U.S. regulators and lawmakers discussed the hazards of gas stoves this week, as concerns rise due to their harmful emissions and links to health problems. Richard Trumka Jr., the commissioner of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), told Bloomberg that gas stoves were "a hidden hazard" and "any option is on the table," adding that "products that can't be made safe can be banned." This, of course, caused backlash and chaos on social media. While lawmakers state the reason for their consideration is because of safety concerns, some people believe that they have other – more sinister – motives.

It's no secret that the government abuses its power, but let's take a step back for a second, because Trumka himself already clarified that the agency "isn't coming for anyone's gas stoves." 

Even a White House spokesman, Michael Kikukawa, stated that President Biden isn't looking to ban gas stoves. "The President does not support banning gas stoves,” he was quoted to have said. “And the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is independent, is not banning gas stoves.” 

Then again, politicians are known to backtrack and lie. Who really knows what's going to happen at this point? (This is a rhetorical question, obviously, but the answer is no one.) Plus, about 35% of households in America (nearly 40 million homes) use gas stoves, so why is it that we're only hearing about these so-called "harmful emissions" now? This outrage seems so minor that it kind of warrants conspiratorial questions, such as: "What's the real reason why the government is so critical of gas stoves all of a sudden?" This whole fiasco has caused such an uproar that even people on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook are discussing their theories as to why.

Let's take a look at what some of these theories are, but maybe take most of them with a grain of salt, since the Head of U.S. Safety already declared they weren’t looking to ban gas stoves anytime soon.

The Government Doesn’t Want You To Be Self-Reliant  

According to some people, the government thought about banning gas stoves because propane and other natural gasses can be stored for years, making it a reliable source of energy for individuals who want to live off-grid. Anyone who’s experienced a power outage can attest to how helpful propane is. 

It's a Distraction

One of the more popular theories on this topic is that all this is just a distraction. They want you upset, angry, and scared so that it can take your focus off the real issues in the world and in your life. Maybe the CIA wants everyone debating online over gas stoves so crowds of people don’t go rioting over the 550% increase in egg costs while Ukrainians get our tax money. 

They Want Everyone on “Smart” Appliances for Control

“They need ‘smart’ appliances that they can monitor and regulate. To have complete control over our lives,” wrote one user. Smart cars, phones, televisions – all of these “smart” devices can get hacked. Some people speculate that anyone who is using electricity faces the possibility of it getting cut off by the government. But, I don’t really think too many people will be switching to high-tech stoves anytime soon, especially since most citizens are dealing with inflation. 

It's To Make Republicans and Conservatives Look Bad

Here’s a fun one: A U.S. agency hinted at a stove ban, angering conservatives so that mainstream media can blame the outrage on conservatives. "The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission had to walk back Trumka's remarks! But this is somehow a story about Republicans ‘suddenly’ ‘thrusting’ a new issue into the culture wars?" comments @BecketAdams on Twitter. Maybe he’s not too far-fetched, considering how news sites have to depend on clicks.

Closing Thoughts

While I'm not claiming these theories are true, it is interesting that gas stoves have become a focal point for agencies when they should be investigating mRNA vaccine side effects, or our contaminated food and water riddled with chemicals.

Love Evie? Sign up for our newsletter and get curated content weekly!