The National Park Service wants to ban vaping in the great outdoors. Not because it sparks false forest fire smoke signals, which we’ve mistaken it for, but because it might be bad for the health of the vapee.

We were not aware the park service had merged with the Surgeon General’s office to cut costs and provide medical guidance, nor are we aware of any cost-costing cutting measures when it comes to the federal government.

But it appears the park service has based their non-vaping rule on the theory that electronic cigarettes are a threat to young people, even when it does not contain nicotine, because it’s a gateway drug without the actual substance.

Like Twinkies and Little Debbie cakes are a gateway drug to the pastries offered by Panera Bread or Starbucks, and sushi is a gateway drug to shark fin soup, we suppose vaping could be a gateway drug to smoking tobacco.

The fact that vaping is being used by so many people to actually stop smoking tobacco is being forgotten by many including Dr. Park Service, who has decreed it their job to protect us from ourselves.

We appreciate the park service for looking out for our health, but it appears they have overstepped their bounds of keeping us safe from getting eaten by wildlife or falling off a cliff.

The new rules are open to public comment, consider this ours.