Israeli Bans E-cigs------Health Ministry institutes complete ban on e-cigarettes following recent FDA press conference

[testerjtester]

Health Ministry Bans Electronic Cigarettes - Health - Israel News - Israel National News

I can't describe how angry this makes me. As if it wasn't enough that the FDA is working to eradicate e-cigarettes in our country, health officials from another country have now decided to take their cue from the FDA.

The article at least implies a direct connection between the ban and the FDA's announcement:

"E-cigarettes were previously approved the by ministry as medical devices to help people stop smoking. However, the ministry told importers to submit documentation proving the devices were safe for public use. The documentation required was to include an expert opinion from an Israeli toxicologist stating that all components of the product were safe to inhale and smoke.

U.S. research has found that the products are not safe at all."

The ban affects all e-cigarettes and liquid:

"The Israeli Health Ministry decision, which came out Tuesday, covers both the import and sale of the product, including those that are marketed as nicotine-free."

Israelis are now not able even to use devices that had previously been legally imported into the country.

I'll avoid further editorialization (because it would only come out as a bitter rant at this point) and let the article speak for itself...

Tim

 

[Sun Vaporer]

Well, another Country bits the dust and expect more to follow suit. Many Countries look to the United States FDA to set the standard of the saftey of many products wheather or not the FDA is right or even conclusive.

The fallout of the FDA's recent actions will be far reaching indeed.


Sun

 

[TropicalBob]

the ministry told importers to submit documentation proving the devices were safe for public use

And did they? No. Regulators won't accept assumptions about safety and efficacy. Either a manufacturer of a drug product, like e-cigs and e-liquid, meets regulatory requirements or the product will be branded illegal.

Stop blaming governments and start pointing fingers at the manufacturers who chose to take our money and ignore requirements. Yeh, I'm mad. But not at Israel or Canada or Mexico or Australia or Hong Kong or ...

 

[J.R.]

Bob's right. If these manufacturers want to have a future, they need to start stepping up and doing their part.

 

[harmony gardens]

Yes, Bob is right. I want ecigs to succeed so much,,,, but I don't want to defend the industry if they are trying to fool the public.

Then again,,, it's POSSIBLE that the FDA is making a mountain out of a mole hill in warning against trace elements. 100% safey isn't a realistic standard to hold ecigs to, if people are using them to replace cigarettes.

I'm getting a sore neck trying to look at both sides. At the end of the day,,, we want common sence. Common sence tells me, when you have a new technology that can save lives, they should work out something that allows them to flurish.

 

[Stubby]

Yes, Bob is right. I want ecigs to succeed so much,,,, but I don't want to defend the industry if they are trying to fool the public.

Then again,,, it's POSSIBLE that the FDA is making a mountain out of a mole hill in warning against trace elements. 100% safey isn't a realistic standard to hold ecigs to, if people are using them to replace cigarettes.

Looking at it from the point of view of the FDA they are in a tough spot, even if some within the FDA see great potential in e-cigs. There is the screaming loud anti-nicotine/tobacco groups that have to be sedated. They just got there law passed, now they want some results. I'm afraid e-cigs are the sacrificial lamb.

The FDA is making a mountain out of a mole hill but the e-cig industry just made it way to easy to be the target. They pushed it on the market with minimal testing. We are the Guinea pigs.

There was no way that a product like e-cigs was not going to meet resistance. The manufactures and distributors were completely unprepared.

 

[ubiratamuniz]

Brazilian health authorities did the same.

 

[vjnnc]

Canada banned them earlier this year - I still don't understand this, not one bit. Continue to sell real cigarettes - but ban a relatively harmless alternative. Just makes no sense.

 

[el lobo furtivo]

We are the Guinea pigs.

But we are happy, healthier Guinea pigs....

 

[happily]

all very good points but the bottom line is the bas tards are still selling cigarettes..........so all in all EVERYBODY is going about this wrong

 

[BigJimW]

Yup, another nation to fall and kiss the ... of the United States instead of thinking for themselves and maybe actually TEST these things on their own and ban them on INDEPENDENT STUDY!

