E-Cig Vaping News

The Vaping revolution is a rapidly growing activity and phenomena. News relating to e-cigarettes and vaping spans a wide spectrum of areas and we cover e-cig news topics across areas such as politics, law, health, culture, entertainment as well as factual and informative e-cigarette and e-liquid reviews.

Should E-Cigarettes be available on the NHS?

August 19, 2015

If you’re an e-cigarette user, you’ve probably been wise to the idea that e-cigarettes are much better for you than smoking tobacco, it’s even quite likely you were an ex tobacco smoker and made the switch to e-cigarettes for this very reason. Having made that switch, you no doubt feel healthier and happier with yourself knowing that you may have avoided serious health problems in the future related to smoking tobacco.

Well, it appears now Government health officials also agree with you and would like to see more tobacco users using e-cigarettes instead. This comes after a review they published stating that vaping is 95% less harmful than tobacco. In light of this review officials want GPs to be able to prescribe e-cigarettes on the NHS to reduce the number of people dying of tobacco related diseases every year in the UK by reducing the number of smokers.

E-Cigarettes have become popular in recent years, it’s even spawned a culture of fanatic vapers and vape culture across UK, Europe and the US. However for most vapers, it is the similarity between e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes that has aided their efforts to quit smoking and take up what is considered to be a healthier alternative. The familiar glow of an e-cigarette and the ability to draw on vapour laced with nicotine which resembles smoke has proved to be a very popular tool in helping people quit smoking. E-Cigarettes are now also being trumpeted as a potential game changer in public health here in the UK.

As it stands, GPs and smoking cessation services are not currently able to prescribe or recommend any e-cigarettes brands as none of the e-cigarettes available on the market are licensed. Public health officials are hoping this will change soon.
A recent concern which has been voiced in the media and anti-vaping community is that vaping normalises smoking which would encourage younger children who do not smoke at all, to be lured into the habit of smoking through the route of vaping. Despite the concerns, officials say that there is no evidence so far that e-cigarettes act as a route into smoking for non smokers and children. Infact, research shows almost all of the vaping population are either current or ex-smokers with only a minority of virgin smokers now vaping.

In general UK is witnessing a decline in the number of people smoking tobacco and professionals believe that e-cigarettes are one of the main contributing factors towards this declining trend. However, the rise in popularity of e-cigarettes has been met with equal distrust, misinformation and myths all contributing to negative press. But as the paranoia and rushed opinions on vaping come to settle, new reports are shedding a much clearer light on the actual health implications of vaping vs tobacco. Evidence from a new British report says vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco. One of the largest concerns with vaping is that the vapour produced by e-cigarettes by heating flavoured liquids contains ingredients, by-products and contaminants which could potentially be harmful to health. Studies however have rebutted the claim by showing these are found at very low levels in the actual air people breathe.

Smoking is currently the biggest killer in England and health officials and professionals widely agree that while quitting smoking altogether would be the best thing any smoker could do, many also agree that vaping and e-cigarettes provide a much healthier alternative to smoking tobacco.

Knowing that smoking is the number one killer and vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco many now also feel that spending tax payers money on funding the availability of e-cigarettes on the NHS is a justifiable cause as it would save thousands of lives.

What do you think? Should E-cigarettes be prescribed on the NHS?

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By admin

E-Cigarettes better for public health, says Experts

August 18, 2015

There’s been no shortness in a controversy and debate lately over the ill speculated health risks and benefits of smoking e-cigarettes over tobacco products. But in the corner of the more reasoned arguments, the Royal Society for Public Health is encouraging health bosses to promote the use of e-cigarettes and also suggests licensing tobacco sellers.

E-cigarettes better for public health than tobacco

As E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular with the vaping public there has been a somewhat knee jerk negative reaction from various sectors including government, health campaigners and the media. Criticisms of e-cigarettes have ranged from the lofty claims such as “e-cigarettes normalise smoking” to speculative and unproven health concerns. Despite the unwarranted negativity and misinformation surrounding e-cigarettes, the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has urged Health chiefs across the UK to adopt a less negative attitude towards the use of e-cigarettes and instead direct their focus towards the far more harmful habit of tobacco smoking. The RSPH has also suggested an educational campaign is required to help people better understand the difference between the addiction to nicotine and the inhaling of harmful chemicals and substances such as tar, arsenic and other cancer causing chemicals found in traditional cigarettes. Such an education would help dispel the myth that nicotine is as bad for you as tobacco and help people better understand that e-cigarettes better for public health.

