Dutch Health Minister won't ban 'harmless' shisha pen fake cigarettes

[Bill Godshall]

Dutch Health Minister won't ban 'harmless' shisha pen fake cigarettes
DutchNews.nl - Health minister won't ban 'harmless' shisha pen fake cigarettes

Health minister Martin van Rijn has no plans to ban the sale of 'shisha pens', a mini water pipe which mimics the effect of smoking and which is popular among school children.

According to the public health institute RIVM, the vapour which users inhale from the electronic cigarettes is not dangerous to health. Therefore there is no reason to ban them, RTL news reports.

While the tubes do not contain nicotine or tobacco, they do contain glycerol and other chemicals which are inhaled and may irritate the lungs. For most users this results in a dry mouth and cough, the RIVM said.

For clarification, are "hookah pens" the same as e-cigarettes that contain no nicotine?

If the products are the same, or very similar, this is the first time a Health Minister from any country has publicly claimed that "electronic cigarettes is not dangerous to health", and "there is no reason to ban them."

This article is interesting (except the part saying the products are popular with school children" because the last Dutch Health Minister (a woman whose name I forget) banned e-cigarettes, and the Dutch courts struck down the Health Minister's action after TVECA filed a lawsuit.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Here's the Google translate of the RIVM article at
http://www.rivm.nl/Documenten_en_pu...en/2013/Droge_keel_en_hoesten_door_shisha_pen

Dry throat and cough by shisha-pen

Publication Date:
03-07-2013
Revision Date:
04-07-2013
Revision Date:
04-07-2013
Taking a puff of shisha pen creates in most people for a dry throat and cough. Effects after prolonged use on the basis of the available data can not be estimated. For this to be first investigated how consumers use the shisha pen exactly. This is evident from an analysis of the RIVM.

A pen is an electronic shisha hookah, in the form of a pen and available in all colors and flavors. A few weeks ago there was the fuss about shisha pen, because many young children would use as practice cigarette, the threshold for tobacco smoking which would lower the pen. To assess the possible risk mapping, the Ministry of Health asked the RIVM to analyze. The product of the pen

RIVM concluded on the basis of its own analysis and literature that when using the pen substances propylene glycol and glycerol are inhaled, leading to exposure of airways and lungs. A puff of shishapen is enough to irritate the respiratory tract (dry throat, cough). In rats that are exposed to propylene glycol long-term thickening of the airway epithelium and increase of the mucus production in the airways occurs. Whether this also occurs when consumers can not be estimated. Especially since it is still unknown whether and how consumers use the shisha pen long.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Here's the Google translate of the article at
Shisha-pen niet verboden | Volg het nieuws terwijl het gebeurt
and the picture on that webpage sure looks like e-cigarettes.

July 4, 2013 06:21

Shisha-pen not prohibited

The shisha-pen is not prohibited. The vapors from the small electronic hookah is not harmful to health, according to research by the National Institute for Public Health and Environment. The shisha-pen is especially popular among children.

The nepsigaret is available in all colors and flavors. Left in the pen two substances: glycerol and propylene glycol. The latter substance is also in fake smoke in the disco. The substances irritate the respiratory tract - of taking a puff of shisha pen you get a dry throat and you cough - but are not harmful. Secretary of State Martin van Rijn is based on the RIVM study decided not to ban the pen.

Moreover, studies in rats have shown that prolonged exposure to propylene glycol leads to thickening of the airway epithelium, the "lining of the lungs, and causes extra mucus production. It is not known whether people respond the same in the longer term. This will require more research.

Or pen children turn to smoking real cigarettes, has not been studied. Many parents are afraid of it.

 

[AgentAnia]

I believe shisha pens and hookah pens are the same thing. From Wikipedia:

An electronic hookah, also called an e-hookah, e-shisha or a hookah pen is an electronic vaporizer which is closely related to the electronic cigarette. The device is meant to resemble smoking shisha. Electronic hookahs are often flavored and, unlike traditional hookah smoking, do not contain tar or smoke.[1] Electronic hookahs may contain a small amount of nicotine depending on the brand and the country in which the device is purchased.

I like that to the Dutch, "irritate the respiratory tract" is carefully defined as "dry throat, cough." Whereas in this country, the ANTZ would come up with the same "irritate the respiratory tract" but define it as "YOU ARE ALL DOOMED!."

I also like that while they do mention children (unfortunate), they are being eminently rational with the "save the children" approach.

 

[Scottmeier360]

wow...thats one for the win column haha

 

[2coils]

I believe shisha pens and hookah pens are the same thing. From Wikipedia:



I like that to the Dutch, "irritate the respiratory tract" is carefully defined as "dry throat, cough." Whereas in this country, the ANTZ would come up with the same "irritate the respiratory tract" but define it as "YOU ARE ALL DOOMED!."

I also like that while they do mention children (unfortunate), they are being eminently rational with the "save the children" approach.

TRUE!! The twist put on everything here makes me sick!

 

[2coils]

A silly thought occurred to me earlier......I wonder what the political reaction of e-cigs would have been if introduced and successful back in the 1980's before the world had fully gotten its grip on smokers. People were smoking everywhere....I wonder back then before smoking was de-normalized, if E-cigs may have been embraced instead of rejected???

 

[rolygate]

The e-shisha is an e-cigarette. It was renamed for web sale purposes because sites like Ebay and Amazon with EU-based versions banned ecigs, so another name was needed.

The most popular model is a penstyle with zero nic. I have heard that some with-nicotine models/refills are available but cannot confirm this. It is a apparently a craze with some kids but all we have to go on regarding this is the media version, which is unreliable at best. By next year it will have disappeared like all crazes, in any case. What happened to the Pet Rock or the Cabbage Patch Doll? Did they encourage hardcore geology and hydroponic doll cultivation? Probably not.

 

[Katdarling]

Would love to post a video on this, but I thought it best to send it to you first, Rolygate.

The video is pretty much a bird's eye view from a younger person identifying what he believes is the difference between the two devices.

His misinformation is massive.

If I find out it's ok to post it, I will.

 

[Katdarling]

Here ya go!

 

[Petrodus]

Several years ago ... when I first heard about e-cigs
and before I joined the ECF ...
I found the truth on YouTube.

 

[rolygate]

That must set some kind of record for the number of errors in a review, and the lack of any useful info such as what atty /system etc are used. A review by a person who doesn't know anything about anything - useful.

 

[Elnroth]

My head hurts.

That was eye opening to say the least. I forgot how ignorant people can be, and how unwilling to research they are. This an issue we need to address somehow. . .

Edit: this is in reference to the YouTube video

 

[Uma]

They get their kicks, get to see what all the fuss is about, practice blowing their vape ring, ... set it down and go on about life trying other "cool" looking things to try, whatever that "cool" atm maybe be. I like this. The most important key, is the fact that the kids recognize they prefer the real cookie over the vaped cookie, and that vape rings are boring once accomplished. They won't become addicted, because there is no nicotine. Win Win. I would trade my life to be able to start my curios life over, with one of these instead of with the incredibly addicting tobacco cigarette.