Vaping

Emory Business Ethics
Aug 20, 2020
2 min read

Updated: Sep 18, 2020

Vaping was originally marketed as a healthier alternative to smoking. While recent FDA regulations has required vape companies to place warnings on all their products, many teens are already addicted.

Industry Overview

The vaping industry was founded on the idea of helping smokers quit smoking by providing a healthier alternative to cigarettes. In the short run, vaping can be healthier for smokers however, vaping was not just advertised towards smokers.

Vaping products, such as Juul, were marketed as sexy and cool, and eventually appealed to teenagers who were under the impression that vaping was safe. A recent rise in vaping related deaths and injuries has called into question the safety of vaping products and the ethics behind their advertising techniques.

The Health Perspective

RESEARCH DONE ON VAPING PRODUCTS:

Even after advertising products as healthier, there was very little research done on the health effects of vaping before being released into the market.

HEALTH FACTS:

Juuls contain about as much nicotine as a pack of cigarette. Juuls also have a patented delivery system that involves the use of nicotine salts which allow nicotine to. be absorbed much faster than most e-cigarettes while also delivering the nicotine in a smooth, non-irritating way. So far 18 vaping deaths have been recorded among over a thousand lung injury cases.

The Marketing Perspective

ADVERTISING METHODS:

Vaping companies, such as Juul, have advertised their products in a method that. makes. vaping appear cool, fun, sexy and healthy. However, this misinformation has. lead to the public adopting\vaping as a new method of smoking rather than a healthy alternative. Vapes appear to be sleek, discrete and easy obtain.

ADVERTISING REGULATIONS:

There are regualtions set by the FDA that require vaping producst to be marketed as nicotine products and therefore requireswarnings to be plaed. on all products. However, because the warning labels weren't. always required, some argue that thedamagehas been done.