E Cigarette and Air plane

The Obama Administration is proposing banning the electronic cigarette from all airline flights, because they feel that the smokeless cigarettes may actually be harmful.

Reasoning behind the proposed ban

Obama administration representative Ray LaHood said in a statement that “Airline passengers have rights, and this new rule would enhance passenger comfort and reduce any confusion surrounding the use of the electronic cigarette on flights”.

Ban makes sense says administration

There is already an existing ban of smoking tobacco products by the Transportation Department. Smoking of all tobacco products is prohibited on planes. The new proposal against the electronic cigarette would apply to all domestic airline flights, and even flights outside of the United States or foreign carriers. There have even been talks that the ban could extend to charter flights.

The argument against the ban

The electronic cigarette is designed to deliver a nicotine fix to a smoker in the form of vapor. These products are powered by a lithium ion battery. Industry representatives for the electronic cigarette argue that their products do not represent harm to the public if they are used in close approximation to them.

Ray Story, chief executive of the Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association says that “Everyone knows when you are smoking on an airplane that is a no-no. But this is not smoking, this is vaping”. He argues that what the Transportation Department is asking for does not make any sense.

Arguments from the Transportation Department

The argument presented by the Transportation Department is that there is no scientific data that confirms the safety of the ingredients in the electronic cigarette. The Air Force surgeon general also issued a memorandum last year telling people that ingredients in the product such as diethylene glycol, is a toxic chemical used in antifreeze.
The general said the electronic cigarette can also contain other cancer causing agents.