Duncan Hunter is a U.S. Representative from California, and announced his love of vaping about 2 months ago, when he penned a letter to Nancy Pelosi regarding the rights of those who vape.  “Yes, I vape — as do millions of other Americans,” Hunter wrote.  “And why do I vape? It is because it prevents me from smoking the real thing.  E-cigarettes are a suitable alternative to cigarettes, and they could very well save my life, as well as the lives of so many Americans who are making their best effort to quit cigarettes.”

Rep. Hunter has been a vocal advocate for reasonable considerations with regards to vaping legislation, and has made several statements during legislative sessions affirming that he himself does vape and will continue to support the rights of those who also vape.  Hunter took his stance one step further during a meeting of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday when he took a deep puff from his personal vaporizer and stated “First, I’d like to say this, this is a vaporizer. There’s no combustion, no carcinogens.”  His dialog was during the discussion of a proposal that would officially make vaping on planes illegal. “There is no burning. There is nothing noxious about this whatsoever,” Duncan stated.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, who put forth the proposed the ban as an amendment to the Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act, stated that vaping should be treated the same as smoking and be prohibited in airline cabins.  Although the amendement was voted in favor of by 33-26, Hunter has made positive steps to public education of vaping as a method of tobacco reduction.  Hunter was a former smoker who is vaping successfully in order to quit.
“Ironically, by not supporting the commercial availability of e-cigarettes, with all their advancements in recent years, you are giving your support – whether intended or not- to traditional cigarettes and other products,” wrote Hunter shortly after Pelosi defeated a rider in the Omnibus bill that would have prevented the prohibition of 99 percent of e-cig products  “Although you may not want to acknowledge it, e-cigarettes are a suitable alternative to cigarettes, and they could very well save my life, as well as the lives of so many Americans who are making their best effort to quit cigarettes. It is unfortunate that you are willing to deny these potentially life-saving products, and then boast about doing so,” Hunter stated.

Below is a video from Vine featuring Rep. Hunter vaping during the discussion.