Man Kicked Off Plane For Puffing On E-Cig
A flight that had left Portland International Airport was forced to turn around this week after a passenger refused to stop puffing on their e-cigarette shortly after the plane took off.
The passenger and his traveling companion were escorted off the plane after it touched back down in Portland and the man now faces Federal charges and a likely hefty fine from the airline who will be forced to pay a fee for landing.
While e-cigs do not give off smoke they do dispense a vapor from a liquid nicotine solution. A flight attendant argued that the e-cig violated the pilot’s no smoking sign.
While federal law prohibits smoking on commercial airplanes the federal government has never addressed the issue of e-cigs which have grown in popularity over the last several years.
In the meantime the Department of Transportation has hinted that the e-cig products could be banned on commercial flights before the end of the year.
The flight in question was a Continental Airlines flight and that airline had already placed an explicit ban on the use of e-cigs during flights that are currently in progress.
While passengers were inconvenienced by the return to Portland the plane waited just one hour to begin the journey back towards Houston.
I personally don’t want to inhale vapor nicotine solution during an entire flight but maybe that’s just me. Do you think e-cigs should be banned on airplanes?
Tags : airline, Airline Passenger, cigarettes, E-Cig, electronic cigarettes
Posted: February 22, 2012
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Feb 23, 2012
Dude, you couldn't wait until the seatbelt lights went off and go to the bathroom for 20 minutes like the rest of us do?
Feb 24, 2012
You'd intake more nicotine from a fresh garden salad than you would sitting next to a vaper.
Feb 24, 2012
hhmmm James Johnson do you feel the same way about about steaming cups of coffee? If your answer is "no" then I suggest you do more research into e-cigs as nicotine is very similar to caffeine and poses no threat to others.
Feb 24, 2012
No.. I think you Mr Johnson should be banned from posting an article that obviously you have little knowledge of.
Mar 21, 2012
I personally don't want to sit next to an overweight obese person in economy, but you don't see them banning food on the flights.
Bad analogy? Stupid? About as logical as this article. Storm in a teacup, move on.
Jun 26, 2012
I would rather not have to smell someones body odor or nasty perfume or loud obnoxious whining kids who kick the back of my seat.Get yourself educated before writing such an article.
Aug 2, 2012
nicotine is not harmful, and is beneficial to the human body, it has been proven scientifically that nicotine reduces colon cancer, so a vaper is causing you to be healthier? if it did expose you to nicotine, which it does not, as the nicotine is absorbed by the person inhaling and all you get is water vapor.
Aug 2, 2012
nicotine is not harmful, and is beneficial to the human body, it has been proven scientifically that nicotine reduces colon cancer, so a vaper is causing you to be healthier? if it did expose you to nicotine, which it does not, as the nicotine is absorbed by the person inhaling and all you get is water vapor.
Aug 8, 2012
nicotine IS harmful, it can be toxic and it has other side effects that makes it a poor drug for long term treatment of faulty cognition and vascular issues. I could not find any studies about reducing colon cancer so I don't know where you read that one. I doubt the vapor will make me or anyone healthier. How do you know the vapor contains no residual nicotine? Because the manufacturer said so? I pass. and I don't want you next to me with an e cig in a closed environment like a plane. I don't understand all the attacks on the writer, he is only reporting something that happened and expressing his opinion. He did not make this up.
Dec 13, 2012
Educate yourself
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/drugs-alcohol/nicotine-health-benefits.htm
Jan 3, 2013
I would argue that you'll most likely be annoyed and/or get cancer from the truck exhaust in front of you rather than second hand nicotine vapor. Really? If what I do doesn't affect you then leave me alone – and I shall do the same for you. Thanks!
Feb 2, 2013
I don't see nothing wrong smoking e ciggs on planes or anywhere else. That's why they made them for. What next will they ban us for?
Feb 13, 2013
Personally, I think it's a great alternative for someone who is trying to quit or is going to be stuck somewhere that they aren't allowed to smoke. I can totally understand no smoking a real cig on a plane, but when all it is is water vapor, it's basically the same as me taking a breath. So do we need to ban breathing on planes too? Odds are there is probably someone on the plane who could make you terribly ill just cause they are a carrier of something and all they have to do is breathe on you and that's it. So what does it matter if there is absolutely nothing toxic going back in the air from a little electronic cig? I'm more worried about the guy in the back of the plane coughing cause he has the flu! It's just one more way the government and the airlines like to push their dumbness back on to the American people and people abroad. I personally think the airlines should consider selling them on the planes. Now, that would most certainly be profitable for them. As a smoker myself, I know I would certainly enjoy being able to have an e cig on that 14 hour flight I'm taking on Friday, but sadly I won't.
Apr 3, 2013
1) You always have to obey the flight attendant or risk being thrown off the plane.
2) Only a smoker can have SO little respect for people around them.
Apr 3, 2013
You clearly didn't read what you linked to….
"However, nornicotine is toxic, pointing to the need for a nontoxic substitute."
Your own LINK argues against you.