Bahraini government clueless as to the difference between cigs and e-cigs

[dc2k08]

Trade Arabia - Middle East business information | Trade news portal
got this news story today.

Customs in Bahrain refused entry of a consignment of e-cigs as they were described as smoking cessation devices. the bahraini health minister has ruled that these devices are no less harmful than actual cigarettes and described the claim that they help smokers quit as absurd

apparently:
'The World Health Organisation (WHO) has certified these devices as being the same as cigarettes and equally harmful to an individual’s health'

’The import of such devices can be allowed only if the packets they are in carry a health warning that goes with any packet of cigarettes.'


anyone in contact or heard of WHO much? sounds like they havent much heard of Dr.L's research. I can see now why some of the big names in e-cigs have been trying to label themselves differently

[TropicalBob]

Anyone who wants e-cigarettes banned in an eyeblink, just advertise them as smoking cessation devices.

This story contains most of the (mis)information that will be used to ban e-cigarettes in many countries. The only things missing are arguments that e-cigs will addict a new generation of young people, and that the liquid is highly poisonous.

WHO is the World Health Organization. It was recently given a small fortune by Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg to fight cigarette smoking around the world. WHO will need to be won over by e-smoking proponents if this practice has any hope of being approved by many governments.

The work of Dr. Laugesen in New Zealand is critical here. He has the ear of WHO and if anyone can bring about understanding and acceptance of e-smoking, he's the man.

[dc2k08]

thanks for the info bob, i think i'll shoot some e-mails off to WHO and see what i can find out about where they gleaned their egregious information from and what can be done to put the record straight. does anyone have a clinical definition of a "smoking cessation device". can a smoking cessation device not contain nicotene?

WHO are mantaining that e-cigs are as dangerous as real cigarettes and are catorgorizing them as a tobacco product which is far far from the truth. i wonder if they have a vested interest in maligning e-cigs on account of their connection to big pharm.

I have managed to give up tobacco for the longest period in my life effortlessly all thanks to e-cigs and i plan on cutting down on my nic intake gradually until i will only smoke 0 nic carts/pg+flavour. this is a far superior method than any nicotene gum, patch or inhaler out there.

as a result of bill gates' desire to amass great quantities of wealth he has stepped all over and ruined the computer industry and now his philanthropic pursuits seek to destroy the greatest invention to happen for smokers the world over. i will not stand by and let him or his cronies walk all over my cessation party.

[Rorschach]

DC, I have my doubts as to whether Bloomberg and Gates could be help personally responsible for the WHO's actions. They're benefactors (two of many), not directors. Nor do I agree that he destroyed the computer industry; however, I'm not saying I like all of his products either. I'm both a Mac and PC user and I'm not satisfied with either product. (sorry for that digression)

That being said, I think part of the article that makes me the most angry is this:

"Dr Halwachi said another point of concern was that the devices could be used by drug addicts, who can replace the nicotine with other substances."

That assertion is absurd. Any illegal drug that people would want to put in e-cigs would have to be converted into an e-liquid-type form in order to be of any use. I guess you could do it to pure MDMA, and maybe the big H, but come on...that's so lame. To think that a drug addict would go through the effort to do that when there are already so many other methods of delivery is an exercise in stupidity.

I mean, that same argument would mean that spoons and syringes need to be outlawed.

[leaford]

Ban the Spoon! Spoooonnnn!!!!

[dc2k08]

no i dont think they are personally responsible, but they do fund WHO and have personally decided to take on tobacco. as for destroying the computer industry, well without microsoft who go around stealing ideas, make things difficult and resort to bully-boy tactics, software would be cheaper and easier to develop and the price we pay would be lower. and now they are having their wicked way with the one laptop per child program.

I cant see a better way for developing nations' children to learn about computers than by using linux. but it's a threat Microsoft can't let stand: the entire third world learning Linux as children, and growing up to use it.
Why Microsoft Must Control One Laptop Per Child

[Rorschach]

Very good point dc. Unfortunately as with most things in life, we are powerless.

Have you guys seen the Mojave experiment? pretty horrible viral campaign. I measure companies mostly by their ads hehe.

Sorry to get off topic!

[dc2k08]

also i have since sent out a ream of mail to various members of WHO asking for clarification on their stance concerning e-cigs. not one response. how can they cajole the bahraini government into classifying EC's as tobacco and not release a report nor mention the deivces on their site?

[Ruby]

Dc I know nothing about computers but what you wrote about linux made me smile - are you sure you are not my husbands twin?

Good on you for writing to the WHO. I have the ****est feeling that the powers that be everywhere will try to smash this into the ground as fast as they can. Make no error vested interests are lurking everywhere.

If we lie down and take it we'll all be back where we started...

I've only been doing this for 1 day and I have real hope I can quit down the line after trying everything else without success.

We are not affecting anyone else...in fact we affect others even less than alcohol users as no one needs to put up with our drunken behaviour for example. In fact we are doing our families a great favour by using these devices.

It was great to experience my kids reactions to it today. They were really pleased I was doing this bless em, both for my health and the fact their environment is almost (still had 3 cigs today) smoke free!

So if there is a fight to be undertaken I'll be out there kicking as hard as I can.
When they banned cigs from places I took it lying down. Not this time.