U.S. seeking to ban electronic cigarettes on airplanes

LogicSoDeveloped

LogicSoDeveloped

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Smoking electronic cigarettes would be explicitly banned on all domestic and international commercial flights in the U.S. under a new rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Current federal law prohibits passengers from smoking any tobacco product on a commercial plane but does not single out the use of electronic cigarettes.

Most electronic cigarettes do not burn tobacco but use a lithium battery to heat up a liquid nicotine solution, creating a vapor that can be inhaled to deliver the chemical directly into the lungs.

"Airline passengers have rights, and this new rule would enhance passenger comfort and reduce any confusion surrounding the use of electronic cigarettes in flight," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement Wednesday.

For years, flight attendants have spoken out against electronic cigarettes, saying passengers have confronted attendants over electronic cigarettes because some air travelers argue that the federal tobacco ban does not apply to electronic cigarettes.

The proposed ban on electronic cigarettes was blasted Wednesday by Ray Story, chief executive of the Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Assn., a Washington-based trade group that promotes the use of electronic cigarettes as an alternative to traditional tobacco products.

Story said the vapor produced by an electronic cigarette would pose no danger to nearby passengers on a plane. He said the ban would relegate electronic cigarette smokers to airport smoking sections where they would be exposed to the proven harmful effects of traditional tobacco cigarettes.

"How do you ban a product from a plane when it doesn't do anything?" Story said.

Under the federal rule-making process, the public has until Nov. 14 to submit comments on the proposed ban. People can file comments at http://www.regulations.gov. Once there, the public can comment by searching for the keywords "electronic cigarettes."

Federal officials said they could not estimate how long it would take to review the comments and prepare a final rule for adoption.
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Source: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-electronic-cigarette-20110915,0,7376977.story
 
this is very interesting

How do you avoid confrontations while puffing on those things during a flight? Anyone that realizes what you're doing is likely to go ballistic.
 
Well most smokers that can't last a flight without a drag are "badasses" so they yell at anyone for anything, so I doubt they'd be worried about some woman with her 2 children.
 
The proposed ban on electronic cigarettes was blasted Wednesday by Ray Story, chief executive of the Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Assn., a Washington-based trade group that promotes the use of electronic cigarettes as an alternative to traditional tobacco products.

Story said the vapor produced by an electronic cigarette would pose no danger to nearby passengers on a plane. He said the ban would relegate electronic cigarette smokers to airport smoking sections where they would be exposed to the proven harmful effects of traditional tobacco cigarettes.
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We are supposed to believe that the vapors exhaled are safe because the chief executive of the Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Assn said so? We believed the tobacco companies for decades when they said that cigarettes were safe (or even healthy). Didn't work out very well then.

And the question of if electronic tobacco users should subjected to tobacco smoke in smoking rooms is pretty interesting.
 
Yeah, but upset and moved are very different. I doubt the reaction of most of them would be far from "IT DOESN'T CAUSE CANCER. AND IT DOESN'T SMELL BAD. GET OFF MY ASS". And unless the flight attendant asked them to stop I also doubt any of them would cease "smoking".
 
@ The Network, I feel you are a bit biased...I'm not sure that every or even a majority of smokers would have that attitude. I've used an electronic cigarette but not a plane-not out of any particular reason, just didn't have one/use one around the time I last flew-end of may.

I've smoked them in a classroom when the instructors back was turned and nobody could smell the vapor, much less know it existed. I was acting foolishly, however, it was essentially undetectable. This doesn't mean they are harmless, however, I noticed when I used one for a few weeks-and it definitely helped me-that my lungs cleared up a bit and my sense of smell and taste came back to a degree-not sure fully cause I ended up resuming regular cigarettes after something really stressful happened at the end of july.

I will say that nobody has ever been bothered by the vapors produced, at least not visibly. They also don't leave any smell, stain on my teeth, or really any reminder of their existence. I've even had friends that don't smoke cigarettes try it a few times because of the novelty I suppose. I chose the menthol as menthol-minus harsh cigarette smell/taste is lovely. The two combined is disgusting to me personally.

But on to different matters, I really don't understand where you're coming from The Network. You seem to assume all smokers are insensitive and rude. Could you fill me in as to why?
 
I said any smoker who's not able to hold off for 2 hours on a plane. The intensely addicted ones that can't go more than an hour without one are almost always edgy and ready to yell at anyone who tells them to not smoke. I didn't say ALL smokers.
 
