send a letter to the editor may email it to [email protected] or send it to P.O. Box 174, Lowell, MI 49331. Include your full name and city or township of residence. Letters are published at the sole discretion of Lowell’s First Look and may be edited for length and clarity if needed. They cannot have been previously published online or in print.
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