The Uk and legislation on Ecigs

[zebbydog]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this. But today in the UK the results of the consultation on ecigs has been published. This makes interesting reading (especially from some of the eminent medical institutions) and maybe of use to the vaping community in the USA. At least there seems to be a glimmer of common sense starting to emerge.

MLXs: Medicines consultation letters : MHRA

**EDIT BY SMOKEYJOE**

It's perfectly fine to discuss this in this thread, but there is also another thread in the 'News' forum where Katherine of ECITA (who has been directly involved in the consultation process on behalf of UK e-cig suppliers) is posting:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ts-decision-option-3-do-nothing-new-post.html

 

[pfaber11]

What does all this mean. What is going to happen? Anybody

 

[zebbydog]

What does all this mean. What is going to happen? Anybody

It means that in the UK ecigs and juice are going to be regulated and will have to be of a certain standard. But consultations will take place on what these standards should be then vendors/manufacturers will have 18 months to meet these standards and then the products will be licensed for sale. Unlicensed products would not be allowed for sale. Interesting to note that one of the opposition that wanted Option One, ie regulate and ban the products within 21 days was IMPERIAL TOBACCO.

 

[mccawley]

Wow... that's good and bad.

Good that there will be a standard that products will have to maintain,. and bad that it will restrict the sales to major resellers. Might cause prices to rise.

 

[Mickyvap]

It is my guess is that the UK government wants to regulate e-cigs so that they can impose the same high taxes that they do on regular cigarettes.

The UK spend $4 billion per year treating people with smoke related diseases, such as cancer. However they make $18 billion per year in taxes from the sale of regular cigarettes, which makes them a $14 billion profit.

 

[zebbydog]

It is my guess is that the UK government wants to regulate e-cigs so that they can impose the same high taxes that they do on regular cigarettes.

The UK spend $4 billion per year treating people with smoke related diseases, such as cancer. However they make $18 billion per year in taxes from the sale of regular cigarettes, which makes them a $14 billion profit.

Without a doubt we will pay more. But they dont have to regulate to tax, they can do this on any budget day as and when they please. But when the Royal college of Surgeons and The British Medical Associtaion come out and say in print that a ban on ecigs would result in thousands of vapers returning to smoking and oppose a ban in favour of regulation, that is a massive and major victory for vapers.

 

[mccawley]

Yeah, since the juice is the product that has the NIC, I imagine within a few years a 10ml bottle of juice will have $3.00 - $5.00 tax on it.

Less cigarette sells means less money in cigarette tax. And if you regulate the e-cigarettes, where will that tax money come from? You cant tax a battery or atomizer! and the juice is what has the Nicotine. I see underground NIC extraction labs surfacing in the near future.

 

[banjo]

Thanks for the post & the links - interesting reading.

 

[pmos69]

This should only affect nicotine containing e-liquid and pre-filled cartriges/cartos/whatever, no?

 

[Bootsand]

Yet another reason to stock up on DIY supplies for as long of a time as possible.

Great news that they are regulating and not banning, this will have quality on the rise, but it will make taxing much easier.

 

[rolygate]

What this is about is that the UK equivalent of the FDA tried to ban e-cigarettes, by forcing them to be licensed, which would mean that 99.9% of products would be removed from the market. But the UK government changed, and the new one is less interested in regulating everything.

As a face-saver the agency says they'll research them for 18 months then decide again. There is little chance of that succeeding because one of the facts that made it unlikely the regulation bid would succeed is that there is no medical evidence that e-cigarettes can cause harm, and neither will there be in another 18 months (the opposite, of course).

The status quo should continue - unless the EU has made a decision one way or the other by that time as UK law is subservient to EU law (the EU being a federal state now).