The RSPH also says new “exclusion zones” should be setup which would ban smoking outside schools, pubs, bars, public squares and parks but e-cigarettes should be exempt from the ban. This comes after Wales recently barred smoking of e-cigarettes in pubs and other enclosed spaces.

The benefits of using of e-cigarettes as a behavioural and nicotine substitute is an attitude which has been embraced and adopted by the North East and in particular, Leicester, where behavioural support is being offered to people who are looking to quit smoking tobacco and use e-cigarettes to help them do so. Although other nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine gum are offered to people wanting to quit tobacco, e-cigarettes cannot yet be offered by smoking cessation services due to no e-cigarettes yet having a medical license.

The RSPH is also advocating for the licensing of all tobacco retailers. The RSPH would like all local authorities to be able to ban sales of tobacco products by any shop failing to comply with tobacco related legislation such as age restrictions and display restrictions. It would also like to see the compulsory selling of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRTs) such as nicotine gum and patches and to rename e-cigarettes to nicotine sticks or nicotine control products.

With over 6,000 public health professionals who are part of the RSPH charity, if the proposed policies were to become a reality, they would signal one of the largest shifts in the public perception and attitude towards e-cigarettes and nicotine ever seen in the UK.

The policies put forward by RSPH has also been positively received by the Charity Ash and the Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association have welcome the differentiation between nicotine and the more harmful chemicals found in tobacco and the proposals to help educate the general public and help clear up the confusion and misinformation which has surrounded the e-cigarette market as it has become increasingly become more drawn into the public eye and political discussions.

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By admin

The truth about Vaping and Health

July 23, 2015

Vaping – Is it Healthy ? Is Vaping healthier than smoking tobacco?

Simply put it’s a question of how you frame the debate. However lobbyists and organisations are campaigning harder than ever before to win public opinion in their favour that vaping is harmful and should be avoided. So we’re asking two simple questions: Is Vaping healthy, and is vaping healthier than smoking tobacco?

A simple conclusion to the two questions are No and Yes.

In reality you have to face it – smoking e cigs or Vaping is not going to make you healthy – but then again it would be illogical if it did, how would smoking anything make you healthier ?

The real key in answering the question is to ask how unhealthy is Vaping and who benefits from emphasising the misinformed fact that e cigarettes are not healthy?

Enter the Anti E-Cigarette lobbyists, anti e-cig lobbyists come in three main guises –

The e-cig health question becomes ever more contradictory to actual research

The vaping health question becomes ever more contradictory to actual research as lobbyists and organisations battle for public opinion

Health Lobbyists

Would it be too extreme to say – they just want everything banned?

Pharmaceutical Lobbyists

Would it be too paranoid to note that big Pharma is feeling the pinch as its (very profitable) smoking cessation products are taking a hit as people use e cigarettes? So could it be the case that they end up paying people to rubbish and demonise e cigarettes and vaping – so the health industry will continue to prescribe big Pharma’s very profitable products?

Tobacco Lobbyists

And while we are being paranoid – lets note that big Tobacco is feeling it in its pockets as well – so would it be beyond the imagination to see one or two of them to dip into their considerable and deep pockets to try and infer that e cigarettes is just as bad as smoking tobacco – so you may as well just stick with tobacco?

The key is the how to assess risk?

The reality is that virtually all studies show that e cigarettes and Vaping is considerably healthier than smoking – and that’s the real key. Study after study shows this.

Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos, a world renowned cardiologist and leading e-cigarette and vaping researcher has been conducting scientific studies on e-cigarettes since they first became popular back in 2007.
In his latest study published today, he found that “Vapers are not exposed to dangerous levels of aldehydes.” My reading of the evidence is that e-cigarettes are at least 95% safer than smoking. Smokers should be encouraged to switch to vaping.
The anti e cig lobbyists will flip this report and note that by inference e cigarettes are not healthy for you.

