Addiction to nicotine is no laughing matter. E-cigarettes are promoted on television as being a healthy alternative to smoking rolled cigarettes. The advertisements portray romantic, glamorous scenes with handsome men and beautiful women. The reality is that smoking nicotine is addictive. It can stain your teeth and impact your cardiac health. Commercials that glamorize smoking bring back memories of the Marlboro Man, who died of lung cancer.
For decades, Americans have not had to watch cigarette commercials. Cigarette advertising has been extremely limited, and public health has benefited. E-cigarettes pretend they are a different animal, but there is no difference in the advertising. Because e-cigarettes look just like regular cigarettes, e-cigarette ads end up promoting both products.