# China’s Mask Slips



## fbb1964 (12/8/21)

https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/news/vaping-news/2021-08-12_china-s-mask-slips.html

* China’s Mask Slips*
Posted 12th August 2021 by Dave Cross





Chinese electronic cigarette manufacturer share prices went tumbling as experts called for a crackdown on the industry following claims that is an issue with teenagers using vape products. This happened at the same time as officials in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China intimated a total ban on vaping is on the way.
What could be prompting such activity?

As we pointed out last year, “_China runs its own tobacco company as a state monopoly, producing more than 1.7 trillion cigarettes each year for its 350 million smokers which raises well over £1.5 billion in profit. In 2003, this income accounted for almost 10% of China’s total revenue_.” (1)

The income it receives from tobacco dwarves vape revenue. It is convenient for the nation to focus on ecigs rather than address the Asian elephants in the room.

China was laughably lauded by the World Health Organization for adopting “_the best buy (MPOWER) measures to reduce tobacco use_” – despite it being the world’s largest producer and consumer of tobacco products

Some might point out that by attacking the vape industry, which it does not own, will sit well with the anti-vaping World Health Organization, and thereby allow the nation to continue to profit from supplying tobacco products to the region.

To this end, the recent statement from a representative of the Tianjin Lawyers Association's professional committee for the protection of minors is very convenient. Claiming that vape shops in Tianjin and Shenyang were selling to teens, he said: “_E-cigarettes pose a safety hazard to minors, and further efforts should be made to crack down on the sale of e-cigarettes to minors_”.

He didn’t comment on the danger of them smoking instead but did refer to the World Health Organization’s bogus claim that vaping is a gateway into smoking.

This happened at the same time as the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health calling for a total ban on vape and heated tobacco products. Oddly enough, it didn’t call for tobacco products to be banned.

The Council’s chairman, Henry Tong Sau-chai, then lied: “_Health risks associated with the use of heated tobacco products have been proven by scientists_.”

The Council has been behind some ludicrous studies in the past, its statement coming with the release of another one “_proving_” heated tobacco is worse than smoking.

Kelvin Wang Man-pang continued the fiction by stating: "_Two thirds of citizens supported a total ban on alternative smoking products including HTPs and e-cigarettes, including 40 percent of current smokers_,” and that claims products like e-cigs help smokers quit are “_unsubstantiated_”.

Once more, smokers are being thrown under the bus along with any semblance of honesty by public health activists and politicians with their failed quit or die approach.

*References:*

Shenzhen Shutdown - https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/news/vaping-news/2020-10-15_shenzhen-shutdown.html

Reactions: Informative 4


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