Maybe Israeli should take a cue from New Zealand and actually do some TESTS instead of being United States suckups and follow suit with no study.

I remember Reagan once called the Soviet Union the "Evil Empire" and once the USSR was accused of plotting "world domination". Look who's trying to "dominate" the world now.

Fortunately for the world, the USA will be long since broke and disbanded before the US can dominate the world.

I love my country, but I hate where it is heading. And for whatever happens, only those people who sat in voluntary ignorance will wonder why.

 

[TropicalBob]

I do not see it that way at all, Jim. Not at all. All of the prior bans came well before the U.S. made any statement or took any action. You've just insulted Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Hong Kong...

Look, in your terms, this is like being pulled over in your car. The enforcement officer says "driver's license and proof of insurance." You say "I paid for this stinking car and my taxes pay your salary and paid for this highway. Hey, I'm so rich I'm self-insured. I don't need your stinkin' rules. I do as I damn well please."

Guess what will happen next?

There are regulations we all must follow. Failure to do so results in legal troubles. E-Cig makers had no license, no proof of insurance against product liability, and ignored calls to submit the products for approval after testing. They will pay for that arrogance.

Listen, free speech: You can down beat the U.S. all you want. But I won't join you in that chant.

 

[BigJimW]

I do not see it that way at all, Jim. Not at all. All of the prior bans came well before the U.S. made any statement or took any action. You've just insulted Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Hong Kong...

Look, in your terms, this is like being pulled over in your car. The enforcement officer says "driver's license and proof of insurance." You say "I paid for this stinking car and my taxes pay your salary and paid for this highway. Hey, I'm so rich I'm self-insured. I don't need your stinkin' rules. I do as I damn well please."

Guess what will happen next?

There are regulations we all must follow. Failure to do so results in legal troubles. E-Cig makers had no license, no proof of insurance against product liability, and ignored calls to submit the products for approval after testing. They will pay for that arrogance.

Listen, free speech: You can down beat the U.S. all you want. But I won't join you in that chant.

Oh, I'm not disagreeing with you Bob. Sure the manufacturers have a duty to report them as safe. BUT, New Zealand was the ONLY country to run a toxicology study on them and came out with a very different report. But does the world listen to New Zealand? Not the last time I heard. It listens to the United States, the huge arrogant nation that walked on the Moon and is now walking on the people of the Earth regarding electronic cigarettes.

Bans before the US proclamation was nothing more than lost revenue than about public health. That was pretty much expected. Now they're just happening because the FDA says they are no good.

Isreali originally gave them the green light. But quickly banned them because of what pappa FDA had to say. I'm waiting for the UK to follow suit.

The world... Several Countries, One Mind

It shudders the imagination.


And since I supposedly insulted Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Hong Kong, maybe we can all hang out in the White House over a beer. As I have friends that live in every one of those countries, they will laugh and tell me how true it is.

Unlike Oboma, I choose my words carefully.

My next project, INSULT THE PLANET!

That should be a great undertaking. LOL

 

[Porphy]

I think BigJim and TropicalBob have good points in their own rights. On that note, I'll go off on my own tangent.

First off to think that the U.S. does not influence the global community in a major way just isn't a reality you see when you live in other parts of the world. We're everywhere and countries and leaders DO look to us to make the first move since their populations are virtually plugged into our media and crave our lifestyles.

In this case I don't believe they followed our example but to think that some U.S. influence wasn't present in the decision is hardy thinking.

On the other side they did "tell" suppliers to turn in documentation on safety. When I think of this situation though I reflect on a certain excerpt from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy where Dent is told that he was "properly informed" by the notice that resides in basement of city hall open to the public from 8am to noon every weekday. (or something to that effect)

Were the suppliers contacted or was a notice posted on some anomalous website or nailed to a post? We don't know and probably never will.

Asking for the separate governing bodies to do the tests themselves is also hardy thinking. These governments are making money off of established trade already present. It's not in their interest to have an interest until a supplier/company proves otherwise. It is the responsibility of a supplier to meet the requirements of a government. In fact the fact that companies and suppliers didn't provide lab tests, safety tests, and usage reports from the outset is very suspicious.

