Recently vaping has been making more of a presence in the media and news. Celebrity actor Leonardo Dicaprio was caught vaping at the Oscars, turning heads of fellow celebrities as he takes a drag from his Innokin Itaste VV. On a more serious note, there has a been a new federal restriction on vaping on airlines.

Even though most airlines already ban vaping on their planes, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) proposed to add prohibition of vaping to the Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act. Norton proposed to add vaping to the already existing no smoking policy in concerns of health risks for others.

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) tried to oppose the federal ban by vaping during a congressional hearing to prove that it’s less toxic to others than smoking cigarettes. Even though some of those at the hearing tried to fan away the exhaled vapor, he even explained how e-cigarettes helped him to quit smoking. He proved a good point because it is a much safer option for airlines. If smokers were given a option to vape on a plane, maybe they wouldn’t  try to sneak a couple puffs of a stogie in the plane bathroom. Unfortunately majority ruled in favor of Norton.

I believe on a Federal level, they just really want to have vaping to be in the same category as cigarettes. It’s understandable on a airplane. Vaping/smoking is not a necessity and if they don’t allow smoking on planes, why should they allow vaping?  I could see this happening: through the light haze of some residual vapor on an airplane, some poor grandma complaining to the flight attendant that someone’s vaporizer is giving her a headache. Even if I could vape on a plane, I wouldn’t. It’s just common courtesy and being considerate of my surroundings.

Although Hunter had bad luck with this stunt, it gives me hope as a fellow vaper that there are members of Congress that are on our side and are trying to fight for us. I hope we see him in the future on Federal vaping bans/regulations to come.

Moran, Lee. “Congressman Vapes During Debate To Protest E-Cigarette Flight Ban.” Huffpost Politics. Huffington Post, 12 Feb. 2016. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.