Southern Rail To Ban E Cigs From July

Another Blow For Vapers

In another blow to the e cigarette community, a recent story by the London Evening Standard details Southern Rail's plan to ban e cigarettes from the last week in July. Many different companies and retailers have chosen to ban the use of e cigarettes, however, this is the first time a major company used by so many people has publically stated it intends to ban the use of these devices.

From the 26th of July, those using Southern Rail services will not be able to vape on any of the trains or platforms. This decision will affect over 150 different stations and over 2000 daily train services. C2C, Greater Anglia and First Capital Connect have already placed bans on the use of the devices, and vaping is also banned on buses, tubes and trains run by Transport for London.

Why Are These Companies Banning E-Cigs?

It would seem despite the continued growth of evidence and research suggesting e cigarettes are safe to use, companies and organisation are opting to immediately clamp down on the devices. There are many potential reasons for this. It may be a case of avoiding potential complaints from passengers who don't vape, who may still be concerned about how safe it is. Or it may also be because at a glance on a CCTV camera or across a carriage or platform it is difficult to distinguish between vaping and smoking normal cigarettes.

Either way, it would appear vapers are still being treated in the same way as those smoking normal cigarettes, which is a real shame considering how much e cigarettes are helping people to quit smoking. The more companies and organisations remove the benefits of vaping - IE vaping indoors, the less likely some people will be to make the switch, which is detrimental for the health of the country.