By Eve Broadman
On 1st July 2007 all enclosed public spaces and workplaces were made smoke free by law in England. This followed a similar law which came into force in Scotland on 26 March 2006. Although opponents of the bill claimed that the law has been detrimental to many working men’s clubs and pubs which did not diversify into food, the law was generally well received with over seventy per cent of people thought to be in favour of the ban a year after it came into effect. Although the smoking ban has undoubtedly reduced the impact of inhaling second hand smoke, the percentage of adults who smoke remains resolutely consistent in most regions at just over twenty per cent according to a study conducted five years after the ban was implemented. Some regions such as the North East showed a big decline but others seemed unaffected after the ban. As politicians debate on how to further reduce smoking levels there has been a recent proliferation of stores selling e-cigarettes which fall outside the legislation for smoking.
What are e-cigarettes?
Anti Smoking Measures
The rise of e-cigarettes comes at a time when politicians are debating whether or not to follow the lead of countries such as Australia in introducing manadatory plain packaging for cigarettes. It is thought that branding and packaging is one of the key factors in the decision of people to continue smoking and that a less enticing package would deter many from purchasing cigarettes. It seems perverse that whilst this issue is dominating the debate over the effects of traditional smoking, a new type of smoking is emerging. No longer a fad or high fashion statement, e-cigarettes are on the high street and account for many of the new store openings during 2014 across the country. With some stores advertising opportunities to venture inside and sample the goods for free it is difficult to see how the popularity or e-cigarettes would be reduced without legislation preventing seductive marketing techniques.
Will the authorities take action?
The move to ban sales of e-cigarettes to minors is a sign that the debate over the product is shifting and that e-cigarettes are viewed with the same suspicion as traditional cigarettes. Some establishments have chosen to ban them from being used on their premises although they fall outside legislation on smoking. It is the potential unknown health risks of e-cigarettes that give the authorities the most concern and in time they will be regulated in a similar way to nicotine patches so that their impact will be carefully monitored. It is likely that as with traditional smoking any change will be slow and blocked at every turn if it is likely to adversely affect the revenues of the big tobacco companies. It is no coincidence that all the large tobacco companies are producing their own e-cigarettes now so any potential law that would cause a downturn in corporate revenue would face intense lobbying and pressure. History has shown that in the face of overwhelming medical evidence politicians of all parties are willing to take tough decisions if they are to protect the overall long term health of the public and the same logic may one day be applied to e-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes look like the real thing and do contain nicotine, the addictive component of traditional cigarettes. Crucially they do not contain tar which is linked to negative aspects of smoking such as lung disease. As they do not actually create smoke they fall outside the definition of a traditional cigarette and until recently could actually be sold to minors under the age of eighteen. The wide appeal of e-cigarettes is not only due to the fact that they were originally marketed as a healthier alternative to smoking, but that they come in a variety of exotic flavours that are not associated with smoking. It is not uncommon to see flavours such as tea, whiskey and even chocolate and the association with everyday favourites has caused some campaigners to be alarmist when considering the potential impact of the product. It is believed that widespread use of e-cigarettes would increase levels of nicotine addiction and that they could act as a gateway for traditional smoking to increase. A gentle introduction to nicotine could lead non smokers to take up the habit. It is also a worry for some that e-cigarettes are currently unregulated yet it is believed that they may contain carcinogens. Concerns have been raised that there has been no study into the impact of inhaling chemicals such as propylene glycol, something that is present in many everyday items such as shampoo and and toothpaste, neither of which are inhaled.
Anti Smoking Measures
The rise of e-cigarettes comes at a time when politicians are debating whether or not to follow the lead of countries such as Australia in introducing manadatory plain packaging for cigarettes. It is thought that branding and packaging is one of the key factors in the decision of people to continue smoking and that a less enticing package would deter many from purchasing cigarettes. It seems perverse that whilst this issue is dominating the debate over the effects of traditional smoking, a new type of smoking is emerging. No longer a fad or high fashion statement, e-cigarettes are on the high street and account for many of the new store openings during 2014 across the country. With some stores advertising opportunities to venture inside and sample the goods for free it is difficult to see how the popularity or e-cigarettes would be reduced without legislation preventing seductive marketing techniques.
Will the authorities take action?
The move to ban sales of e-cigarettes to minors is a sign that the debate over the product is shifting and that e-cigarettes are viewed with the same suspicion as traditional cigarettes. Some establishments have chosen to ban them from being used on their premises although they fall outside legislation on smoking. It is the potential unknown health risks of e-cigarettes that give the authorities the most concern and in time they will be regulated in a similar way to nicotine patches so that their impact will be carefully monitored. It is likely that as with traditional smoking any change will be slow and blocked at every turn if it is likely to adversely affect the revenues of the big tobacco companies. It is no coincidence that all the large tobacco companies are producing their own e-cigarettes now so any potential law that would cause a downturn in corporate revenue would face intense lobbying and pressure. History has shown that in the face of overwhelming medical evidence politicians of all parties are willing to take tough decisions if they are to protect the overall long term health of the public and the same logic may one day be applied to e-cigarettes.
