Federal government plans an absolute e-cigarette ban for young people

E-cigarettes are extremely popular among young people. The electronic glow stems can be filled with liquids in numerous flavors. With varieties such as vanilla, raspberry, chewing gum or caramel and flashy designs, the manufacturers appeal to young people in particular. That the e-cigarettes - with and without nicotine - but are harmful to health, evidence new studies. For this reason, Family Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) and Minister of Food Christian Schmidt (CSU) want to protect children and adolescents from selling the products.

Family Minister wants to make changes in the Youth Protection Act
The federal government plans a ban on e-cigarettes and e-shishas for young people and wants to close a loophole. Reason for the future change in the youth protection law are the health risks associated with the consumption of electronic glow stalks and water pipes. The ban was initiated by Family Minister Manuela Schwesig and Minister of Food Christian Schmidt - a push praised by child protection associations.

"These e-cigarettes and e-shisha, whether with nicotine or nicotine, are damaging to health, especially for children and adolescents, and that's why they are prohibited," the online edition of the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" quotes the family minister. According to recent studies, "even products without nicotine are harmful to health". Therefore, her ministry wants to "bring appropriate changes in the Youth Protection Act on the way". It is untenable "that children and adolescents could easily buy and consume e-cigarettes and e-shishas". The dangers of liquids should not be underestimated. "They taste like mango, chocolate or chewing gum - but what's being inhaled is anything but harmless", Schwesig continued.

Even nicotine-free e-cigarettes are harmful to your health
Food Minister Schmid also advocates a ban on electronic cigarettes and water pipes for young people. His department is responsible, among other things, for consumer health protection. The products, which are considered to be a substitute for tobacco consumption, are by no means harmless, Schmid told the newspaper. "By preventing the sale, we protect children and adolescents from the dangers of smoking." The Minister of Food is in favor of the equality of nicotine-containing with nicotine-free e-cigarettes in the context of consumer health protection. While nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and e-shishas pose a health risk to children and adolescents, evaluations of nicotine-free variants are now also available, for example from the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, the German Cancer Research Center and the Federal Center for Health Education. According to the investigations, vaporization of both variants would produce carbonyl compounds, such as formaldehyde, acrolein and acetaldehyde, which are associated with the development of cancer. The ultrafine particles that entered the lungs when consuming e-cigarettes would also be particularly damaging in the growth phase. Added to this is that "the steaming of the supposedly harmless e-cigarettes and water pipes could lead to switch to conventional tobacco-containing cigarettes," Schmid warns. (Ag)

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Picture credits: Dirk Kruse