But let’s be e grown up’s and acknowledge this – but also let us emphasise that vaping is a lot healthier than tobacco.

What do you think about the climate of opinions on Vaping and health? Let us know below.

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By admin
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E-Cigarette Vapour as harmless as air

July 20, 2015

When taking up vaping, many people, including myself, ask if e-cigarettes are harmful – a sensible question to ask. After spending some time reading through articles, reports, opinions and advice from medical circles it became apparent that the most toxic element I would need to be concerned about in e-cigarettes was Nicotine and this was only toxic in large volumes, massively larger than the amount inhaled through e-cigarette vapour. Coming to the world of vaping as a smoker, it was clear that there were fewer health risks associated with vaping and that vaping instead of smoking would be extremely positive change in my lifestyle.

Despite the occasional ‘scare tactic’ article in the media about vaping, the prevailing wisdom in heath circles and in the general public is that vaping is by far a healthier alternative to smoking. To further add to the body of evidence which supports this claim, a recent study shows that e-cigarette vapour is almost as harmless as air, which even to the already convinced vapour, will come as a pleasant surprise.

The tobacco giant – British American Tobacco recently funded research which seems to suggest that e-cigarette vapour could be as safe as air. The study uses human lung cells and robotic smokers to investigate the health risks and effects of smoking cigarettes and e-cigarette vapour.

The research was a joined venture between British American Tobacco and MatTek Corporation, which produces models of human cells used in laboratory experiments. The experiment involved using a smoking robot designed to emulate the smoking / inhaling process of humans. The smoking robot was used to expose the model lung cells to cigarette smoke, e-cig vapour from two different brands and plain air.

When the cells were exposed to traditional cigarette smoke for six hours, the cells died – not a surprise. However, much more surprisingly, when the cells were exposed to an aggressive and continuous dose of e-cigarette vapour, the damage to the airway tissue was “similar to that of air”.

British American Tobacco plans to conduct further research and test a wider range and brand of e-cigarettes and e-liquids to further prove their findings.
The new findings have been welcomed by health professionals and those campaigning for healthier lifestyles. Health officials are being encouraged by such professionals to promote vaping to smokers in a bid to achieve a public health victory.

So, no doubt the debate on whether or not e-cigarette vapour is safe will continue, and despite the arguments, the science and research based argument continues to add to the ever growing body of evidence that e-cigarettes are not as harmful as some misleading opinions and thoughts on the subject suggest.

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By admin

What are Variable Voltage E-Cigs?

June 29, 2015

What do variable voltage e-cigs bring to the vaper?

Simply put – they give you more control on the amount of vapor (allowing you to increase or decrease) created by your tank. This in turn affects the throat hit you experience which is done by changing the amount of power (wattage) generated by your Tank.

Some people prefer to change the amount of vapor for different flavours.

Chocolate, tobacco, and coffee flavours are noted by some to taste better when exposed to more power, while fruit flavours such as apple, strawberry or peach often taste best with less power.

Some people simply prefer more vapor and the stronger throat hit at different times and like to change according to their mood or circumstances.

The downside of Variable Voltage E-Cigs is that the tank kits invariably cost a lot more than standard Starter Kits and can run into hundreds of pounds with some kits costing more than £200. However top end kits can cost a lot less – at Matchless there are two very high quality kits coming in at £70 for the VV1 kit and £60 for the VV2 kit.

Don’t however assume that Variable voltage kits will necessarily give you a better experience.

If you aren’t a heavy smoker, or if you smoke low tar cigarettes, you may find the amount of vapour production / throat hit of a variable voltage device too much at higher power levels and not to your liking.

If you have to turn a variable voltage e-cig down to 3.7 volts or lower ( the voltage of most standard kits ) to give you the vapour levels you prefer you would probably be best to stick with your standard kit.

In addition using variable voltage / wattage E-cigs is not necessarily straight forward (particularly if you are new to vaping). There is more to vaping than just simply pressing a button, and a lot of people underestimate how tricky using some devices can be.

