Vaping gets its own supervillains

The Consumer Choice Center launched a comical collection of NRTs, highlighting some of the most controversial public policy ‘supervillains’.

Words: Jordan Millar

An international grassroots advocacy group has joined the growing NFT craze with the release of its ‘Consumer Choice Supervillains’ collection.

Inspired by iconic retro Pokémon trading cards, these one-of-a-kind digital collectables feature some of the most notorious names in public policy.

Including well-known characters from healthcare, politics, philanthropy and the silver screen, the Consumer Choice Center hopes its new line of non-fungible tokens will help fund the ‘fight for more freedom’.

Yaël Ossowski, deputy director of the CCC said: “When it comes to discussions about policies, especially those around vaping, we all know there are supervillains out there.

“We thought it important to highlight why these public figures’ statements and actions on harm reduction have run contrary to the broader goals of public health.”

Amongst the CCC’s league of ‘villains’ are the infamously anti-vaping billionaire Michael Bloomberg and World Health Organization director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom.

The one-off tokens also featured Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids president Matt Myers and acting FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock, who are both criticised around the globe for their actions against the lifesaving alternative.

However, it wasn’t just anti-vape crusaders who made the cut, with the virtual cards also including Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, US President ‘Sleepy’ Joe Biden and award-winning Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo.

Michael Landl of the World Vapers’ Alliance praised the ‘hilarious’ NFTs as a new and innovative way to support consumer choice and defend reduced risk products.

The WVA director said: “Innovation is the main driver to make our world better and vaping is arguably the greatest innovation in the public health area over the past few decades.

“In the same way blockchain is changing the way we do business; both these technologies should be embraced instead of feared.”

The ‘Consumer Choice Supervillains’ tokens are currently available to buy from leading NFT marketplace OpenSea, currently priced at around $200 each.

When it comes to discussions about policies, especially those around vaping, we all know there are supervillains out there.