This is truly idiotic.

"Airline passengers have rights, and this new rule would enhance passenger comfort and reduce any confusion surrounding the use of electronic cigarettes in flight," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement Wednesday.
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"We want to ban them because other people may think you're smoking tobacco and become confused." 8(
 
I think it is idiotic. The carcinogenic metabolite of nicotine isn't seen in the body unless taken in via a route of combustion. With minimal smell or appearance, a legal isolated chemical with out a carcinogenic metabolite, being ingested in the presence of others seems to cause absolutely no harm to other besides, press their closed minded buttons. Its ok to get drunk and make your neighbor move 10x so you can take a piss, or bump into countless people in the aisles on the way to the bathroom, but if you decide to indulge in a nicotine product with out the nasty products produced through combustion being pushed onto others via inhalation, while in your own chair, you are a inconsiderate jerk. The person could be staying completely quite while reading a book and using the EC, not bothering a soul. they may not be noticed till some mom walks by, pointing it out for everyone to see, only then having a scene being produced. Seems quite crazy.

I feel some studies should go along with a temporary ban to see if this really is causing such a concern about others health. Though, I feel so many people are just ignorant about the vaporization of nicotine, and think it is basically just smoking a real cig, causing hysteria. I worked at a gas station that has ecigs at the counter for sale, and I'd get countless individuals not understanding how they work or the difference between smoke and vapor.
 
Cloudy said:
Its ok to get drunk and make your neighbor move 10x so you can take a piss, or bump into countless people in the aisles on the way to the bathroom, but if you decide to indulge...
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I wouldn't say it's okay to get drunk and act like a retard. Just because it's not illegal, doesn't mean it's okay to act like that.

While I am smoker, I think it's a good idea to ban ECs on planes. I have no issues with going on 14+ hours flights and not smoking.
 
I wasn't implying they were acting like a retard. People urinate more often when they have been drinking, and a little loss of coordination even from smaller amount of alcohol isn't uncommon. Airplanes also don't stay absolutely steady, so being a little extra uncoordinated in such a situation can result in being bumped at a higher percentage. I get bumped while in aisle seats from sober people, so imagine someone who has had a few drinks, or even took an extra xanax for the flight. They may not be unruly, but they are causing more of a disturbance than someone who is vaporizing nicotine with out producing the carcinogenic metabolite seen with combustion. If there isn't a health risk then it is a ridiculous to appease a sect of individuals who refuse to allow others to conduct themselves in the way they choose in situations where there is no inherent risk to others. Now, like I said, if there is reason to believe the vapor exhaled has the potential to cause harm, studies should be done with a temporary ban.
 
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Yeah, I am not sure about EC being 100% safe and a statement from the head of the EC trade association doesn't say much.
 
I'm pretty sure they wouldn't. Vaporizers put things into the gas phase and as they condense back into the liquid phase in the air that's what lets you see the cloudy "smoke". But smoke detectors are only set off by solid particulate matter that blocks their sensor.
 
an americium detector can be set off by any type of matter, so long as there is enough of it. Since an airplane toilet is a small enclosed space, I imagine it is possible.
 
What about those nicorette inhalator type things, where you suck through a pad containing nicotine, with no heating?
 
Fwiw, it is possible to rig e-cigs so that almost all of the vapor is absorbed when you inhale.
But regardless, if they think there's a health risk from "secondhand vapor", the burden of proof is on them to demonstrate it. You get evidence first - then you make policy.
 
skillet said:
What about those nicorette inhalator type things, where you suck through a pad containing nicotine, with no heating?
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Well those don't produce any smell or visible vapor at all, plus they are a lot smaller than an e-cigarette (especially as you can just pop the foil on the ends of the refill cartridge and "smoke" that without even needing the holder), so would be much less likely anyone would notice. But it will be interesting to see if those are considered the same as an e-cigarette for the purpose of such a ban...after all administering nicotine on an airplane is certainly not prohibited, they sell patches and gum at the airport...
 
This is why I don't fly anymore. Not because I'm scared to fly or anything, but because airlines are just such douches about everything. What a hassle! Not to mention its a total ripoff: paying out the ass to sit in an enclosed space with a bunch of smelly clods and crying children. No thank you.
 
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