For example, when using an E-cig at 5 volts + , an atomiser can give you a harsh / dry vapour with an unpleasant flavour if the heating coil in the tank is not kept wet.

The best results with the Variable Voltage units are generally achieved by the more experienced E-cig users.

Some of the geek speek relating to Variable Voltage E-Cigarettes you#ll come across are:

  • Volt – unit of electrical potential or motive force, potential is required to send one ampere of current through one ohm of resistance.
  • Ohm – unit of resistance, one ohm is the resistance offered to the passage of one ampere when impelled by one volt.
  • Ampere – units of current, one ampere is the current which one volt can send through a resistance of one ohm
  • Watt – unit of electrical energy or power, one watt is the product of one ampere and one volt – one ampere of current flowing under the force of one volt gives one watt of energy

Power (P) or (W), = Watts,
Voltage (V) or (E), = Volts,
Current or Amperage (I), = Amps (Amperes),
Resistance (R) = Ohms.

Power is usually abbreviated by (W) and measured in Watts. The formula generally given for Power is:
W = V x I or W = I2 x R or W = V2 / R.

Simply put – if you increase your voltage you increase your power. and the main feature of variable voltage e-cigs are the ability to adjust the power and therefore the strength

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By admin

Vaping and Vanity

June 25, 2015

While the Welsh Assembly debate on vaping in public places and reducing us to the same corners as tobacco – it does make you think: Send the vapers outside where the smokers are and then wonder if those trying to quit are converted back to smoking. It is an odd world!
You would think that vapers, and many do convert to vaping to quit smoking – would want to avoid any possible incentive back to their old habits.

Let’s stay positive this week and look at the benefits for your vanity of e-cigarettes . We explore the areas and reasons we think E-Cigarettes for women are a better alternative than traditional smoking.

That Stale Smoky Smell…

What is worse than the lingering smell of smoke? On your clothes, hair, breath and so on – the smell stays for days and actually thinking about it- I find the stale smell days later one of the most repulsive memories of my past smoking days! Vaping e-liquid will not cause your clothes, hair or breath to smell like an ashtray. You can actually choose an aroma such as Vanilla or Cherry which is far from off putting. The flavours will no doubt increase as your experience will allow.

Smoking stains your hands and hair…

Smoking tobacco will stain your fingers and your nails and worse still your teeth. But did you know smoking can also change the colour of your hair? especially in cases where you have coloured it beforehand. Ecigs contain nicotine so you’re addicted to the same drug as smoking but you don’t get the stains you would from cigarettes. That’s one less unpleasant side effect to worry about.

Better for your skin…

Smoking damages the skin – it makes it age. Collagen and elastin are damaged by smoking and this simply makes the skin looser and more wrinkly. It is the toxins in tobacco that does this and not the nicotine. Further, the toxins will cause your skin to fight back and this is visible by redness and inflammation. If you easily get red skin or have blood vessels near the skin, smoking will only inflame this more. As an alternative vaping does not contain the same damaging toxins as smoking- you still get the nicotine and have less to worry about your vanity.

Did you switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes? Tell us how it was for you by leaving a comment below.

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By admin

Will England follow Wales and ban Vaping in Public Places ?

June 18, 2015

Thankfully the latest news indicates that England will not be following suit and making E-cigarettes illegal.

The latest reporting by licensed industry experts by Publicans Morning Advertiser indicates this will not be the case.

They note that The Department of Health has confirmed to them that England would not follow on from the Welsh Government and pursue a potential ban on Vaping in Public places.

Is this a rare case of a Government taking a balanced and sensible approach to legislation in respect of Vaping? we at Matchless can only hope so and perhaps hope the same common sense approach is eventually adopted by the Welsh Government.

All within the Vaping community are a little flabbergasted by the approach and logic of the Welsh Government and neutral observers on the whole replicate that feeling, best emphasised by The Daily Telegraph comment “The Welsh ban on Vaping indoors makes no sense”

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), a charity that working to reduce and stop the damage caused by tobacco has also said it did not support the sort of ban proposed by the Welsh government.

