Harm reduction powerhouse Charles A . Gardner is putting his money where his mouth is and offering a lucrative bounty for any REAL proof that vaping is deadly .
The neurobiologist and renowned advocate said he would give $ 100 to anyone with concrete evidence that nicotine vaping has killed even one of its 68 million users .
And with donations from likeminded consumers and activists , the modest prize pot quickly swelled to an attractive $ 1,600 .
The question now is whether or not anti-vaping groups will step up to the challenge and provide proof of just one person who died from using nicotine e-cigarettes in the past two decades .
Lance Churchill , attorney and harm reduction advocate , asked infamous anti-vaping groups Parents Against Vaping and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids why they haven ’ t collected the reward .
He said : “ Is it because you can ’ t find even one death from nicotine vaping from anywhere in the world ?”
Others suggested that the cash prize would need a ‘ few more zeros ’ to attract the attention of anti-vaping organisations , with the contributions from consumers being nothing more than ‘ small change ’. Along with the call for evidence , Gardner - executive director for the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organizations ( INNCO ) - outlined a handful of exceptions where he would not pay out including :
• EVALI deaths can NOT be blamed on nicotine vaping
• Allergic reactions can happen with anything - including ingredients in e-cigarettes – this doesn ’ t mean vaping itself is deadly and ,
• Killing an existing nicotine vaper won ’ t land you the prize pot .
He added that , even if anti-vapers could prove one death caused by nicotine vaping , e-cigarettes would still be a lot less harmful than cigarettes - which have killed more than 120 million people in the last 20 years .
Gardner said : “ I ’ m sad about any death , but I wouldn ’ t be sad if they could prove one , or even 10 deaths , out of 68 million people .
“ This would mean they ’ re admitting that e-cigarettes are among the safest consumer products on earth .”
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