Tim Cohen’s column, Common sense and judgment up in smoke (November 23), errs on several fronts. Cohen raises concerns about the Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill. His issue is that “the legislation places the same restrictions on vaping that it does on smoking”. He points to the fact that the legislation acknowledges that there is no evidence that vaping has any long-term health issues. E-cigarettes were only introduced in 2004. The past 14 years is too short to evaluate its long-term effects. It took more than 20 years to establish the long-term harm of cigarettes. But there is short-term research suggesting that e-cigarettes are harmful. They increase the chances of getting a heart attack and lung disease. And there’s a link between e-cigarette use and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases like bronchitis and emphysema. E-cigarettes were designed as a tool to help people quit smoking. But there are several studies that show that they do not reduce ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.