Cigarettes, e-cigs, snus, and nicotine candy.... a comparison

Tweet

I know I just posted a discussion relating to smokers and how I don't feel they need or deserve to be penalized with taxes or fees because they smoke. Now I have another point to make about this CHOICE. I just watched a section of 60 minutes that showed a product called Snus. It still involves nicotine but unlike snuff you don't have to spit anything. There is no smoke, no hazardous chemicals exhaled, breathed onto, or otherwise forced on other bystanders. If someone doesn't tell you, you probably would not even know they were using Snus. They can have nicotine without having to worry about no smoking signs, no smoking areas, or bans on cigarettes. That doesn't matter. It doesn't cause an increased risk of lung cancer OR pancreatic cancer, both things that are elevated if you smoke. My husband mentioned e-cigs too, electronic cigarettes. I had not even known such things existed... hmmm, because I am not a smoker. I wouldn't be in the know, would I? He said that people use them indoors, at work, and they are not banned in other places where people are not allowed to smoke. Also on the 60 minutes show was a blurb about some sort of nicotine candy that is also available. The woman griping about it and against it is an activist for tobacco control who is employed by the state of Indiana. Now....I think this is GREAT that there are things like e-cigs, snus, and nicotine candy. FINALLY we have ways around all this 'no smoking' everywhere, so maybe a cig tax isn't so horrid. What IS the deal anyway? Are people more willing to not get into peoples' business as long as their 'dirty habit' doesn't affect anybody else? Is that the only reason people are still up in arms about cigarettes? Do you use any of these other options for nicotine delivery/dependence? Would you consider them rather than smoking a traditional cig?