Dr. Avnish Jolly, 9th October, 2008 :Since the smoking bans enforced in most of the countries, smokers have been forced to go outside to light up. The cigarettes use replaceable cartridges with shots of nicotine, but have become popular because they are not covered by the smoking ban. While the products do not contain tar, tobacco or carbon monoxide, experts are worried as users inhale a fine heated mist and there is a lack of regulation. Fears are being raised about the boom in sales in the UK and other neighboring Countries of so-called electronic cigarettes. Even these kinds of products are also available in developing countries through tourists. Few trendy people made it fashion and status symbol.
Companies selling the electronic cigarettes have responded by marketing them as a way of getting round the ban. In recent months they have reported a rise in sales with some selling over 1,000 of the £40 starter-packs a month. However, campaigners including the World Health Organisation, have raised concerns, pointing out there was a lack of knowledge about the products.
Douglas Bettcher, from World Health Organisation, said that there was a "regulatory blackhole" which meant no-one knew just what these products contain. "We are facing a new product and do not know what is in these cartridges besides nicotine. What are the effects of heating and vapourising the nicotine and inhaling it?"
Deborah Arnott, of anti-smoking group Ash, pointed out that many of the products were made in China where quality control was "not very good". "I think our concern is that we would really like smokers to use safer nicotine products but there is a regulatory gap. The advice is to use products that have been tried and tested such as nicotine gums and patches.
But Jason Cropper, Managing Director, Electronic Cigarette Company advocates that they are certainly healthier than smoking cigarettes. Tests have been done on mice and in the lab and they have shown they are not harmful. He also stressed that it had not been possible to carry out human trials as they were too expensive. Without testing its sale is very harmful for human race. E-waste is the big problem these days no one knows Electric Cigarettes can ruin the coming generation.
Most of these companies selling these products are small companies. It might be an idea if one can get someone money. In this situation Human Right Activists and NGOs plays vital role through advocacy to ban this product in their respective state at all levels.