CHRISTOPHER SNOWDON Taking the pleasure out of e-cigarettes

[KulrMeStoopid]

The recent decision by the UK medicines and healthcare products regulatory agency (MHRA) to regulate electronic cigarettes as medicinal products is good news for manufacturers of real cigarettes and nicotine patches, but not so much for Britain’s growing number of e-cigarette users, now estimated to exceed one million. No one denies that e-cigarettes should meet basic standards of safety and quality, but there are enough consumer-protection laws in place already without forcing this patently non-medical product down the pharmaceutical route.


The MHRA’s justification for medicalising e-cigarettes is that most vapers (e-cigarette enthusiasts) use them to quit or reduce their smoking. ‘This’, the MHRA says, ‘is comparable to how nicotine replacement products (eg, gums, patches, inhalator), which are licensed as medicines, are used’. This is fallacious logic.

Pharmaceutical nicotine products are licensed medicines because pharmaceutical companies needed them to be viewed as such before they could be marketed as cessation aids and prescribed by doctors. There is no other precedent for medicalising products that might help people to quit smoking, whether they contain nicotine (eg, snuff) or are merely substitutes for a habit (eg, chewing gum). Medical approval was a commercial necessity for the pharmaceutical industry, but it is neither necessary nor appropriate for e-cigarettes. No one would expect skimmed milk and Special K to be licensed as medicines just because the anti-obesity drug Alli went down that route, although all of them can be used to help people lose weight.

Chris Snowdon is the author of The Art of Suppression: Pleasure, Panic and Prohibition Since 1800


http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/13718/#.UlFOTlAm6d6

 

[Tubbyengineer]

Copy of comment left on above article:

Bravo Sir,
A clear analysis of the situation, E-Cigarettes are indeed a recreational use of nicotine. It is an unintended benefit that after using them for a period of time very few people wish to return to the evil smelling burning of shredded leaves wrapped in paper.
No youngster who tried an E-Cigarette in say Vanilla Custard flavour (which is what I'm currently vaping) would wish to taste a real cigarette; so as you point out the "Gateway" argument is Falacious at best and at worst - downright scaremongering. I agree that E-Cigarettes should not be sold to minors, but to try and medicalise them is wrong and has been proven illegal in five EU member states including Germany. This continued attempt to bring medicnes regulation into the E-Cigarette market smacks of desperate lobbying by Tobacco and Pharma companies who can see huge profits dissapearing into the long grass whilst a consumer led and largely low taxed revolution of cheap and user friendly, less dangerous products takes the lead. This is scaring big tobacco companies, Pharma companies and governments as revenues from smoking and unsuccesful smoking cessation aids drop and their control over the market of the last great moneyspinner slips from their grasp.

I urge all our Euro MP's and those from other countries, before you vote on the EU Tobacco Products Directive, take a step back, have a close look at E-cigarettes and ask yourselves -
"Do they contain tobacco?", The answer is of course no!
"Are they intended to cure a disease?" The answer as above is no, they are recreational!
"Are they more dangerous than cigarettes?" Again no - and common sense should dictate that as they contain no tobacco with it's cocktail of 4000 plus chemicals ranging from unpleasant to highly toxic they are in fact much safer
"What will happen to the millions currently using E-cigarettes if the TPD causes them to be classed as medicines?" The answer is that as most companies will be unable to afford the
licensing costs E-cigarettes will virtually disappear and users will be left with a few uninspiring
and bland homogenous products and will end up returning to real cigarettes to the detriment
of their health.

So if you answered no to the first three questions and the thought of turning millions into smokers makes you uncomfortable the I urge you to vote against the TPD as it stands and ensure that E-Cigarretes remain free of medical regulation...

 

[anthonyb]

"and will end up returning to real cigarettes to the detriment of their health."

