ECIG and Healthy/Unhealthy Vaporizers
Electronic Cigarettes Internal Group (ECIG) is a business that manufactures and sells vaporizers and electronic cigarettes, which groups in the U.S. have labeled as harmful to health (even though the scientific board under the direction of the U.K. government has identified them as 95% healthier than traditional tobacco cigarettes) (Public Health England, 2015). ECIG, nonetheless, markets its "unhealthy" products by actually promoting them as a healthy alternative to traditional cigarettes and cites the U.K. study as a reason to switch from tobacco to e-liquids. Essentially, ECIG markets itself as a way to help tobacco smokers quit their habit.
The ethical dilemma associated with the production and distribution of e-cigarettes and vaporizers is the question of whether they are as harmful for one as traditional tobacco cigarettes (or whether they are even harmful at all). Critics of the product argue that they are (Roloff, 2015), but there is speculation that these same critics are mouthpieces of the tobacco lobby. The result is that it is unclear whether vaporizers and e-liquids pose the same health risks as tobacco -- although on the surface it would appear that they do not since there is actually no tobacco used in e-liquids (which are essentially water and flavoring). There is not even any
is that vaporizers are the same as smoking cigarettes and should be banned.
In the U.K., on the other hand, vaporizers are very common and ECIG is incredibly popular with its VIP brand in the U.K. It has over 200 kiosks established throughout the U.K. and has a strong footprint in the sector. The study by U.K.'s health board offers a much different view of the positive aspect of vaporizers and suggests that they are a healthy way for traditional smokers to quit.
ECIG has handled the ethical implications of its products with a focus on
social responsibility,
integrity and
business ethics by concentrating its marketing efforts in the U.K. where the reception of its services is more positive. Following on the heels of the U.K.'s health report regarding vaporizers, ECIG launched a 10,000 product giveaway leading up to New Year's Day 2016 with the focus being on helping people to start a New Year's resolution to quit smoking cigarettes by using vaporizers (Gwynn, 2015). The giveaway was a tremendous success as all units were dispensed in under 24 hours. Thus,…
