Italy to open up to e-smoking?

[Mamba]

Originally Posted by Ruyan

How come the tobacco lobby is so strong in Iceland? Any government using the argument "it's a medication because it contains nicotine" should be sued for selling normal cigarettes over the counter! And any government permitting the sales of normal cigarettes should permit the electronic CIGARETTE, since that's what it is it is a CIGARETTE. So, it should actually be treated as a normal cigarette! that's my thinking...

Logical thinking, but I wouldn't use this argument in the U.S. If the electronic cigarette was recognized as a cigarette then it would be subject to all the rules and taxation of cigarettes. The vapor would then have to be tested to list tar and nicotine levels, etc. As much as I want to see the e-cig succeed I agree with TropicalBob that the e-cig in the U.S. is probably just going to be banned eventually.

Originally Posted by Ruyan

Anyway: Killer cigarettes are legal and can be sold and bought anywhere, at least in europe, the e-cigarette not.

I'm just trying to understand the logic behind it

The cigarette has a historical record, the e-cig does not. Cigarettes may kill but I have seen many smokers who defeated the statistical odds and died of something else entirely. The logic behind it is that e-cigs are unregulated devices using an inhalation delivery method with no proven record of safety. I personally happen to agree that the e-cig is probably safer than a cigarette if the contents are as stated and pharmaceutical grade. But anyone with a bit of money can market an e-cig now and apparently sell whatever they want in their cartridges. I have seen no certified statements of quality of cartridge ingredients. Let's not even go into the material the cartridge is made of.

Considering the current situation and being a light smoker I'd rather take the small risk of cancer and other health effects from rolling my own tobacco cigarettes than the unknown effects of sucking down prodigious amounts of propylene glycol. Propylene glycol which apparently isn't even certified to be pharmaceutical grade by the manufacturers which sell these products. The novelty of the e-cig will fade quickly and people will want more information to make informed decisions. The government agencies won't be far behind.

That does also bring up the point that the way I understand it propylene glycol is only GRAS in the U.S. in food (inhalation is not specified) if it's USP (United States Pharmacopeia) quality. I see many e-cig sites casually imply that their propylene glycol is GRAS. Are they certifying then that it is USP? If it is not USP then expect the FTC to eventually get involved. The way many e-cig sites read (e.g. "less harmful than regular cigarettes", "emits a harmless vapor". etc.) I would expect FTC involvement at some point anyway.

[TropicalBob]

What's the Italy verdict?

[Ludo]

No news from Italy, but when the news arrives I will post it here of course.

[TropicalBob]

I really have my fingers crossed for you. A lot rides on this. A poster in another thread said her country (unspecified) has ruled that only no-nicotine units or cartridges can be sold. If a nicotine cartridge or liquid is used, it's a medicine and requires years of study.

If Italy approves only "no nicotine," then we addicts are in deep doo-doo!

[TheEmperorOfIceCream]

Good luck Ludo

[Tee Cee Trade Nld]

italy has allready since last year 2007 a e-cigarette supplier. They have been in tv too. I think there is no real decision from the goverment for now....