Nationwide ban on e-cigarettes?

E-cigarette threatens a total ban by lawmakers

16/01/2012

Perhaps the current sales boom of e-cigarettes threatens to come to an abrupt end. Some federal states have already banned trade and politicians are currently discussing a total ban.

The e-cigarette is touted by the manufacturers as a supposedly harmless alternative to tobacco smoking. However, the inhalation of the vapor from the e-cigarette brings in the opinion of experts such as Martina Pötschke-Langer from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) quite health risks. Due to health concerns, the first federal states have already stopped the sale and also on an international level, the e-cigarette is banned in many countries - including in their country of origin China.

E-cigarettes not safe for health
As a relatively new product, the e-cigarette has so far been little researched and unambiguous statements on health risks are hard to come by. A significant influence here is the composition of the so-called Liquide, which are evaporated in the e-cigarette. Although evaporation tends to provide health benefits over the combustion processes in regular cigarettes, what matters is which substances in the miniature equipment are vaporized with the battery and electric nebulizer. Reliable health risk assessments are currently not possible due to the largely unknown composition of liquids and the lack of studies on damage and side effects. But the evidence of significant health consequences of e-cigarettes are condensing and so sees the policy to action requested. „Consumers should be able to rely on the fact that a product is harmless to health - and this is in no way given with the e-cigarette“, emphasized the DKFZ researcher Martina Pötschke-Langer.

Nationwide ban on e-cigarettes?
In the opinion of Pötschke-Langer must „You can learn from the mistakes of the past with this new product, which is pushing so massively on the market.“ The expert stressed that too „the normal cigarette would never have been (were) allowed if we had the knowledge today a hundred years ago.“ According to the DKFZ researcher, conventional cigarettes are in „caused millions of deaths in the last century“, which could have been avoided by an early ban. However, the policy on the electric cigarette is difficult with a uniform approach. While, for example, in Bavaria, the trade in nicotine-containing e-cigarettes has been prohibited since its introduction a few years ago, North Rhine-Westphalia decided in December 2011 for a ban. This month, a ban followed in Bremen, which in the opinion of Martina Pötschke-Langer suggests that there „something rolling“ has come. According to the expert, the countries are doing now „Thoughts on how to move forward together“, because consumer protection only works nationwide. If consumers can legally buy e-cigarettes in other states or via the Internet, a ban in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia or Bremen will bring little and the business boome on.

Consumption of the e-cigarette is not recommended
The Health Minister of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Barbara Steffens (Alliance 90 / The Green) also stressed: „What is currently on the market, everything is not approved and not tested.“ In the opinion of the Minister, some liquids contain nicotine so high that they could be classified as medicinal products. This would normally require supervision in accordance with the strict requirements of the Medicines Act in order to obtain marketing authorization. However, such control has not gone through any of the liquids. Thus, trade and sales in NRW are considered unlawful, explained the Minister of Health. The Federal Ministry of Health rated the ban in the most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia as an important step. However, health remains a matter of the state, which is why the federal government can not intervene, said a spokeswoman for the ministry. The Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), which is subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Health, nevertheless comes to a clear verdict. „The used cartridges often contain besides the narcotic nicotine also other harmful substances. Therefore, it is not recommended to consume the e-cigarette“, emphasized the BZgA.

Electric cigarettes prohibited in many countries
The DKFZ researcher Martina Pötschke-Langer also emphasized that the e-cigarette can be just as addictive as the conventional cigarette and the thesis that e-cigarettes facilitate the smoking cessation is not yet proven. In addition, the US Food and Drug Administration found in some concoctions toxic substances such as carcinogenic nitrosamines. Overall, Pötschke-Langer therefore comes to the assessment that the use of e-cigarettes is urgently advised against. It is not without reason that electric cigarettes are banned in Norway, Turkey, Switzerland and also in their country of origin China, where they were developed 15 years ago. Strict legal regulations are also imposed on e-cigarettes in Denmark, Canada and Austria. In view of the continuing discussion about the health risks of the e-cigarette, the EU Commission now wants to examine the health consequences more closely. Especially with regard to the concoctions that are evaporated in e-cigarettes, the authorities have considerable concerns. According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), it remains unclear whether there is any risk for the passive smokers „Passive Steamer“ consists.

More than one million users of the e-cigarette in Germany
According to manufacturers and dealers, around 1.2 million consumers in Germany currently use electric cigarettes. Promotional promises, such as those of the market leader Red Kiwi near Hamburg, provide a major incentive „the e-cigarette is the far less harmful alternative compared to the tobacco cigarette“ is. However, these statements are doubted by numerous physicians. Thus, the pulmonary specialists of the German Society of Pneumology, based on a study with 30 e-cigarette smokers, come to the conclusion that after only five minutes of inhalation, the respiratory tract was conspicuously frequently constricted. The reason for this is propylene glycol, which makes up 90 percent of the e-cigarette vapor and is also used industrially as antifreeze. The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) is currently working on the evaluation of individual e-cigarette products submitted by the federal states for review. One of these products was classified as a medicine by the BfArM, but has not been available on the German market anyway.

Further studies on the health risks of e-cigarettes necessary
The further handling of e-cigarettes will largely depend on the results of the investigation over the coming weeks and months, although the advantages over conventional cigarettes should not be overlooked. Thus, the smoke of a normal cigarette is a significant health risk for other people, which can be avoided or significantly reduced in e-cigarettes. Also, the smoke is not stuck in the clothes and the smell nuisance goes to zero. The pollutants which are produced when burning the tobacco in conventional cigarettes, such as tar, benzene, hydrocyanic acid, and formaldehyde can also be largely avoided. All these aspects should be taken into account in the legal classification of e-cigarettes, not only as a henchman to protect the tobacco industry from possible competition or to support their market power, but to develop an optimal solution in the interests of consumers. If the federal states agree on a blanket prohibition, then, logically, they would actually have to ban the sale of cigarettes or limit this to pharmacies. (Fp)

Also read:
E-cigarette Prohibition without consequences?
Hannover bans e-cigarette
Additives in tobacco more toxic than expected
E-Cigarette: Do not underestimate the health hazard
Electric cigarette is health risky
Electric cigarette harmless to health?
Electric cigarette with carcinogenic substances
E-cigarette less harmful than cigarettes?

Image: Viktor Mildenberger