The 9/11 terrorist attacks impacted daily life for Americans and global citizens in a variety of ways. Surveillance, security in public spaces, and even architectural design have been altered irrevocably in response to that horrific attack. In the interests of safety, we’ve also accommodated the excessive empowerment of petty tyrants in uniform.
A recent news story in the NY Post shows just how much we’ve indulged these martinets. Smokers and vapers have accepted that they can’t inhale nicotine on flights. Despite the shaky research on second-hand smoke and vapour, smokers and vapers have complied, mainly out of consideration for other passengers.
But give these lunatics an inch, and they’ll take a mile, as one unfortunate traveller found out when he was told to spit out his ZYN pouch while riding with Delta Airlines.
Snake on a plane
In a story that has gathered a fair amount of traction, a recent first-class passenger on Delta Airlines was given a cup and told to spit out his ZYN. The Georgia-headquartered airline has very strict policies on the use of smokeless tobacco products. Indeed, according to its Contract of Carriage, they prohibit smoking and the use of all smokeless tobacco products, including nicotine pouches and gum, on all flights.
Now, the fact that ZYN is not a tobacco product doesn’t seem to have mattered to this “vigilant” flight steward. In the interest of fairness, they were just following orders. The real fault lies with the clowns at corporate who dreamed up this baseless policy.
So let’s take a look at the “thinking” behind why Delta has these policies.
Why has Delta taken this approach?
Delta Air Lines has the most restrictive policy on nicotine pouches and smokeless tobacco products among major U.S. carriers. The TSA allows people to carry pouches in their hand luggage, but leaves what happens at 35,000 feet up to each airline.
Interestingly, in 1994, Delta became the first U.S. carrier to ban smoking on all domestic and international flights. So, their stance can be seen as something of a continuation of this policy.
Delta’s Contract of Carriage states:
"Delta prohibits smoking and the use of all smokeless tobacco products (including e-cigarettes and vapes) on all flights."
Under Rule 10: Smoke Free Service, it says:
"Delta prohibits smoking and the use of all smokeless tobacco products (including e-cigarettes and vapes) on all flights."
No further reasoning is provided, which is perhaps because it would take the sort of world-class sophistry that hasn’t been seen since Gorgias’s “Encomium of Helen” to provide said reasoning.
It’s not even like a disposal or clean-up argument can hold water either. After all, chewing gum is permitted, while nicotine gum is not. So, it’s definitely about the substance. As an aside, pouches come with a chamber to put spent portions, while chewing gum does not. If clean-up was a concern, permitting pouches would be a far wiser option.
What this really comes down to is ideology. Delta's “tobacco-free” policy aligns with its broader approach to corporate social responsibility, ESG, or whatever the liberal arts graduates are calling it these days.
It’s part of the same mindset that has seen the company lose sight of its purpose, i.e., flying planes, and instead believe its role is in “educating” us on topics such as racism, sexism, DEI, human rights, police brutality, international conflict, and, now, how we should access nicotine..
They also probably think they are in the position to lecture us on global pollution, despite the fact that the aviation industry accounted for 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions in 2023.
It’s just insincere posturing.
As always, Dave Chappelle said it best:
Final thoughts
Delta Air Lines has crossed the line of what is reasonable by banning nicotine pouches. Flights are long and stressful enough as things stand, so if someone wants to use a product that has no adverse impact on other passengers, what’s the issue?
The fact is, Delta passengers can wash down mediocre aeroplane food and prescription medicines with a load of booze while on their flights. All are more corrosive to human health.
Delta can’t even hide behind their “tobacco-free” policy because pouches are, by definition, already in compliance by virtue of being free from tobacco.
Delta Airlines’ mission should be about making its customers feel relaxed and at home while in the air. Banning nicotine pouches and gum is the exact opposite of that.
This is such an obvious point that we don’t even need to consult Ja Rule for clarification.
