Letter from the Danish Medicines Agency

[bjarkekr]

I just wrote to the Danish Medicines Agency to enquire if it was legal to sell the e-cigs in Denmark and got this reply:

Dear Bjarke

Thanks for your mail


I can tell you that elektronic cigarettes is not aproved as a medicine in Denmark and they cant be sold as one in this country. It is not legal to buy the product from another country and import it into Denmark.


the Danish Medicines Agency is investigating the possibilities for aproval of electronic cigarettes as a medicine in the future.


I hope the answer is to your satisfaction. If not or if you have any further questions please contact us again.



Translated from danish by me.

I answered that I wasnt at all interrested in selling or buying it as medicine but rather as a normal consumer product like normal cigarettes. No answer from that yet.

[Kate]

The authorities might not approve of tobacco products or medicinal use but if Snus and snuff are allowed to be used in Denmark you could try comparing with them for approval.

Are you sure you are asking the right department? It will be a while before esmoking will be ready for approval as a medicine.

[bjarkekr]

The reason I ask THAT department is because they are closing down selling ads in the biggest online auction in Denmark. Same as ebay, just for danes.

[Kate]

If the ads they are closing down sell 'smoking cessation devices' then it's because esmoking has not been proven to be a smoking cessation therapy and those ads were misleading. That is a medical issue.

If esmoking devices and juice are sold in line with the guidelines (whatever they are) for Snus and snuff they might be allowed. They probably won't be allowed under the same laws as cigarettes though, as far as I know, no new smoking products are allowed. They are trying to phase them out.

It's difficult to know which department would be appropriate for proper regulation of esmoking. As you've shown, they certainly will not qualify as medical devices yet.

[bjarkekr]

Well, I havent seen the ads that were closed but I have talked to a guy who sold them and I dont think he sold it as a cessation device.

I also pointed out in my answer to their answer that I would be interrested in selling it as a medical device. We will see what their reply will be.

[clavit]

Interesting stuff!
By the way: snus and snuff are not legal for sale in Denmark. Thats across the border in Sweden!
Im hoping e-cigs will not be classified as a medical device for smoking cessation. After approval and regulation we can be sure that the next step will be taxation!!

[smoking gnu]

I would settle for taxation over a ban any day of the week.

[Kate]

Yeah, me too. With taxation comes regulation and security, I don't mind paying for that.

[dc2k08]

i dont see how they could ban an electronic cigarette that contains no liquid. just like the can't ban bongs, glass pipes, vaporizers etc etc. likewise i dont see how they can ban e-liquid without also banning insecticide which contains nicotene. perhaps a seller just has to label that the e-liquid as not being meant for consumption. there's a dozen loopholes to any any ban they try to invoke.

[smoking gnu]

Your absolutely right they cant ban e cigs but they could ban the nicotine juice. I suppose we could all have 0mg nicotine juice and wear nrt patches LOL actually that’s what I’ll be doing if it comes to that LOL LOL.I really want to know what I’m inhaling, and regulation is the only way to know for sure.