The Welsh government’s argument is totally specious and runs along the lines – Vaping looks like smoking – we know smoking is bad – so Vaping must be bad – so let’s ban Vaping with no reference to fact or study.

You thus have law proposed and potentially implemented on ignorance and inaccurate supposition.

This leaves one in the rather bizarre position of mentally congratulating the “English” Government” for not being as totally illogical as the Welsh one.

I am sure the Welsh (and the Scottish) will point to many advantages of Devolution – I just wonder how many Welsh Vapers will rue this particular piece of legislation – if indeed it goes ahead.

If you happen to be a Welsh Vaper – perhaps you would like to make representation to your local Welsh Assembly Member and mention your disquiet at this potential piece of legislation.

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By admin

Will 2015 be the year for the vaping subculture?

May 6, 2015

The world is vaping changing

People are waking up to the dangers of regular smoking and responding with a more health-conscious product, electronic cigarettes. These new vaping devices are rapidly transforming the traditional smoking culture and creating a landscape of new and exciting products.
With a boom in vapers over the last decade has come an unbridled and innovative evolution of the electronic cigarette. These once humble devices now stand incorporating advanced and innovative technologies, owing their evolution to the growth in user demand and the rise of the vaping subculture.
According to recent studies, estimates show that there is a staggering 2.1 million ecig users in the UK and around 70% of these identify themselves as smokers who are using electronic cigarettes as a substitute to smoking. The statistics are quite loud – the world is vaping changing and it looks like electronic cigarettes are fast becoming a modern replacement for traditional cigarettes.

So why has vaping become a vaping subculture phenomena so quick?

One of the factors contributing to their success is that they are considered by many smokers as a healthier and safer alternative to smoking, and this has certainly been a catalyst in mediating their success and the growth of the vaping subculture. Vapers who are weaning themselves off the habit of smoking not only enjoy a less harmful habit but are spoiled with the enormous choices of flavours available including custom blends and an infinite array of combinations. The vaping devices have also progressed along the contours of innovation, no longer are they simple devices which mimik the design of a normal cigarette, but now they boast sleek designs combined with the technology and geek factor which has no doubt helped fueled their elevation.

As the vaping scene grew, the next generation of online companies keen to meet the needs of users began to pop up. Matchless was one of the stockist boasting an array of liquids and accessories. Several liquids are listed by the brand including fruits and the more conventional tobacco and mint. We here at Matchless continue to innovate and only very recently introduced our new touchscreen electronic cigarette devices.

Make way, the vaping subculture could be here to stay

Naturally, as vaping became a subculture, the vaping enthusiasts and vape geeks have collectively attracted the attention of millions of viewers on youtube with popular channels dedicated to reviewing vaping products and flavours, providing information and first hand experiences of new products. Scottish reviewers have even come across an Irn-Bru eliquid flavour, a testament to the notion that even the hardiest of fizzy drinks addicts can get their hit in a more quirky way.
It comes as no surprise that many people feel that the success of the electronic cigarette market and the rise of the vaping subculture is only a hint of what is yet to come. It’s difficult to pass this one off as a trend or fad bearing in mind that vaping is changing the nations attitude towards health. It is this more health conscious approach to enjoying a age old habit that has allowed electronic cigarettes to become increasingly popular, be welcomed by health professionals and the public in general and spawned an energetic and revolutionary vaping subculture.

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By admin

Quit Smoking by Vaping more

April 22, 2015

Have you been trying to quit smoking? There have been many techniques and products available to assist smokers in their determibned effort to kick the habit, some more effective than others. Now, the new trend of vaping has been shown by studies to be an effective method in helping smokers quit or cut down on their daily tobacco comsumption.

Recent studies have shown that vapers using tank type e-cigarettes are more likely to quit smoking cigarettes.
Tank e-cigarettes can be refilled with e-liquids as opposed to the original e-cigarettes (imitation type cigarettes) that also use cartridges.
The study showed that daily use with Tanks are more likely to help smokers quit. The more you vaped with tanks the more likely you will quit smoking rather than trying to quit with infrequent vaping.

The study conducted by Ann McNeill, a professor at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London concluded that for those wanting to quit smoking use e-cigarettes more frequently and actively try to stop smoking.

