Hookah Pen: The Latest Smoking Craze - Essay Example

Hookah Pen: The Latest Smoking Craze Introduction In recent times, a huge change in smoking habit has been found among the young generation. Young people nowadays are more interested in “Hookah Pens” or “Vape Pipes” or “E-Cigarettes”. However, there are also questions arising that if these modified electronic smoking devices are harmful for the young generation or not. It has been determined that business entities are using these products to derive substantial profitability at times by misleading the users about inherent threat associated with such consumption. The common thinking amid the buyers of these devices is that they are not taking nicotine and that these products will not cause cancer. However, the public health officials are quite worried as they are hassled to calculate and control the spreading of e-cigarettes. There is also a business demand that e-hookahs or hookah pens are different from e-cigarettes. In this regard, the young generation often demands that they have never taken e-cigarettes and thus they are secured from cancer (Richtel, 2014) Based on the article i.e. "E-Cigarettes, by Other Names, Lure Young and Worry Experts"" published in The New York Times, the study intends to discuss if there is any difference between e-cigarettes and hookah pens or vape-pipes and also if these e-smoking devices will affect the young generation negatively or not as the public health officials are distressed about its spread among young people. This study further intends to assess the business ethics of the marketers of the above mentioned products. Also, an assessment will be made if these devices are carcinogenic or not along with determining the fact that whether it will be ethical to allow open use of e-cigarettes. Discussion “Hookah pens” or “vape-pipes” are certain electrical smoking devices which are getting famous nowadays in society among the young individuals and also among those who intend to leave smoking cigarette as the marketers demand that these devices are entirely nicotine free and do not damage the human body. It contains fruit flavored liquid and after heating up the fluid becomes vapor and then the vapor has to be inhaled (TobaccoFreeU.org, 2007). On the other hand, e-cigarette is also a smoking gadget but it at times contains nicotine but the marketers claim that though e-cigarette has nicotine it does not encompass any harmful chemicals such as cigarette. Moreover, certain brands of e-cigarettes have nicotine free cartridge so the marketers’ point of view towards e-cigarette is that it is safer than regular cigarette (Federal Cigar, n.d.). “Hookah pens” or “vape-pipes” and the e-cigarettes both of them are quite similar. However, they are merely different in terms of their presentation. Both the devices deliver nicotine as the component associated with vapor. As e-cigarette’s appearance is less interesting than hookah pens or vape-pipes, it has been treated with less interest. Therefore, it can be ascertained that except appearance both the gadgets are fundamentally same (Bucklin, 2013) In the collision between hookah pens or vape-pipes and e-cigarettes, the marketers are demanding each other’s product to be best. The marketers of hookah pens have been demanding that their products are entirely nicotine free because of which they are different from e-cigarettes. This strategy is being applied by the marketers to spread the information among the young generation to capture the market of e-cigarette. Recently, it is further observed that many cigarette companies are taking interest in electrical smoking devices to enhance their business within the new generation (Bucklin, 2013). The information about these smoking devices mostly has been circulated by the marketers or young consumers among themselves. Thus, it can be critically acknowledged that these consumers are missing the right details about the products and the guidance to take the right decision and subsequently the marketers are taking advantage of this lack of knowledge (Richtel, 2014) A part of the stakeholders of e-cigarette industry including the business entities are getting a substantial profit margin due to the misconception. This is because people are thinking that they have finally found the way to avoid the addiction of nicotine while the young generation is making a habit of these e-devices to be trendy within the society. Therefore, day-by-day the sale of these devices is rising actively. As a result, the industry is booming. Conversely, the users of the products who are the other key stakeholder are also getting a mix result of benefit and loss. On the one hand, the chain smokers who are willing to leave smoking are trying e-cigarettes to absorb less nicotine while on the other hand the young generation is trying the product to be modern and trendy. However, it is determined that these products are not scientifically proven in terms of being nicotine free rather a study conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2009, tested two brands of e-cigarettes and found Nitrosamines which is a known carcinogen (Centre for Public Health and Tobacco Policy, n.d.). Besides, these e-products contain toxic chemicals like Diethylene Glyco, Propylene Glycol and Nicotine in significant amount (Centre for Humanistic Change, Inc, 