Electronic cigarette culture can help local businesses
For some, electronic cigarettes can be used to begin the process of quitting cigarettes, as users can choose the amount of nicotine as well as the flavor of the electronics’ liquid.
The trend of electronic cigarettes overtook markets years ago, but today the sales of electronic cigarettes are looking to surpass that of regular cigarettes.
Aside from being a growing trend, e-cigarettes might be the more financially responsible choice. In July 2015, the state of Ohio passed a tax increase on tobacco products at a rate of 35 cents more per pack, making the total tax $1.60 per pack.
Hilla Sang, a second year doctoral student in the college of public health recently completed a study related to the use of electronic cigarettes and perceptions that college students have about them.
“Because electronic cigarettes are so popular,” Sang said, “there has been a spike in opening up small businesses…that normally wouldn’t have happened.”
While Sang said she thinks electronic cigarette use can be good for the economy, especially for lower income areas, the question of public health is a different situation.
Groove-E-Juice, an electronic cigarette and juice lounge in Kent has benefitted from being a small business in a college town.
“Cigarette sales are dropping – tremendously,” owner of Groove-E Juice, Jason Noble said. “It’s still a multi billion dollar industry but the electronic cigarettes are replacing that and it’s growing and growing.”
He said the perceptions of electronic cigarettes and the willingness to experiment with the technology is not specific to any age group.
“Our demographic is more so the upper twenties all the way into their eighties,” Noble said.
Customers come to Groove-E Juice for a variety of reasons including wanting to quit smoking, wanting to escape the stigma that comes with smoking and even wanting to lose weight.
Adam Essa, a Groove-E Juice customer said electronic cigarettes helped him stop using off other tobacco products, including cigarettes and hookah.
“Now that I vape, there’s no desire for it anymore,” Essa said about making the switch to electronic cigarettes.
Electronic Cigarette Regulations
In Ohio, electronic cigarettes are regulated severely less than regular tobacco products. As of now, the only regulation on the products is the inability to sell to minors (under 18). The state of Ohio defines electronic cigarettes as an alternative nicotine product, but does not regulate it the same way as it does cigarettes. Sang said electronic cigarettes don’t fall into the same category as cigarettes because they are not considered a tobacco product, even though they can contain cigarettes. The FDA is currently considering future rules and regulations, according to Sang.
The variety of flavors, types of vaporizers, and personable availabilities that come with e-cigarettes are something Essa said he thinks attracts people to the technology.
After surveying more than 9,000 students on their perception of electronic cigarettes, Sang found students to be more open to the possibility of electronic cigarettes being allowed in places where cigarettes are banned including restaurants, bars, classrooms and dorms.
“The fact that it doesn’t smell the same way, look the same way and the fact that it doesn’t have the same unattractive side effects,” Sang said, “that’s something that’s very attractive to anyone.”
Sang said she will continue to research electronic cigarette perceptions and is looking to find out what policies students feel are right for them, as well as what dangers students see with this product and addiction concerns.
“Should Kent State, should Ohio State change the regulation,” she said regarding electronic cigarettes.
Are you trying to quit smoking? Electronic cigarettes and vaping are becoming increasingly popular in the United States. A study carried out by Public Health England, an agency of Britain’s department of health said the devices are 95% less harmful than cigarettes. A number of people in the UK and United States use the device to quit smoking, TV2s Ray Strickland talks about why the e-cigarette craze is not all smoke.