Chinese vapers are defending the health value of e-cigarettes, after the government further tightened sales of vaping devices in the country.
On Friday, the country's tobacco regulator announced a ban on online sales and advertising of e-cigarettes as part of a campaign to prevent minors from accessing vaping products.
The new rule brings e-cigarettes under a sales and advertising ban similar to tobacco.
With more than 300 million smokers, China is seen as a potential growth driver for the e-cigarette industry. But the online sales ban could deal a blow to vaping start-ups that have flourished over the past few years.
Similar to other parts of the world, e-cigarettes in China have gained a large following among young people. An estimated 1.5% of those aged 15 to 24 have vaped, according to a report by the Chinese Center for Diseases Control and Prevention.
The health effects of vaping are being fiercely debated. Its advocates say vaping helps people quit the more harmful tobacco, but regulators say e-cigarette use could eventually lead more young people to start smoking.
"I have smoked for 17 years since I was 14. E-cigarettes greatly reduced my use of cigarettes, and I almost quit smoking," said an owner of a Shanghai vaping store. "I don't think e-cigarettes regulation should go beyond taxation."
A 23-year-old vaper, Saw Zhao, also regards e-cigarettes as a healthier substitute for tobacco. He vapes nicotine-free liquids with flavors such as mint, apple and grape.
"I don't think it will affect my health," Zhao said. "I might be addicted to the flavors, but not to nicotine. I'm fine."
Although e-cigarettes do not produce the smoke and tar of regular cigarettes, health workers have warned against the potential risks of other additives, citing a recent outbreak of lung diseases related to vaping in the United States.
In August, the Chinese government banned sales of e-cigarettes to people under 18, but the policy was not strictly enforced. Vaping products are widely available in corner shops and online stores. Ads can be found in elevators, karaoke bars and on social media.
The government said the online sales ban, enacted on October 30, would be more effective in stopping minors from joining the vaping trend.
In response, leading vaping companies have vowed to shut down online shops, while many internet users complained about the difficulty of accessing vaping products in the future.
Many also questioned if China's tobacco regulator, which itself holds a monopoly on tobacco sales in the country, was behaving fairly and objectively when it put e-cigarettes under tighter control.
The state-run China Tobacco makes a yearly profit of about $170 billion by selling 98% of cigarettes in China. Last year, it generated about 7% of China's tax revenues.
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