UKIP - opposed to e-cig regulation and the TPD.

[Matt Gluggles]

UKIP have become the first political party, with representatives in the EU, so declare that they are firmly opposed to the electronic cigarette regulation proposed in the Tobacco Products Directive, and the TPD in general.

Paul Nuttall, the Deputy Leader of UKIP said :

''I find this particularly crazy as e-cigarettes are healthier alternatives to smoking. And, as I have previously said, the European Commission will not stop here, next it will be alcohol and foods,"

www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/76356/cigarette-legislation-criticised




Now is the time to be contacting your Euro-MP's to express alarm about the proposed changes. UKIP's policy is clear, they are against e-cig regulation

- Now MEP's from all parties must be made aware of the importance of opposing the proposed changes.

Contact your MEP's now.


.

[kickit]

Well, let's face it, UKIP would come out in favour of anything that would get them votes....

[kibbster]

Yes not sure about supporting ukip even if I they and I agree on one point.
Admittedly an important point close to my heart but still the only thing.

[hifistud]

You're not being asked to support UKIP... You are being asked to contact your MEPs in the first instance, to register your feelings about the proposed TPD and its effect on e-cigs.

Let me tell you, in layman's terms, what it means:
"Since electronic cigarettes were not authorized pursuant to Directive
2001/83/EC, they must be taken off the market and cannot enter the
market unless they contain less than 2 mg per unit. "

That is a de fact ban. Taken with the next point, it means that, without a marketing authorisation for "medicinal use" you will not be able to buy either an e-cig all-in-one, a carto or juice that contains an effective level of nicotine. It will have to be no higher than 4mg/ml and in a package that contains no more than 2mg of nic - so half a mil of the highest "recreational" level allowed.

Some people have already suggested "insecticide nicotine" - and that won't fly - it's already banned.

A marketing authorisation for an e-cig will take at least two years to obtain, and will be based purely on a pre-filled carto paradigm. Loose juice will be practically impossible to get an authorisation for. Even if it is possible, the costs will be astronomical for those seeking the MA - think in terms of millions (estimates put it a £2.5million per strength/flavour/base diluent.)

If you think I'm overestimating, ask Perpetua what happened in her industry - a far less controversial one.

Bottom line - if we, as users of e-cigs, let this go unchallenged, we are signing our own death warrants. E-cigs as we know them will cease to exist in the EU, and juice will be unobtainable from any EU member state.

We have to fight this, fight it hard, and fight it now. Everybody.

[Matt Gluggles]

Regardless of if you support UKIP or not, this is a good move.

The fact that they have come out clearly against e-cig regulation makes it clear to MEP's (and MP's) from other parties that there are votes to be lost over this, and lots of votes, at that.

[hifistud]

[hifistud]

And this from Clive Bates - one-time Director of ASH

Clive Bates
December 21, 2012 at 3:36 pm · Reply
Dave – very good Vapour Trails… The proposal is absurd. I completely agree with your call to arms – vapers have got to put up a fight. My tips on writing lobbying letters:
1. Write your own – authenticity counts, so describe what it means to you and what you want to happen
2. Don’t worry that you have to use technical or legal language. You don’t – just put it in your own words.
3. Always be polite and work on the assumption that the person you are writing to will want to do the right thing – ie. give them the benefit of the doubt.
4. Short is good, but keep to a couple of pages max.
5. Always ask for a reply insisting they give their position and respond to your suggestions
6. Ask for a meeting or say you will be going to their surgery (and go). Explain what vaping is and why it has made a difference to you.
7. Try to make a constructive proposal. Obvious things you could ask for:
+ remove the provisions on e-cigarettes from the directive completely because there is no evidence they are doing any harm
+ a 2-3 year delay in bringing the provisions on e-cigs into effect;
+ more study of the potential for tobacco harm reduction taking into account the people that are using e-cigs to get off cigarettes;
+ assessment of the consequences of applying medicinal regulation and effectively banning e-cigs (ie. bad things that might happen).
8. Use to work out who to write to… MPs, MEPs
9. Start with MEPs – the directive will be scrutinised in the European Parliament at a session on 25 February – so that is an important date to work towards (see brief).
10. Directives also have to be agreed by the European Council (ie. national governments). So write to your MP and ask them to take the matter up with the Secretary of State for Health (Jeremy Hunt). This is better than writing directly to the Secretary of State or civil servants, or just to your MP. Not all MPs will contact the Secretary of State, but many will do that on your behalf.

By the way, the draft directive bans vapour products above the thresholds in article 18.1 (>2mg/unit or 4mg/ml) at entry into force, not after 24 months (see article 26 on transitional provisions, which only applies to the irrelevant products below the threshold).

[kickit]

Let's just hope Mr Nuttall turns up for the discussion then. He's got the second worst record of all the UK's MEP's for attendance in plenary sessions.