MEP Reply

[Banky]

This arrived in my e-mail inbox today, so far every MEP, MSP, I have written to, all have more or less given the answers to question's I asked in relation to the electronic cigarette.

This is Mr Struan's MEP,

Dear Robert,



Thank you for your email regarding the Tobacco directive which is
currently under renewal.



The directive will be coming before the Environment, Public Health and
Food Safety Committee in the European Parliament for consideration later
this year. At this stage the European Commission's proposals include
regulating, packaging and the composition of cigarettes and related
products, including electronic cigarettes.



I fully recognise that there are health implications to smoking and I
believe that there should be public awareness of this. Yet once
informed, I believe that there should also be freedom of choice.



However, this freedom of choice should not impinge on the freedom of
others, so a programmatic solution must be found. Smoking has health
implications for smokers and it is scientifically proven that there are
also implications for passive smokers as well. Advertising and the
presentation of smoking at present needs to be reviewed and I believe
that this directive will do just that.



More than ten years have passed since the adoption of the current
directive on the issue, during which time various developments have
occurred. In response to this, I look forward to making concrete
contributions towards the proposed directive when the time arrives.



With reference to your specific comments on electronic cigarettes the
directive will look at this aspect, and I myself would be very
interested in the scientific background that specifically relates to the
health effects before making any judgements.



I hope you find this information helpful and please let us know if we
can be of any further assistance.



Best wishes,



STRUAN

[vereybowring]

I got that one today too.
I am probably going to reply pointing him at some of the information that has been featuring on VTTV recently from notable tobacco and harm reduction people.
Every little helps and hopefully he will (or get an aide to) read some of it.

[Karma]

+2

I'm quite disheartened by my responses overall

[djs]

Jan 30, 2013 19:19:02 GMT Karma said:

+2

I'm quite disheartened by my responses overall

I say keep at it. Clearly all the main party MPs have been given a ready-to-go reply.
The fact they've resorted to this is good.
The fact that somebody has had to read our letters and either get signatures or have an aide reply to us, is good.
The volume of enquiries in itself is creating waves and bringing attention across the political parties.

We might be 1-0 down at half time, but I don't think it's all over.