The Punk and the eCigarette

Punk Vapers

A few evenings ago, I was lying in bed watching TV – and waiting to slowly drift off to sleep. When lo and behold, an old BBC Documentary appeared on the Yesterday Channel about the imminent arrival of Punk in the musical world.

I have never been a huge fan of Punk music (though it has to be admitted that it did have it’s moments), but I started sensing a feeling of déjà vu the more I watched this program. This was especially enhanced when film of parents protesting outside a Sex Pistols gig appeared on screen. At that moment I suddenly realised why I was getting that sense of déjà vu – especially when some middle aged woman exclaimed

‘THINK OF THE CHILDREN !!’

Sound familiar ? Well if you are an ecigarette user or advocate, that phrase should be VERY familiar to you !!

From that point on, I began to see the parallels between what was happening in society when Punk arrived, and what is happening today with the arrival of eCigarettes.

You see, the program started off by showing what was seen on Top Of The Pops every week in 1976. The problem was, the younger generation were bored by the music they were seeing on the Beeb. It seemed that ‘The Anointed’ were completely cut off from the grass roots and kept on trotting out the same old ‘safe’ stuff on TV that they believed all ‘wholesome’ people should be enjoying. The problem for the ‘The Anointed’ was that revolution was in the air. The kids were rebelling, and rebelling in their droves. No matter how much ‘The Anointed’ tried to ignore Punk, it just would not go away.

Up and down the UK, the kids were rallying in large numbers to the rebellious cry of Punk. Punk was loud, Punk was deliberately obnoxious, Punk was in your face. Above all, Punk was NOT going to go away !!

History will show that Punk finally won out by the end of 1976 and was finally starting to find its way into the national psyche and even on to national TV. It became such an irresistible force of nature – driven by the ‘rebellious’ younger generation – that it simply could not (and downright refused) to be ignored.

History also shows us that Punk did indeed give the music industry the ‘kick up the arse’ that it needed. Though the other established forms of music from the 70’s are still with us, it has to be acknowledged that Punk provided the impetus for the next generation of musical revolution. From New Wave to New Romantics, Grunge to Goth. Punk paved the way for those new forms of music to evolve.

Fast forward to 2014. Over the past 3-4 years, another underground movement has gradually been gaining traction. Like Punk, it too has been viewed by ‘The Anointed’ (in this case Public Health / Government etc) as a dangerous and rebellious movement that simply must be crushed. Of course I am talking about the eCigarette.

Unlike Punk, Vapers are not a disenfranchised youth bent on violence and destruction. Rather, Vapers cover the whole spectrum of ages and it is a grass-roots movement that has grown from the desire to have a safe way of enjoying nicotine.

Like Punk, eCigarettes have rumbled away quietly in the background gaining more and more support as time has passed and people have realised the benefits. 

Like Punk, eCigarettes have not been created or invented by 'The Anointed'. It has evolved away from their influence and that is precisely why 'The Anointed' both fear it and want it to go away.

Like Punk, eCigarettes have been viewed by ‘The Anointed’ first as a fad, then as something that will never come to anything. Just like Punk, ‘The Anointed’ have badly underestimated/misunderstood what it is all about.

So, in 2014, we arrive at a scenario which acutely mirrors the Punk movement’s emergence into the national psyche in 1976. ‘The Anointed’ have suddenly woken up to eCigarettes and do not like what they see at all. Belatedly, they are trying ever more desperate measures to try and discredit the eCigarette. Unfortunately for them, I believe that horse has already bolted.

eCigarettes have acquired a groundswell of support from all corners. Recent polls conducted by various organisations have found that there is very little opposition amongst the public to eCigarettes. Indeed, when the Welsh Government made noises about banning eCigarettes in public places, various polls found that more than 80% of the public were against such a ban.

Many eminent scientists and public health professionals have become convinced by the benefits and message of the eCigarette and rallied to the cause. Many more still need convincing, but the most obstinate opponents remain the political classes. The political classes ('The Anointed') remain hell-bent  on banning the eCigarette and try all manner of tactics to try and crush or discredit the eCigarette. The problem 'The Anointed' now have is that their cherry-picking of ‘evidence’ continues to blow up in their faces, because the general public are more clued-up in 2014. By visiting Social Media, forums or even plain old Google, they can instantly see all of the research and true facts and make their own minds up. Even when 'The Anointed' cherry-pick their so-called ‘evidence’, the public is able to get hold of the same research that 'The Anointed' have used and can easily discern the true picture for themselves. Thus, the lies are easily picked up and refuted.

I believe it is too late for 'The Anointed' to stop eCigarettes now. The evidence is all in favour of the eCigarette and it is now reaching the levels required by users, with support from advocates, that 'The Anointed' are beginning to realise that this is a battle they cannot win.

Just as ‘The Anointed’ of 1976 tried in vain (and failed) to stop the ‘runaway train’ that was Punk, I believe that 2014 will prove to be the year that the eCigarette finally breaks out fully on to the mainstream consciousness and becomes accepted as the norm, in the same way that Punk achieved by the end of 1976.

Yes, the eCigarette may still see some hiccups and barriers thrown up by ‘The Anointed’ in yet more futile attempts to stop it. But I believe that even those will be brushed aside. The evidence in favour of eCigarettes is stacking up ever higher on a daily basis. 2014 may finally be the year that the public wrested back control of their lives from ‘The Anointed’.

The public now realise how ‘The Anointed’ work. They are questioning everything that is passed down from ‘The Anointed’, and what the public sees it does not like.

So, there you have it.

Vapers are the ‘Punk Rockers’ of 2014.

Vapers have been belittled, dismissed, attacked and bad-mouthed. But the Vapers are still standing and still fighting for what they believe in. Like Punk, Vapers refuse to be bowed by ‘The Anointed’. Vapers are here and they are here to stay.

So what does the future hold as Vaping evolves ?   New Wave Vapers ?  Grunge Vapers ? LOL