Not sure who to word it. But here goes.
One thing keeps getting overlooked or ignored in all this.
If and when the medical bit goes ahead, In what 2016 is it. There will be millions in this country alone using an e-cig of some sort. Most of which will not want to go back to smoking.
My point is, when fag prices shot up, so did the size of the black-market for them.
So the same will happen with e-cigs.
A huge black-market will develop, full of dodgy equipment, and not very safe juice. Just the same as counterfeit cigs etc.
Now you can confiscate tobacco cigs etc.
But how do you tackle an e-juice black-market, when you can buy most of the ingredients from your local shops.
Banning the nicotine won't help, as you can extract your own, with a little know how. You can get a fair bit from a kilo of spuds. Also available from your local shops.
I can see it now,
News Headline
"Police raid on nicotine lab"
Police raided a house in Northampton today, and recovered 200 ml of illegal nicotine. Two old men where arrested at the scene, and charged with vaping offences. Police also recovered several batteries, and five evods.
The two men both in their 60's, will appear before magistrates tomorrow. Both are charged with, illegal distilling of nicotine, illegal battery use, and being in possession evods.

 

[anthonyb]

"and will end up returning to real cigarettes to the detriment of their health."

Not sure who to word it. But here goes.
One thing keeps getting overlooked or ignored in all this.
If and when the medical bit goes ahead, In what 2016 is it. There will be millions in this country alone using an e-cig of some sort. Most of which will not want to go back to smoking.
My point is, when fag prices shot up, so did the size of the black-market for them.
So the same will happen with e-cigs.
A huge black-market will develop, full of dodgy equipment, and not very safe juice. Just the same as counterfeit cigs etc.
Now you can confiscate tobacco cigs etc.
But how do you tackle an e-juice black-market, when you can buy most of the ingredients from your local shops.
Banning the nicotine won't help, as you can extract your own, with a little know how. You can get a fair bit from a kilo of spuds. Also available from your local shops.
I can see it now,
News Headline
"Police raid on nicotine lab"
Police raided a house in Northampton today, and recovered 200 ml of illegal nicotine. Two old men where arrested at the scene, and charged with vaping offences. Police also recovered several batteries, and five evods.
The two men both in their 60's, will appear before magistrates tomorrow. Both are charged with, illegal distilling of nicotine, illegal battery use, and being in possession evods.

 

[Tubbyengineer]

"and will end up returning to real cigarettes to the detriment of their health."

Not sure who to word it. But here goes.
One thing keeps getting overlooked or ignored in all this.
If and when the medical bit goes ahead, In what 2016 is it. There will be millions in this country alone using an e-cig of some sort. Most of which will not want to go back to smoking.
My point is, when fag prices shot up, so did the size of the black-market for them.
So the same will happen with e-cigs.
A huge black-market will develop, full of dodgy equipment, and not very safe juice. Just the same as counterfeit cigs etc.
Now you can confiscate tobacco cigs etc.
But how do you tackle an e-juice black-market, when you can buy most of the ingredients from your local shops.
Banning the nicotine won't help, as you can extract your own, with a little know how. You can get a fair bit from a kilo of spuds. Also available from your local shops.
I can see it now,
News Headline
"Police raid on nicotine lab"
Police raided a house in Northampton today, and recovered 200 ml of illegal nicotine. Two old men where arrested at the scene, and charged with vaping offences. Police also recovered several batteries, and five evods.
The two men both in their 60's, will appear before magistrates tomorrow. Both are charged with, illegal distilling of nicotine, illegal battery use, and being in possession evods.

Yes I agree, but I couldn't exactly posit an illegal nicotine trade on a public comment without harming vaping as a cause...

 

[anthonyb]

"public comment without harming vaping as a cause... "

Sorry I fail to see the harm.
At present there is no black-market.
There may be no need for a black-market, post 2016.

That is probably why there is never ever any mention of post 2016.
Accept about those who stand to lose or gain loads of money.
The pharma and tobacco companies taking over, the government taxing it to death.
The vendors and other small businesses that will go under.
But what about me and you, and all those like us. Who don't want to go back to smoking. What shall we do, sit and suck as usual, like we do every time they put the price of petrol up.
What I have posted above, is what will probably happen if they get there way.
If e-cigs are treated as for what they are, consumer products, and regulated accordingly. A potential black-market would be pointless.

 

[Nidge]

Typical Government in the tobacco companies back pockets.


It's like the tanning injections which stop you from getting skin cancer by turning your skin brown meaning you no longer need to hit the sunbeds or sit out in the sun for long periods, the Government banned the use of them.