Just emailed my MP the following:
Dear Mr Kawczynski
This is the first time that I have felt passionately enough about a topic to write to my MP about it.
Having been a tobacco smoker for over 30 years, I had resigned myself to the fact that I simply could not give up, despite wanting to for about the last 10 years and subsequently trying patches, gum, sprays, even hypnotherapy, all to no avail. It took a Cancer scare just before Christmas for me to try again at giving up.
Just over 4 weeks ago, I tried, for the first time an electronic cigarette or e-cig, and was amazed that, for the first time in my smoking life, I found an real alternative that worked. Since that time, I have not had one traditional cigarette and effectively now consider myself an ex-smoker.
Whilst e-cigs, still contain nicotine, they do not contain any of the many thousands of other harmful chemicals, found in tobacco smoke, as an e-cigarette, gives the user the nicotine hit by water vapour NOT smoke particles.
Whilst I appreciate that electronic cigarettes are a fairly recent development, the other components that form the vapour are nothing more than food grade glycerine, food grade glycol and food grade flavourings. Some medical professionals are calling for an out-right ban on e-cigs, simply because the long term effects are not known. However the harmful effects of smoking tobacco ARE known and despite what any Doctors say, I do know, for a fact that I DO feel better, I'm breathing easier and coughing far less and this is in just 4 weeks.
My reason for writing to you is that I have just been made aware that the EU is undergoing a revision of the tobacco products directive where there is a very real possibility that electronic cigarettes will be re-classified as a medicinal aid to give up smoking under the false belief that (along with everything else these days) needs government regulation. This I fear, will have a disastrous effect on the many thousands just like me, who have made the switch from tobacco to electronic cigarettes.
E-Cigs have never been marketed as an aid to quit smoking, but as an alternative to smoking. Therein lies the crucial difference. Reclassification as a medicine and regulation will ultimately reduce available strengths to the hopeless levels found in patches (I speak from experience). It will also significantly drive up the price to a level that currently has an cost advantage over tobacco products. Having pointed all of the benefits out to the smoking colleagues that I work with, I am proud to say that I have convinced 3 out of the 5 to switch from tobacco to e-cigs, with the other 2 very likely to switch soon.
As my MP, I feel that you need to understand what e-cigs are all about, how they are improving lives (like mine) and fight our corner to stave off any such regulation that will ultimately turn me back to smoking tobacco products, as regulation and restriction of e-cigs will, without fail significantly reduce their effectiveness as a realistic alternative to smoking tobacco.
I look forward to your response in due course
