The following item is a guest post by Mark B. with OK Electronic Cigarettes. All opinions within are solely those of the author.
If you read the mass media you may be forgiven for assuming that the vast majority of electronic cigarette research data seems to point to specific issues in the longer term. If you look at the number of research programs covered in the wider press this would give the impression that the vast majority have flagged up possible problems. However, there are very few medical research trials which have flagged any major problems going forward and indeed the vast majority have been complimentary when comparing vaping products to their tobacco counterparts.
On that basis, why are we not hearing about more positive research in the wider press and why are some news providers taking a distinctly unbalanced approach?
Good news does not sell!
Yesterday there were a number of stories on twitter surrounding Prof Robert West from University College London’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. He is one of the more vocal members of the medical fraternity who has publicly declared how difficult he and his colleagues find it to get positive electronic cigarette research published in the wider press. In a very interesting interview he also suggest that many in the press prefer to focus upon negative issues, many of which are proven incorrect when digging deeper, as we all know that scare stories sell newspapers!
Now that this issue has been brought into the public domain perhaps we can have a more balanced approach and a more balanced argument about electronic cigarette research?
All parties in favor of long-term trials
As we have mentioned time and time again, all parties for and against the electronic cigarette industry are comfortable with long-term medical trials. These trials will once and for all address rumors, counter rumors and blatant untruths which are often peddled about the vaping industry. As we touched on above, so far the data has been very positive and the industry is most certainly holding its own against a well-supported and well-funded tobacco industry.
Slowly but surely medical trial data is entering the public domain and while some of the more extravagant scare stories turn out to be very different when digging under the surface, we do require further data. Quite why it is proving so difficult to publish positive research on the vaping industry is a mystery. However, there is no doubt that many of politicians are looking to protect tobacco taxes and dismiss the vaping industry at every opportunity.
Is the vaping industry proving too strong?
If we look back just a few years ago the vaping industry was under enormous pressure and many were surprised that it did not disappear back into the shadows again. Slowly but surely the industry developed, expanded and very quickly became popular with those looking to switch from tobacco products. Regulators have sat on their hands for far too long, the tobacco industry foolishly ignored the vaping sector and now these parties are all playing catch-up.
The vaping industry is certainly winning the case within the court of public opinion but whether politicians, regulators and tobacco companies will be as easy to convince remains to be seen.
For further information about electronic cigarettes please visit the OK Electronic Cigarettes website.
