One of the reasons reveal itself if you follow the money. In this case the tobacco excise.
It is definitely not lucrative treating smoking related illnesses. Because smoking is strongly related to lower socioeconomic status, most people with smoking related illnesses tend to have other co-morbidities and have limited means.
On the public health issue:
There is very poor outcome evidence for e-cigs as an aid for smoking cessation. The suggestion that e-cigs may normalise "smoking" behaviour makes sense. The fact that e-cigs consumption has exploded overseas suggest that this is true.
You only have to look at the methadone programme which was supposed to help opiate addicts get off their opiate addictions.
Nicotine is highly addictive. Hence the difficulty in getting off the stuff.
Here is the AMA's submission to the Parliamentary inquiry into E-cigarettes.
Quickstatus, I hesitate to respond more here, as this is a topic that starts with almost everyone polarized, and thus any debate is usually counter-productive.
I can only truly work within my own life experience. An important aspect of that is that I do not judge others. I understand that people each have their own experiences, their own view, on everything. And that is why I am very hesitant to judge them. I have been exposed to so many different points of view, norms, that you eventually realise that these same are innumerable, and none fundamentally more holy than the rest.
A central part of my own beliefs is something that has been fostered in me due to my work. It is a focus on realities as opposed to ideals. I do truly love great ideas. i rejoice in hope. But I also have experienced, time and time again, the difficulties, or impossibilities, of making these ideas real. And I also see constantly the focus on some idea that is so overcoming that it makes the person focussed unable to see anything outside that small narrow position....
I have never been able to converse with any non-smoker or ex-smoker about any topic relating to nicotine use without them expressing to me that "nicotine is addictive!". It appears that this is a very important point that they need to get across, that they need to conquer me with. Can you perhaps understand the boredom, the sheer affront, that I could take there? I knew this fact many decades ago, yet it is constantly thrown up as if I denied or was unaware of this. This invariably sets a tedious backdrop to any attempt at conversation.
Can we please leave aside the addiction issue here - I recognize it for that already - but in my philosophy that is not unhealthy per se. That is a philosophical discussion, and one I am sure most are unprepared to have....
I understand from your post many hesitances regarding ecigs. "Very poor outcome evidence as an aid in smoking cessation". There are two sides to this to start with. The first is that for some unbelievable reason the use of e-cigs is equated with smoking. In fact the name is something enforced to try to support this. That is nonsensical. The first involves a supply of certain compounds in a clinical vaporised form, the second involves burning leaves and myriad other things into a high-temperature soup of carcinogens.
Nicotine does not kill people. Not in this sort of recreational usage. It is not carcinogenic. Etc Etc Etc. Yes, when used as a concentrate as a pesticide (the compound was created as a substance that formed a natural protection) it is obviously poisonous, as are so many things we use each day. But the actual health effects on someone who uses nicotine recreationally (when separated from the effects of tar and tobacco smoke) are no more negative or costly than drinking tea or coffee.
It has been the means of using it, ie smoking, that has brought the health toll.
Every single means that has been thought of has been brought to bear to reduce tobacco use. Australia is now officially the most expensive place in the world to buy a cigarette. I am sure that many anti=tobacco people would feel proud of this fact. Smug satisfaction. But what is the reality? There is a percentage of people out there in the lower socio-economic realms, that have just simply not managed to "quit". I am not one of them. I enjoy a certain level of affluence above them, and my desire for nicotine is for different reasons. But I understand their plight, because I know them. Those still smoking do so for a couple of reasons. The main one is that they live in a difficult world, a hopeless one, and getting some sort of chemical feeling of good is one of the few things that keeps them going every day. They need this as they are those that live the rear-guard role in Australian life. They are at the back. They are not people who are at the top of the tree. In any way. They are exactly where they are due to society. It is a reality that parts of society dabble in "drugs" to cope and feel better each day. Now, after the crusade against smoking, or rather, smokers, it is these poor people who are finally left. They know that smoking is not good for them. (I am sure there will still be people loudly advising them that nicotine is addictive!
) But that is their lot.
E-cigs are a product that removes almost all the health negatives. Yes they do! The current status in research is that ecigs are almost harmless - the negatives are all just potential - ie not yet known. Pretty much everything. These poor people can still have a hit each day of something that is mild but feels good. But they will not die of cancer, or lung disease. But the opponents do not want this an an option?? Because it is "unknown" what the health effects could be??? For Christ's sake!!
Quickstatus, you refer to the use of ecigs "exploding". That intrigues me. I agree completely that in many countries the use of e-cigs is increasing - but, and this is a HUGE BUT, the people that are taliking up e-cigs are smokers.
I have researched this whole thing very carefully. I love that the use of ecigs is increasing. But it is ex-smokers taking it up. That is a great thing. I am unaware of any research that actually gives legs to this notion of ecigs "normalising" smoking behaviour. And for Christ's sake, this whole fear of the demon of "smoking tobacco" being normalized? I have daughters in Unis and it appears that most students are trying almost everything under the sun. And some people are worrying about "normalization of smoking" ???
Last comment. regarding methadone. I am not supporting or attacking the idea. But I do know so very well, in real terms and not ideas, what the reality of a drug-user is. It means at least one or two house break=ins per day to steal enough stuff to support their habit. So maybe methadone does not remove magically the addiction of a bad person. But every single day that a drug addict is on methadone and not buying drugs, it is a household or two that is not absolutely violated by the fact of being invaded and robbed.
