More and more people are quitting smoking every year as a matter of concern for their own health and that of those around them. Among them, more and more people are choosing e-cigarettes and vapes, which are harmless and safe, as an alternative to cigarettes.
E-cigarettes have a strong image of being clean, but are they really harmless? Can minors purchase them by mail order? Various questions are flying around, such as: Are e-cigarettes really harmless?
In this article, we will clarify the truth behind the rumors about e-cigarettes, so if you are interested, please take a look.
Are e-cigarettes harmless and safe?
Opinions about e-cigarettes are mixed: "E-cigarettes are harmful and dangerous" and "E-cigarettes are harmless and safe."
Many people say that e-cigarettes are harmless, but are they really harmless? Are they safe to use? We answer these questions about e-cigarettes.
About E-cigarettes sold in Japan
E-cigarettes and vapes currently sold in Japan do not contain nicotine or tar, which are toxic substances found in tobacco products.
In the first place, the manufacture and sale of nicotine liquid is prohibited in Japan by the law as described below, so e-cigarettes containing nicotine are not available in Japan.
Therefore, e-cigarettes are not actually tobacco products.
Note that there are e-cigarettes sold overseas that contain nicotine, which are naturally included in tobacco products.
Heated cigarettes are often misunderstood
Heated cigarettes are now used by many smokers, but many people mistakenly believe that heated cigarettes are electronic cigarettes.
As explained earlier, Japanese electronic cigarettes and vape liquids do not contain nicotine, so they are not considered tobacco products, but heated cigarettes are tobacco products because they use "tobacco leaves.
E-cigarettes and heated cigarettes are often lumped together, but they are completely different products. Of course, underage smoking of heated cigarettes is prohibited by law.
How harmful are e-cigarettes? Are they really harmless?
E-cigarette manufacture available in Japan do not contain any nicotine or tar, which are harmful to the body.
In addition, the liquid used in e-cigarettes is manufactured using only ingredients that are harmless to the human mouth or ingredients used as food additives, so they can be used with peace of mind.
However, no matter how safe e-cigarettes may be, research has yet to show that they are completely harmless, and there are still a variety of opinions flying around regarding the effects of e-cigarettes.
However, they are definitely less stressful on the body than smoking paper cigarettes or heated cigarettes, so they are ideal for those who are conscious of their health and are considering quitting smoking or reducing their smoking.
Can minors purchase e-cigarettes?
In Japan, underage smoking is prohibited by law.
However, if e-cigarettes and vapes that can be purchased in Japan are not tobacco products, then minors can easily obtain them, right? I think there are many people who think that this is not the case.
In this future, can minors purchase e-cigarettes? Is it legal to use e-cigarettes? This section will explain the use of e-cigarettes by minors.
Legally, minors can use them.
Again and again, since e-cigarettes and vapes are not tobacco products, there is no legal problem if an e-cigarette is purchased and used by a minor.
However, no matter how much they do not violate the law, as long as smoke (vapor) is generated from e-cigarettes, people around them may misunderstand that minors are smoking cigarettes.
If you use e-cigarettes without following the rules and manners because they are not tobacco products, it is quite possible that you will be subject to social sanctions or even be subject to a court order.
Can minors purchase e-cigarettes?
Many retailers and disposable e-cigarette stores do not sell e-cigarettes to people under the age of 20.
Although the sale of e-cigarettes to minors is not legally prohibited, most retailers and mail-order sites refrain from selling e-cigarettes to minors because of the possibility that e-cigarettes may lead to underage smoking.
Age verification is generally performed when purchasing e-cigarettes, so even if minors are legally allowed to use e-cigarettes, they cannot easily purchase them.
In the unlikely event of a problem, the seller will lose money.
Although the purchase of E-cigarettes by minors is not a problem under the law, there is another reason for the seller's voluntary restraint besides the "fear that it may lead to underage smoking," as mentioned earlier.
However, there is another reason why the distributors are refraining from selling electronic cigarettes to minors. This is because in many cases, if a problem should occur when a minor is using the product, it is the distributor or the manufacturer who should take responsibility.
Even if the nicotine-containing liquid was used through some loophole, the vendor or manufacturer may be held responsible for the sale of the device.
Because of this, the manufacturer regulates the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and then wholesales them to retailers, basically making it impossible for minors to purchase e-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes must be 20 years old.
Considering social rules and smoking etiquette, it is advisable to be 20 years old before using e-cigarettes, no matter how harmless they are.
In addition, not only minors but also adults must try to use e-cigarettes with good manners and rules.
To the people around you, e-cigarettes, heated cigarettes, and paper cigarettes are all the same. Since there are more and more places where e-cigarettes cannot be smoked, please make sure to enjoy smoking in a safe place.
