Labour MP reply

[jakethevape]

So by the looks of reading this, the EU legislation IS going to be put in?... IF so I need to start hording supplies NOW ??? ???

[kibbster]

No it's still being talked about, at the moment it's waiting for people to pipe in to amend it or (praying - disband it altogether, well the e-cig part anyway.)

[giles]

It won't go into EU law for a couple of years yet. The risk is that the UK (which has a report on report on harm reduction coming out in a couple of months) moves early to regulate in accordance with the directive. We should still get some warning. But I do have 4 years supply of nic in the freezer .

[giles]

Another Labour MEP reply:

Many thanks for writing to me about the important issue of the EU Tobacco
Products Directive, and how it will affect electronic cigarettes. I have
attempted to answer some of your additional points in view of your request
'not just to be sent the standard letter that Labour Party MEPs have been
using'.

Because e-cigarettes are a relatively new product they are regulated
differently in each EU country. Some countries allow e-cigarettes to be
sold without any regulation at all. Others have banned the sale of
e-cigarettes. As the UK is part of the EU's internal market it is important
that we harmonise the way we deal with this product, otherwise consumers
could be buying unregulated products which do not conform to basic safety
standards, either within their own country, or by easily purchasing it over
the internet from a neighbouring country. We do not have any conclusive
scientific evidence on the safety effects of these ingredients when inhaled.

The European Commission has proposed that all 'nicotine containing products'
with more than 2mg per unit should not be classed as tobacco products. The
Commission is not proposing a ban on e-cigarettes. The Commission is saying
that they should not be regulated as a tobacco product (they do not contain
any tobacco, after all), but instead they should be regulated in the same
way as other products which deliver nicotine, such as gums, sprays and
patches. This will mean that e-cigarette manufacturers will have to go
through the same process of testing and proving their product before selling
it. We will look especially at the upper limit of 2mg per unit as this seems
arbitrary, and the use of health warnings on e-cigarettes.

Of course there is a balance to strike. On one hand e-cigarettes have the
potential to be a helpful way to help somebody quit smoking entirely and
greatly improve their health. On the other hand e-cigarettes currently can
contain up to 48mg of nicotine - far more than a regular cigarette, making
them highly addictive. 48mg cigarettes and e-liquids are able to be
purchased online. Whilst most users will use a lower concentration there is
nothing stopping people from using this amount. 36mg is also a high amount
of a highly addictive substance. As nicotine is the drug that makes
cigarettes addictive, somebody that tries e-cigarettes could be much more
likely to go on to smoke regular cigarettes. Furthermore, there is no
evidence that e-cigarettes are safe, and it is concerning that they are
being marketed as a 'healthy' alternative to smoking. Currently we do not
have any conclusive evidence either that e-cigarettes are helpful for giving
up smoking, or that they encourage it. But both are plausible theories.

We need independent, scientific evidence and cannot rely on anecdotal
evidence. While the evidence is not there we should take a cautious approach
as advised by the WHO:
www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2008/pr34/en/index.html

While we do not have this scientific evidence to rely on I think it is wise
to have a cautious approach to e-cigarettes. If they are effective in
helping people to stop smoking, then it is appropriate that they are
regulated in the same way as other smoking cessation tools, such as nicotine
patches.

The Commission proposal is not final and there will be many months of
negotiations by the European Parliament, as well as health ministers from
the UK and other EU countries, before the legislation is agreed. During this
time Labour MEPs will be looking carefully at all of the measures and trying
to find the best way to ensure that we effectively reduce smoking rates in
the UK and across Europe. Labour MEPS have not yet reached a final decision
and will consult with Andy Burnham and others, but yes, ultimately Labour
MEPs decide on how they vote on health legislation at EU level.

The UK government position is still being finalised but they broadly agree
that e-cigarettes should be regulated as a pharmaceutical product. Cancer
Research, BHF and ASH all have slightly different positions but agree on the
principle that e-cigarettes should be regulated under pharmaceutical
legislation.

Finally as requested I have sent a copy of your email to my colleagues
Glenis Willmott and Linda McAvan in order that they can represent your views
on the ENVI committee

Thanks again for writing to me on this important issue. I am enclosing a
proforma 'Stay In Touch'; if you would like to be kept in touch about my
work in the European Parliament, please complete and return this to me.

Best wishes.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Skinner, Labour MEP for the South East Fort Pitt Business Centre
Suites 4 & 5 New Road Rochester Kent ME1 1DU


What worries me most is the sentence "The UK government position is still being finalised but they broadly agree
that e-cigarettes should be regulated as a pharmaceutical product. "