I still like nicotine. I just get it from electronic cigarettes instead of burning a leaf.
It tastes a lot better and I don’t smell. And I feel great.
But what I’ve been trying to explain to you for the last 5 years is that this is not about smoking, this is all about $$$$$$$$$$money.
Electronic cigarettes cost THE STATE billions of dollars in lost tax revenue, and Big PhRma is not happy that they spent all this money on smoking bans to get people to buy their gums, patches and lozenges in order to coerce smokers to quit, only to have a brilliant inventor sabotage their profit.
They have tried to kill e-cigs in the womb before it grew up to kick their butt. It’s like a Terminator movie. Thankfully, they lost in court.
Sorry. I meant that last link for someone else
I don’t think I ever disputed the government’s taxation motive.
Smoking bans are well accepted in most places and will be universal in the US in five years.
I voted against the ban in Austin, but it did pass. Interestingly, a court instructed the local PD not to enforce it and bars and people comply with the ban 95%.
I wanted to thank you, Eric. Your post about Big Pharma and the State inspired me to try out electronic cigarettes, and now personal vaporizers. It started out as a simple substitution in the car for myself and my wife, as we were chain smoking on the way to and from work. We’ve not intended to stop smoking, but as of this morning, we’re both still on the same cigarette packs from Friday.
For me, the path started with one of the 21st Century e-cig kits from the local gas station, for my wife, a fancier kit from the local tobacco shop, though we’re both now using eGo-T’s, neither of which looks anything like a cigarette (nor does it smell anything like a cigarette.. Red hots anyone?)
But wow, what started as a substitution for a limited situation has pretty much overwhelmed and replaced the smoking addiction.