The European Union and Ecigs

European Union appose Ecigs

At the begining of October 2013, after a huge and concerted mobilisation by E-Cig users and Industry organizations, the European union voted down a suggestion to control E-Cigs as medicines. Whilst on the face of it, this is good news for the Pro-Vaping community, it is comparatively useless in the short-term, because the decision will take many years to trickle down (that’s the way The european union operates) to every fellow member state, who in the intervening time will carry on and run their own regulations, which range from an overall prohibition in Greece, to a totally unregulated and untaxed (besides VAT) scenario in the united kingdom. The Uk Government has set a particular date for regulation of E-Cigs as medicines of 2016, although it is very probable that this will alter depending on the EU judgement.

The European union U-Turn (all experts were anticipating ratification in the weeks prior to the vote) represents a massive triumph for Vapers, and it is to be hoped that comparable resistance will do well in other places worldwide.

A noteworthy quote in the middle of this European union stage-show originated from Chris Davies, a British Member of the European Parliament and an open adversary of planned legislation, who claimed he received many hundreds of communications from e-cigarette users pleading against heavier legislation. His conclusion, he explained, was that '700,000 Europeans pass away annually from cigarette smoking and no-one, as far as I understand, has perished from e-cigs.'

Regrettably, a preposterous new draft proposal has been filed by the European Commission, under the sponsorship of the existing Lithuanian Presidency, that wants to turned around the October judgement. Among the limitations wanted are these: no refillable cartomisers or tanks, and no-e-juice to be sold; no flavours to be accessible aside from the identical ones presently used in NRT; and a restriction of nicotine content in every cartomiser to 10mg. But the shining star of this planned regulation is a law that ‘only products that supply nicotine consistently and uniformly’ will be authorized. This is all but impossible with existing products; consequently it comes down to a blanket prohibition on all e-cigarette goods. One can find markers all over the documentation that seem to steer back to the hand of Big Pharma. The kick off point for talks is as soon as December 3rd 2013 and already the vaping community and the Ecigarette industry are mobilising for another big battle. Let’s sincerely hope they can be as successful this time around as in the October conflict!

A protected but nonetheless positive endorsement was released by the UK’s Cancer Research charity on November 27th 2013, in which they plainly declare that they think that E-Cigs are a good move against the risks of cigarette smoking, while cautioning against the danger to young adults, particularly the political influence of the big Cigarette Corporations. Professor Gerard Hastings, co-author of the document, is cited as stating:

“E-cigarettes along with other substitute nicotine delivery products are most likely a lot less dangerous than traditional tobacco cigarettes, and thus if tobacco users change to them a lot of lives could be saved. But the marketplace is seeking to generate income, not necessarily improve public health, and this is creating a lot of hazards. The fact that international cigarette corporations are moving in on this sector is of particular concern - from previous experience we all know they can be dishonest, determined and profoundly damaging to public health. E-cigarettes might give them the cover they need to restore the strong position they had - in which case a Trojan horse will quickly turn into a Trojan hearse.”