Recently, the US state of Michigan issued a notice saying that it will ban the sale of electronic cigarettes with flavored smoke in the state, but the original electronic cigarettes are not limited. This decision made Michigan the first state in the United States to limit e-cigarettes on a large scale.

In response, some local e-cigarette supporters expressed objections. They believe that this will close many small businesses and encourage the birth of the black market.

The ban takes effect immediately to prevent minors from sinking

According to the home network, the ban will take effect immediately after it is issued. In response, Michigan Governor and Democrat Gretchen Whitmer said in an interview that she ordered the ban on e-cigarettes because the state health department found that young people smoking e-cigarettes constituted a public health emergency. Whitmer also complained that e-cigarette companies are using sweeteners such as bubble gum and "fruit loops" to attract young people to addiction to nicotine, which can have negative consequences.

Last year, the number of Americans who smoked electronic cigarettes rose sharply. According to US government survey data, the number of high school students who have used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days has soared by about 75%. This means that there are about 3 million, that is, one-fifth of the total number of American high school students have used electronic cigarettes.

At the same time, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating whether e-cigarette manufacturer Juul has used deceptive marketing for minors. It is reported that the regulator believes that Juul promotes the popularity of young people smoking e-cigarettes, and reviews Juul's early use of young models and brightly colored advertising campaigns. This has also led some critics to believe that the lack of supervision has led e-cigarette companies to use various means to attract minors to smoke.

Opponents: The ban will give birth to a black market transaction

After the ban was issued, e-cigarette supporters condemned Michigan's ban as misleading and predicted that it would lead to a huge black market for banned goods. Greg Conley, president of the American Electronic Cigarette Association, said in a statement: "This shameless ban will force hundreds of small businesses in Michigan to close, and may also cause tens of thousands of quitters to re-apply deadly flammable cigarettes. The media said that although many e-cigarette supporters acknowledge that the long-term effects of e-cigarettes are unclear, they say that e-cigarettes are almost certainly safer than traditional smoking.

However, the concerns of e-cigarette supporters about the black market for the banned goods are not groundless. In 1920, the United States enacted the Prohibition of Wine Act (also known as the "Volsted Act"), according to which it is illegal to manufacture, sell, or even transport beverages containing more than 0.5% alcohol. Drinking alcohol at home is not an offence, but it is illegal to drink or hold a banquet with a friend. The maximum penalty is a fine of $1,000 and imprisonment for six months. However, the promulgation of the Prohibition Order has led to a series of serious social problems: people have purchased spirits in the underground black market in order to meet the desire and demand for drinking, which has led to the rapid expansion of the local black market.

In order to obtain the profits caused by the illegal manufacture and sale of alcoholic products, private liquor dealers hollowed out the Ford car. Some people used baby strollers to smuggle wine and brandy. Some people installed it directly at home. False door. Particularly serious is that before the implementation of the Prohibition Order, because there was no financial source, the US underworld was not prosperous, but after the implementation of the Prohibition Order, relying on the huge profits brought by the private liquor trade, the American triads completed the original accumulation of capital and began. Develop and grow. At the same time, the police are increasingly corrupt and the crime rate is rising.

This situation was not improved until Franklin Roosevelt became president in 1933: In February 1933, the US Congress passed the twenty-first constitutional amendment to lift the Eighth Amendment to Prohibition. The following year, with the signing of the relaxation bill by Utah as the thirty-sixth state, the United States really ended the national ban.

In addition, the street black market has even seen the use of electronic cigarettes to extract THC (THC), which is known to be a high-concentration chemical extracted from cannabis. Supporters of e-cigarettes said that the government's one-size-fits-all ban may further worsen the regulation of the e-cigarette market and allow drugs such as marijuana to have opportunities.

Industry people tell the home grid that as an alternative to cigarettes and other addictive products, e-cigarettes still have a long way to go. Among them, the first thing to do is to clarify your position: is it a substitute for cigarettes? Or is it a new addiction? Is it a smoking cessation prop? Or an entertainment appliance? This is an important issue for e-cigarette companies to think about.