Hashtags and beanbags

OK, so not the most inspiring title ever conceived but I normally only post once every few days. Or try to at least. For once, you lovely folks are getting a double post out of me today.

No, this is not about the plain packs debacle. That one is just full of #stoopid for me to even contemplate right now. Besides, it has already been covered very nicely here. No, this one is all about our US friends. Specifically, Minnesota.

Let me introduce you to the utter stupidity and crass lying of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Foundation. Oh dear. Did they not get the memo after the whole #curbit fiasco?

One search on Twitter for the #SkateVapeFree hashtag brings up similar results. I dare say there’ll be a whole host more. It’s one thing to go on Twitter and publish stuff news related, but a whole other problem when the content being posted is to put it mildly, complete and utter bollocks. Let’s have a look behind door number one.

“28% of Minnesota’s high school students & 41% of 12th graders have used e-cigarettes”

No definition of “used” here. Judging by other surveys and studies being bandied about it is most likely going to be “have you used an e-cigarette in the last 30 days”. All in the question.

“Many e-cigarettes have 40+ lethal & cancer causing chemicals”

Now, you and I know that not to be true. At all. This one is straight out of Californias’ DPH playbook.

“Toxins found in e-cigarettes can impact hockey players’ appearance, reflexes, speed, balance & mood”

OK, I took a bit of a double take on this one I’ll admit. There’s some science relating to Nicotine and mood, but it is a little sparse. It does beg the question of how e-cigs impact appearance. Utter insanity.

“Chemicals found in e-cigarettes are used to make hockey pucks, paint hockey sticks and clean locker rooms”

Trust me, I’ve not reached the truly wtf moment yet, although this came pretty close. What exactly out of the main e-liquid ingredients are used in paint or cleaners? Seriously people get a grip.

“Nicotine, found in e-cigarettes, is a highly addictive drug”

No. Just no. We’ve been over Nicotine with a fine tooth comb. It does not have any reinforcing properties on its own ergo, not really addictive. Besides, it’s the same damn Nicotine you’ll find in your everyday FDA approved NRT. Spin on that morons.

“Teen vapers & smokers are less likely to go to college & have lower grades in school”

OK, this is the serious wtf moment. Firstly, they are bunching in vaping and smoking which we all know to be two completely separate things. Secondly, how does either actually affect a youngster going to college? I’d be willing to bet that either would have no real effect. Finally, if you smoke or vape you’re going to have bad grades. Or so they say. I find that one completely unbelievable in the extreme. I’ll admit there may be a negative effect of Nicotine on cognitive function, but I seriously doubt that it would actually affect how a student performs academically.

Yet another day, and yet another failed social media campaign where those of us that are, shall we say a little cynical and outspoken totally hijacked their message. Well done pooples.

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