In the Daily Journal’s June 7 opinion piece “Liberty Extinguished,” the author John McDowell ignores the central public health protections provided by treating vaping e-cigarettes the same as smoking cigarettes. No one knows what is in these products being sold at your local convenience store. To date, there are no federal regulations covering the products or vaping devices. You know exactly what is in candy bar or drink you just purchased, but you will have no information about what you are about to inhale into your lungs.
There are absolutely no FDA regulations covering vaping products or devices. Furthermore, allowing these mystery products and devices to be used anywhere throughout the community is a roll back in the advances we have made to reduce exposure to the act and harms of smoking (or vaping) from our young people.
According to Stan Glantz, University of California, San Francisco, “Following well-established tobacco industry rhetoric, John McDowell complains that the common sense legislation “extinguishes liberty.” Quite the contrary, prohibiting e-cigarettes anywhere you can’t smoke cigarettes gives everyone the liberty to breathe clean air. Non-smoking bystanders, including family members of “vapers” have shown to have levels on nicotine in their bodies similar to people living with smokers.”
The San Mateo County Tobacco Education Coalition is proud of our local legislators for taking a stand against an unhealthy product to protect our young people specifically and our community at large in general.
Marilyn Rex
San Mateo
The letter writer is the chair of the San Mateo County Tobacco Education Coalition.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.