The U.S. isn't a demonic organization. A government (especially a democracy) acts and reacts in a fashion derived from its populace, not the other way around. So if you think the government is going down the wrong road you have to look at the people. Anyway this line of thought is straying down the path of socio-structuring and off the topic.

I've lived in the middle east. I fought there in the military and later taught there as an ESL teacher. They are influenced in some part by the U.S. (more so in some fashions and less in others) but their governmental practices do not maintain the level of checks and balances ours do. The fact that e-cigarettes weren't banned as soon as the FDA report was made proves this.

There's a middle ground to all of these arguments that everyone seems to be dancing over but not embracing.

 

[PTJD]

OK, for the Israeli government, was there 4 month ago without problems vaping all over Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem, very disappointed in your decision.
Will be back soon and I will have my KB and JS with me, and yes still alive!

 

[Porphy]

My next project, INSULT THE PLANET!

It has a bunch of little creatures crawling all over it causing huge sores and emitting noxious fumes. I think it gets enough grief when it goes to the planetary cookoffs and Jupiter and Saturn bully it into a corner.

 

[Vapinginmyboots]

Yes, Bob is right. I want ecigs to succeed so much,,,, but I don't want to defend the industry if they are trying to fool the public.

Then again,,, it's POSSIBLE that the FDA is making a mountain out of a mole hill in warning against trace elements. 100% safey isn't a realistic standard to hold ecigs to, if people are using them to replace cigarettes.

I'm getting a sore neck trying to look at both sides. At the end of the day,,, we want common sence. Common sence tells me, when you have a new technology that can save lives, they should work out something that allows them to flurish.

Common sense does not exist in government. We cannot rely on, or hope for, or try to inject, this great concept called common sense into the workings of our government. Just wont happen. This would be a losing battle for us vapers. I just dont know what can be done to avoid a ban in the US even though good people like us use common sense as much as possible in our lives. Government says they found harmful things in our e-cigs, its black and white to them based on that. Voices being heard such as ours, I dont know if there are enough of us out there to do that, but enough of them would work if they listen to us. What makes "sense" to them doesnt always make sense to us, because of their lack of common sense.

 

[Kate51]

I couldn't even finish reading it Tester, it is just too much. Ban Cigarettes TOO! We have a lot more work to do. Write Write Write Write Write Write Write Write Write Write Write Write

 

[harmony gardens]

Common sense does not exist in government. We cannot rely on, or hope for, or try to inject, this great concept called common sense into the workings of our government. Just wont happen. This would be a losing battle for us vapers. I just dont know what can be done to avoid a ban in the US even though good people like us use common sense as much as possible in our lives. Government says they found harmful things in our e-cigs, its black and white to them based on that. Voices being heard such as ours, I dont know if there are enough of us out there to do that, but enough of them would work if they listen to us. What makes "sense" to them doesnt always make sense to us, because of their lack of common sense.

No arguement from me there,,, but I'm kind of a dreamer, too. lol

Sigh,,, I'm too wrapped up in all this. I'm trying my best to be one of the voices, and extend my hand to everyone who's doing the same. We don't always agree on everything, but it's good to hang out with fellow travelers.

 

[robbiehatfield]

I do not see it that way at all, Jim. Not at all. All of the prior bans came well before the U.S. made any statement or took any action. You've just insulted Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Hong Kong...

Look, in your terms, this is like being pulled over in your car. The enforcement officer says "driver's license and proof of insurance." You say "I paid for this stinking car and my taxes pay your salary and paid for this highway. Hey, I'm so rich I'm self-insured. I don't need your stinkin' rules. I do as I damn well please."

Guess what will happen next?

There are regulations we all must follow. Failure to do so results in legal troubles. E-Cig makers had no license, no proof of insurance against product liability, and ignored calls to submit the products for approval after testing. They will pay for that arrogance.

Listen, free speech: You can down beat the U.S. all you want. But I won't join you in that chant.

Okay, but don't forget Bob that the FDA is doing nothing to ban the sale of cigarettes and these are known killers. They've also not done a 1 to 1 test of a regular cigarette against an ecig either. Why do you suppose that is?

Robbie