There were two studies done on around 1500 smokers in Britain in December 2012 and the subjects of the study were followed up one year later in 2013.

The first study found that of those who vaped daily with e-cigarettes 65% tried to quit smoking the following year whereas only 44% tried to quit that did not vape. Further, of the daily vapers 14% had cut down on their consumption of tobacco by at least 50% and of the non vapers it was a mere 6%.

The second study of 587 people using e-cigarettes, after a year, 24% of them used the tank models. Of The tank model vapers almost 1/3 had quit smoking. Of the e-cigarette vapers only 1/8 had managed to quit.

It is hard to draw a hard conclusion why Tanks perform better than e-cigarettes.  It could be that they are more economical than e-cigarettes and/or that the refillable nature means more control on choice and nicotine strength.

Linda Bauld, a professor of health policy at the University of Stirling added that the studies contributed to the growing literature on e-cigarettes. She concluded that what we do know is: the type of device, the frequency of use and how much nicotine it contains all contribute to quitting smoking.

Martin McKee, a professor of European public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, added that it appears vaping can seriously change the tobacco industry, however a precautionary approach by all health authorities is still justifed.

quit smoking – infographic

Checkout the infographic below which shows the findings of the study, illustrating the effectiveness of vaping to quit smoking and how e-cigs compare to tanks:

infographic showing effectiveness of ecigs vs tanks when quitting smoking

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By steffanr

Studies on E-liquids and Cartridges

April 21, 2015

Further studies into flavouring is required.

Studies on popular flavours such as bubble gum, cotton candy, chocolate and so on in the US by Portland State University in Oregon: found that the flavouring chemicals comprised anywhere from 1 to 4 percent of the e-cigarette liquids, equivalent to about 10 to 40 mg/mL. Of the 24 compounds used, 6 are aldehydes known to have respiratory irritants. If you vape all day on one of these flavours using e-cigarette cartridges or e-liquid, the exposure is above the safety guideline limit.
The flavours are originally based on consumption and your stomach is a different organs than your lungs. Further studies are required to investigate the effects of flavours with e-cigarettes.

The threat of formaldehydes

A study published into a study into the formaldehyde with e-cigarettes that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in January 2015: identified that the risk was significantly more with high voltage setting hardware.
So clearly it makes no sense to have high voltage hardware set to the highest setting.
Regulations are needed, know the ingredients
It is clear that tighter regulations are needed on the flavourings used in e-cigarette cartridges and e-liquids. Further studies are needed on inhaling as compared to edible flavourings. Clear labelling of ingredients and maybe limiting the amount of added flavouring, possibly reducing the flavourings such as Bubble Gum that appeals to the younger generation. E-liquids and e-cigarette cartridges should be made in EU with full traceability on all ingredients used.

What do we know so far

“We really have no idea about the potential health consequences yet,” said Dr. Avrum Spira, professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. He added “The prevailing wisdom is that they’re less harmful than cigarettes.”

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By steffanr

The Tobacco Products Directive

April 3, 2015

The EU Tobacco Products Directive is almost here and will change the way you vape

Until recently vapers and ecig smokers have been able to vape without worrying about irrational and unchallenged regulations foisted upon them.
This has allowed countless cigarette and tobacco smokers to substitute quite a harmful method of acquiring nicotine with a more healthier nicotine delivery method – namely electronic cigarettes. A revolution which has been welcomed by medical professionals and government officials.

However, this is all set to change with upcoming regulation across Europe, including UK which will enforce the revised Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). The TPD will class e-cigs and flavours as tobacco products.

The Tobacco Products Directive (TPD)

The EU Tobacco Products Directive was first put together in 2001 with the aim to reduce tobacco usage across Europe and in particular in younger generations. Since then the directive has introduced legislation for plain packaging, large and graphic health warnings along with tighter age restrictions.

ECigs and the Tobacco Products Directive

In a controversial move in 2014 – behind closed doors the decision was made to add electronic cigarettes to the list of Tobacco products to be regulated by the TPD. The move at the time repeatedly failed to attract enough support to revise the directive. Eventually however, the regulation of electronic cigarettes was bundled together with other regulations related to tobacco products (such as plain packaging) in a bid to get it enough votes to include ecigs in the directive.

