A Must Watch Hard Hitting Documentary about Vaping
E-cigarette documentary A Billion Lives is now available for download and so armed with a ton of expectation [and popcorn] I sat back to watch.
For those not in the know A Billion Lives looks at the battle lines drawn between Big Tobacco – Big Pharma – Governments – Cancer Charities – Health organizations and the vapers and vaping industry.
A Billion Lives refers to the amount of people’s lives that will lost around the world by the end of the century due to smoking related diseases.
It didn’t start out as a ‘pro-vaping’ documentary but like any good ‘story’ you have to go with the plot twist especially when it jumps up and smacks you in the mouth.
The film made – directed and narrated by Aaron Biebert – [who neither smokes nor vapes] – has won a ton of awards and features experts from public health – the media and research all of whom are pro vaping advocates.
Interestingly the main voices in opposition to the benefits of vaping over smoking including Governments – Big Tobacco and the pharmaceutical companies all declined to take part – that alone should tell you all you need to know.
What are they afraid of?
Why don’t they debate?
David Goerlitz ‘The Winston Man’
The film opens with a brief look at the history of tobacco with stunning shots of the Andes where it all began.
It looks at how cigarettes were injected into ‘pop culture’ and made to look cool – sophisticated and even healthy.
It tackles the issue of the early blatant lies about the harm from tobacco and shows ‘industry experts’ and even cancer charities supporting the premise that ‘smoking doesn’t kill’.
Funny how today those same organizations and charities are attacking e-cigarettes and vaping – but I digress.
David Goerlitz the former ‘Winston Man’ macho tobacco model – features heavily in the film – and we hear how he turned his back on tobacco after his brother died from cancer becoming a vehement anti-smoking crusader.
As a side note whilst looking at his bio I see he’s now one of the faces of the disposable e-cig my.Von Earle 😉
Vapers Drive the Direction of the Documentary
There’s an interview with the inventor of the modern day e-cigarette Hon Lik who always comes across as a gentleman in the truest sense of the word.
There’s a short piece featuring a spokesman from NJOY who it could be argued saved vaping from the very first governmental attack on the industry with that famous court case in the US in 2009.
It’s believed without them vaping would have died a death before it had even started.
Biebert reveals that it was vapers who ‘reached out’ to him with their own personal stories on how vaping had literally saved their lives helping them to quit smoking.
It is at this point the focus of the documentary shifts to why there’s such a persistent prolonged and seemingly venomous attack on vaping.
The film reveals the shocking lengths anti vaping bodies got to [and continue to do so] to attack vaping using fake science and unfounded accusations.
It’s at this point I started to get angry.
The Film Will Get You Angry – Maybe Even Cry
I think we all know or at least have a sneaky feeling as to the reasons why Governments – Big Pharma – Big Tobacco and health and cancer organizations are so anti vaping – it’s the money.
Big pharmaceutical companies are desperate to protect the $6billion a year nicotine replacement therapy products – Governments are concerned at losing trillions of dollars of tax revenue whilst Big Tobacco are – well still cynical and still killing people whilst filling their coffers.
Add to that the cash made on the back of cigarette related illness and deaths through research grants and all the rest – and you can see it’s all about the money.
A Billion Lives whilst not actually ‘blowing the lid’ off the scandal certainly shines a light into those dark corners that we instinctively know are there.
It’s a shocking – thoughtful and dare I say entertaining film that leaves many questions whilst touched upon – unanswered – part two if there’s to be one will hopefully go much further.
Vince From Australia
It’s easy to watch – will get you angry and at times bring a lump to your throat – particularly the segment featuring ‘Vince’ from Australia.
He was one of the first people down under to not only use an electronic cigarette but to start a business supplying them.
As we know the Australian government has a draconian stance against vaping with many devices and nicotine infused e-liquids banned and made illegal.
Vince was raided by police – his house ransacked and all his stock confiscated.
Three black SUV’s with a search and seizure warrant…they bagged and tagged everything they could find related to e-cigarettes…it was like they thought I was some kind of Colombian drug cartel or something…someone’s got an agenda as it isn’t about us…don’t let the bastards win…
The law they cited for the raid was a piece of little used legislation that prohibits the sale of products that resemble cigarettes such as ones made out of candy.
Watching him suffer on film is a sobering moment especially as he now faces bankruptcy and the loss of his home – one has to ask what the hell is going on in this world.
…someone’s got an agenda as it isn’t about us it’s about the money…don’t let the bastards win…
I’m not a ‘hug me bro’ kind of bloke but my God I wanted to give him a bear hug and buy him more than a few beers.
A Billion Lives has set the scene – brought the vaping vs smoking debate into the public arena and its’ up to the vaping community to push it – support it and promote it far and wide to get the simple message across.
Vaping saves lives.
Standout Quotes from A Billion Lives
Clive Bates:
We used to have very dangerous products and the makers of those used to lie about those…we now have much safer products and the public health community is lying about those…
Dr Delon Human – World Medical Association:
…[vaping] can save a billion lives…
…nicotine is not a carcinogen…
Hon Lik [inventor of the modern e-cig]
…I feel I have done a great service to society.
Derek Yach former – WHO exec director:
…nicotine addicts – tar kills…long term use of nicotine affects little or no harm on people.
Dr Konstantinos Farsalino:
…you never see anyone sniffing pure nicotine – you never see anyone injecting pure nicotine – no one wants to use nicotine in its pure form.
EcigClick Reviewer John Summers On Finding an E-Cig:
…I stopped smoking tobacco that was it…I quit…
