I'm going to say some things that I suspect a whole lotta people are thinking, but are afraid to say. At every point these are sprawling topics that extend far beyond and beneath anything directly to do with vaping, which is only the occasion for this present discussion.
Do not construe anything I say as a cold hearted curmudgeonly attitude toward children. Those who know me personally would snicker at the suggestion. There are however some unavoidable realities at play here that lead to some equally unavoidable positions.
---------------------------------------------------------
Other people's kids are not my responsibility.
Kids do stuff. Bad stupid stuff. Including myself. Always have, always will.
While I certainly don't encourage it, I am not concerned about teen vaping.
Most teens will try at least some stuff they see other teens trying. Especially when it looks cool and fun with no apparent immediate consequences.
Some percentage will descend into regular use. Always have, always will.
When I was a Detroit area teen 40 years ago this included a cornucopia of street drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. I loved the drugs and alcohol, but hated the cigarettes. I did pretty well for a while selling microdot in the bathroom at school.
Compared to mine, and untold vaaaaaast multitudes of other people's experiences going back decades, vaping is BY FAR the least concerning.
The liberties of responsible grown ups should not be infringed upon in the name of the state parenting other people's children, who are going to do bad stupid stuff no matter WHAT the state says or does anyway.
In light of the above and with the hope that I'm properly understood, when it comes to vaping, I say "screw the children." Vaping is the least harmful of all the crap that young people inevitably experiment with.
Do not construe anything I say as a cold hearted curmudgeonly attitude toward children. Those who know me personally would snicker at the suggestion. There are however some unavoidable realities at play here that lead to some equally unavoidable positions.
---------------------------------------------------------
Other people's kids are not my responsibility.
Kids do stuff. Bad stupid stuff. Including myself. Always have, always will.
While I certainly don't encourage it, I am not concerned about teen vaping.
Most teens will try at least some stuff they see other teens trying. Especially when it looks cool and fun with no apparent immediate consequences.
Some percentage will descend into regular use. Always have, always will.
When I was a Detroit area teen 40 years ago this included a cornucopia of street drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. I loved the drugs and alcohol, but hated the cigarettes. I did pretty well for a while selling microdot in the bathroom at school.
Compared to mine, and untold vaaaaaast multitudes of other people's experiences going back decades, vaping is BY FAR the least concerning.
The liberties of responsible grown ups should not be infringed upon in the name of the state parenting other people's children, who are going to do bad stupid stuff no matter WHAT the state says or does anyway.
In light of the above and with the hope that I'm properly understood, when it comes to vaping, I say "screw the children." Vaping is the least harmful of all the crap that young people inevitably experiment with.
Last edited: