DeSOTO COUNTY, Miss.–Keeping people from smoking e-cigarettes inside public buildings is becoming more common in Mississippi. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta would probably say that’s a good thing, with new information coming out about how younger people tend to believe that e-cigs are a safer alternative to cigarettes.
“It’s important that everyone, parents and kids, understand that nicotine is dangerous for kids at any age, whether it’s an e-cigarette, hookah, cigarette or cigar,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, head of the CDC.
The CDC said Thursday that a new study shows that teen smoking of cigarettes is down, while hookah and e-cig smoking are up. He says that could be blamed on new marketing strategies for e-cigs.
“What we’ve seen in marketing is essentially Mad Men come to e-cigarettes,” said Frieden, referring to the AMC series set in the 60s, where smoking, and even chain smoking, was a more common social habit.
“Marketing that we’re seeing for e-cigarettes looks just like tobacco marketing did in the 1950s.”
And Frieden said that it’s working. E-cigarette sales tripled from 2011 to 2013.
Mississippi cities have taken notice. Last month DeSoto County passed an ordinance that prevents people from smoking the electronic cigarettes inside public buildings.
Mantachie banned e-cigs and vapes from public buildings and businesses in 2014.
Many Mississippi cities are considering making e-cigarettes part of their current no-smoking ordinances.
Whether that will ultimately combat the marketing campaigns and curb teen e-cigarette smoking in the state can only be measured with time and effective analytical tools.
