Do we really need tighter control over e cigarettes
With more an more brands of e cigarettes coming onto the market "experts" are saynig there needs to be more studies on the e cigarette.
The e cigarette seems to be doing a great job helping people to stop smoking, everyday we hear from people who have used the electronic cigarette to stop smoking - its a little bit like choosing a brand of cigarettes for real, you want one that tastes right and smokes well and has the right amount of nicotine for you.
Sometimes it takes ages till you find the right brand for you and sometimes you never find it, so we need many different electronic cigarette brands to choose from as everyone has a different taste and budget.
Experts demand tighter controls on e-cigarettes
HEALTH experts are demanding tighter controls on electronic cigarettes amid fears customers could be exposed to poisonous chemicals.
The nicotine vapour inhaler devices are not subject regulation, and fears are growing that people could be subjected to “unclean” and “unsafe” products.
The devices hit the headlines earlier this year when it emerged Standard Life had banned its employees from smoking e-cigs at their desks.
ASH Scotland warned evidence on e-cigs was “limited”.
Many of the e-cigs brands readily available in the UK are imported without control and inspection from other countries, including China.
E-cigs do not contain tobacco and therefore are not regulated by Tobacco Product Regulations, they are also not classed as medical devices so can not be regulated in the same way as other nicotine replacement products.
The devices, which can be charged through a computer USB port, were invented by a Chinese pharmacist in 2004.
Prof John Britton, chair of the Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Advisory Group, said that regulating e-cigarettes would ensure a “guaranteed standard” for consumers was met.
He said: “Electronic cigarettes have the potential to save thousands of lives, but the fact that they are unregulated is bad as it leaves people open to using unclean and unsafe products.
“Electronic cigarettes can not be seen as being as safe as other regulated nicotine replacement therapies which meet pharmaceutical standards, these products are tested and have additives in them that we know to be safe – e-cigarettes don’t have this.
“The concept of nicotine replacement is powerful and good, but e-cigarettes are really testing this system – they are new and they are unregulated. Regulation would be useful and it would be nice to clean up the loopholes.
“At the moment electronic cigarettes may list the contents on the side of the packet, but there is no way of proving that this is the true content as there is no regulation.
“Electronic cigarettes are probably positive and if everyone switched to e-cigarettes it could potentially save millions of lives, but regulation would certainly be useful at this time,” he added.
A lack of regulation has led several countries, including Canada, Australia, and Singapore to ban the products because of fears over possible side-effects. Read more about Experts demand tighter controls on e-cigarettes...
I think that e cigarette should be made available on health systems for free, the fact that govt are making such a big stink is sic and that fact that thousands of people around the world are using them to stop smoking is a positive element that should not be made hard to get.
Please share you thoughts and comment below on this.
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