Watch: A Congressman Just Vaped During a Legislative Meeting

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), a longtime champion of the e-cigarette, took a vape from his nicotine vaporizer during a congressional hearing on a bill that would ban vaping on airplanes.
Jonathan Zhou
2/11/2016
Updated:
2/11/2016

One small vape for man, one big vape for mankind.

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), a longtime champion of the e-cigarette, took a vape from his nicotine vaporizer during a congressional hearing on a bill that would ban vaping on airplanes.

“So, this is called a vaporizer. There’s no combustion. There’s no carcinogens.” Hunter said, demonstrating it with an exhalation of a cloud of vape gas.

Hunter credits vaporizers with helping him quit smoking, a habit he started when he was in the Marines, the Hill reports, and he has a history of advocating against anti-vaping legislation.

“What the gentle-lady did not say is that smoking has gone down as the use of vaporizers has gone up,” Hunter continued. “There is no burning. There is nothing noxious about this whatsoever. This has helped thousands of people quit smoking. It’s helped me quit smoking.”

In December, Hunter wrote a letter to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to protest her support for a bill that would restrict vaping.

“E-cigarettes are a suitable alternative to cigarettes, and they could very well save my life,” Hunter wrote.

Opponents of vaping see the practice as a “gateway drug” to smoking, and see a large downside in allowing companies to target young people with ads that promote e-cigarettes.