The revised Tobacco Products Directive, in particular Article 20 proposes the regulation of ecigs as a Tobacco product and therefore introduce measures to regulate how ecig products are sold, advertised and presented.

Some of the new rules to be introduced are as follows

  • A maximum nicotine strength

    Until now ecig smokers and vapers have had the freedom to choose the strength of Nicotine in their e-liquids. If regulation passes,
    this freedom will soon become a historical privilege as new rules will prevent nicotine strengths greater than 20mg to be sold – as outlined in the Tobacco Products Directive .

  • ECigs must deliver a consistent dose of nicotine

    In practice this is almost impossible to implement, no current ecig device can deliver a consistent dose with each draw. The strength and duration of each draw varies and so will the nicotine concentration. Even tobacco cigarettes are not required to comply with this impractical and unworkable requirement!

  • Limits on maximum refill sizes

    Again, another requirement in the Tobacco Products Directive which defies sensibilities. For those who have exercised their freedoms to save a little money in the past by purchasing larger container or sizes of e-liquids, this new regulation will limit refill sizes to 10ml.

  • Maximum size of cartridges and tanks

    We’ve struggled to find a reason to support this, but this regulation will require all tanks and cartridges to be limited to 2ml. This spells a less than welcomed end to the use of larger tanks currently in use.

  • ECigs and refill containers must prevent leakage

    This one is open to interpretation. This legislation requires all ecigs and refill containers to implement technology which prevents leaking during refill. This is mostly controlled by the user and why a little leakage is such an issue remains unknown. In our view most ecig users are competent enough to be able to handle such minor incidences.

  • ECigs products may be prohibited based on the decision of a few

    It will only take the decision of 3 members states of the EU to decide if a product is a health risk and if it should be prohibited in all EU member states.

The Tobacco Products Directive rules above, along with more red tape regulations found in the directive will come to force in 2016.

Unless ECigs become a licensed medical product both the Ecig industry and ecig users will be hugely and negatively impacted by many of the unjustified regulations proposed in the Tobacco Products Directive.

How it will affect you

  • Larger refill containers over 10ml will be banned
  • variable voltage and watt devices may be banned as the TPD requires a consistent dose of nicotine to be delivered under normal use
  • Your choice to vape eliquids in higher strengths above 20mg will be banned
  • All refillable products may be banned as they cannot ensure leakage free refilling
  • Due to the additional red tape regulations requiring companies to provide detailed information about their eliquids along with some physically un-measurable components such as “addictiveness” will mean a far smaller choice of eliquids and flavours may be available to the consumer.

Final thoughts

Vapers making their voices heardAs tobacco users, we have reluctantly and self loathing fed our addiction to Nicotine with products that have damaging, well understood negative health effects. However, finally a substitute is now available for that smoker, with far fewer of the harmful and toxic chemicals of the traditional tobacco products. Smokers now have a way to continue to indulge in their nicotine addiction with a product that has been welcomed by most as a breath of fresh air.

New regulations are seeking to suppress the availability of these “superior to tobacco devices”, forcing many back into the dark and dangerous days of smoking traditional cigarettes. This will no doubt be a victory for cigarette and pharmaceutical companies. It will protect their income and revenue which they make from the smoking industry. Governments will continue to receive tax from tobacco sales, something which ecigs threaten in the short term and even greater in the future.

It’s not so difficult to see these regulations are not designed to protect the consumer nor does it have the health of the consumer as it’s central concern; but a means to implement regulations to ensure the continued revenue from cigarette products for the larger companies and governments which are seeking to protect their self interests and income.

Maybe some hope

One ecig company in the UK has recently won the right to challenge the directive in court, the outcome of which will be known soon. It’s a small hope when facing up against such large corporations so as a vaper you too can make your voice heard. The most effective way of making your voice heard is to write to your local MP letting them know your concerns over these new regulations.

References

Full details of article 20 in the Tobacco Products Directive can be read here.

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By steffanr