2013). Thus, the level of harm to human body by these products cannot be avoided. Nevertheless, as per the marketers’ demand, their products are harmless and different from other tobacco products. In this regard, it is affirmed that e-cigarettes carry electronic parts along with synthetically obtained ingredients. Moreover, the present tobacco law has not been hampered because of the availability of such options. Owing to this reason no restriction has been enforced by the society. Thus, if there is nicotine or any chemicals which are carcinogenic in these products then it will affect the young generation and as a result the prevailing boundaries in the use of regular cigarette will be meaningless. Consequently, in terms of ethical perspective, it will create a bad effect on society at large which has been ignored entirely by the marketers of these products to make profit. On the other hand, from the point of view ensuring greater benefits to users who are being misguided, if any strict actions are taken by the concerned authorities against these e-smoking devices then the sales output of this industry will be badly affected along with impacting the employees and business associates as well. This in turn would lead to substantial economic downfall for the businesses (Locke, 2014). This is one of the major reasons behind the unethical approach taken by the marketers of these products which in turn creates a question mark about their ethical responsibility towards the society. Furthermore, in a major development in the US, Attorney Generals from various States have taken legal actions claiming that e-cigarette companies are selling their products to those users who are not allowed to smoke which will be causing unconfirmed health issues (Centre for Public Health and Tobacco Policy, n.d.). In keeping with Tobacco Control Act, free samples of cigarettes and other tobacco products cannot be distributed by the manufacturers but it can be sold in malls and through online sources where youth are available in abundance. Also, the tobacco products manufacturers cannot use flavors in any tobacco products but for e-cigarettes there are limited restrictions like flavors of candy can be used (Tobacco Control Legal Consortium, n.d.). As any legal and scientifically proven decisions have not been determined against these e-cigarettes, these products are very much available in the market and are causing a substantial increase in the habit of smoking especially amid the young generation (Bucklin, 2013). Correspondingly, with regard to the notion of categorical imperative, it is observed that the idea determines an absolute and unconditional requirement wherein no exception is allowed regarding any aspect. Based on this notion, the action of the manufacturers of e-hookah pens should not pass the notion of categorical imperative (Paton, 1971). Moreover, the burning issue of the effect of e-cigarette in the society has many positive and negative views from various states and government officials but it is also true that ethical relativism should be dismissed vehemently and the benefit of society should be the first and major priority that has to be honored by every part of the society (Trevino & Nelson, 2010). Conclusion The market of e-cigarettes is proliferating in the society with certain positive and also negative effects. It has been observed that these products are less harmful than other tobacco products but they are adversely affecting the young people by encouraging the habit of smoking. Apart from the measures imposed by certain nations, the Tobacco Control Act has no control in the market of these e-products which can be dangerous in the future. Most importantly, it can be concluded that before releasing to the market any product should be checked scientifically and also it needs to be ascertained that these products are not creating any legal issues. References Bucklin, D. (2013). Hookah pen: The latest smoking craze. Retrieved from http://www.ushealthworks.com/blog/index.php/2013/04/hookah-pen-the-latest-smoking-craze/ Centre for Public Health and Tobacco Policy, (n.d.). E-Cigarettes fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.ctri.wisc.edu/Smokers/ecigs/cpht.pdf Centre for Humanistic Change, Inc, (2013). What’s SAPening. E-Hookah Pens & E-Cigarettes: Safe Alternatives to Cigarette Smoking?. 1 - 2 Federal Cigar. (n.d.). It’s not smoking, it’s vaping. Retrieved from http://www.federalcigar.com/t/ECigPressRelease Locke, C. (2014). E-cigarettes face restrictions as cities update smoking ordinances. Retrieved from http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/10/6221686/e-cigarettes-face-restrictions.html Paton, H. J. (1971). The categorical imperative: a study in Kant’s moral philosophy. United States: University of Pennsylvania Press. Richtel, M. (2014). E-Cigarettes, by other names, lure young and worry experts. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/05/business/e-cigarettes-under-aliases-elude-the-authorities.html?_r=0 Tobacco Control Legal Consortium, (n.d.). Public Health Law Center. Regulatory Options for Electronic Cigarettes. 1- 8 TobaccoFreeU.org. (2007). Top Facts: Hookahs. Retrieved from http://www.tobaccofreeu.org/pdf/Hookah.pdf Trevino, L., & Nelson, N.A. (2010) Managing business ethics. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Read More