Ecigarettes: to ban or NOT to ban
It’s no secret that the electronic cigarette has its critics, but it also has its fair share of supporters and advocates. We take a closer look at what both sides are saying.
It has been reported in the press recently that many public bodies and even schools across the UK have taken the move to ban the use of electronic cigarettes on their premises, effectively treating them like normal cigarettes.
For schools it is a smart move. Electronic cigarettes are not intended to be used by anyone under 18 years of age. MagiCig does not sell its electronic cigarettes to anyone under 18 and similar can be said for other brands.
It stems from the lack of scientific evidence on the long term effects of electronic cigarettes. It has left some people wondering if they can be safe. Considering the electronic cigarette contains fewer chemicals than its original counterpart and that the regular cigarettes are responsible for causing a myriad of health problems which can be fatal to some, it’s very possible that future studies will ultimately reveal that electronic cigarette are indeed less harmful than normal cigarettes.
There are fears that e-cigarettes are glamorising smoking, but surveys have suggested that young people who use the devises are limited to those who smoke. It was revealed that electronic cigarette use amongst children is extremely rare. Only 1% of young people who did not smoke had tried an electronic cigarette once or twice. None said that they would continue to use them. Perhaps rather than appealing to young people, ecigarettes are not actually viewed as “cool” as thought by some.
ASH, the anti smoking lobbyists through surveys have found increased use of electronic cigarettes and that almost half of ex smokers are using the devices to quit. Although it’s not how the vendors advertise the products, it clearly has an effect on smokers. So ASH believe that Ecigarettes are a less harmful alternative to smoking and can help smokers cut down as long as they are properly regulated and marketed correctly to ensure safe use.
If it is the lack of regulation that causes worries, then this need not be a problem. In fact the majority of the industry is regulated, with all the relevant EU regulations adhered to. Furthermore most electronic cigarette vendors actually do not make the promise that the use of ecigs will help users quit regular cigarettes. MagiCig advertises the use of electronic cigarettes as an alternative to smoking. However there are vendors who do make claims of electronic cigarettes being an aid to quitting smoking, effecting making the ecig a medicinal product, but they do so without conforming to the stringent licensing and regulation that is required with medicinal products.
With proper regulation and education, the electronic cigarette can be a very useful alternative to smoking regular cigarettes.mor info in electronic cigarettes
