THE Cancer Council has vowed to turn up the heat on the use of electronic vapour cigarettes because of growing health concerns.

E-cigarettes containing nicotine are banned in Tasmania, but there are growing fears about the safety of chemicals used in legal vapour devices that emit flavoured smoke.

E-cigarettes that emit flavoured vapours are proving popular with teenagers in a practice known as “vaping”.

The Queensland Government recently made e-cigarettes subject to the same laws as tobacco products, banning their sale to under-18s, making their use illegal in confined spaces and restricting advertising.

Health Minister Michael Ferguson did not respond to the Sunday Tasmanian when asked if he would be implementing a similar legislative approach.

A spokesman said “the Government would continue to keep a close watch on emerging evidence regarding the use of e-cigarettes”.

Cancer Council Tasmania chief Penny Egan said the council would press the Government to address the issue.

“We would support the Government in looking at legislative change,” Mrs Egan said.

“There is no evidence at this stage that e-cigarettes are safe. We don’t know the long term effects of inhaling vapour.”

Last November Director of Public Health Dr Roscoe Taylor said tests of products available in Tasmania had revealed some samples of the liquid, also known as e-juice and e-liquid, did in fact contain enough nicotine to cause serious illness or even death if swallowed.

“The e-liquid packages often do not accurately detail the ingredients of the liquids and do not have any child-­resistant closures,” Dr Taylor said.

“Children in other parts of Australia have come to harm ingesting the liquid and at least one death has already been ­reported overseas.

“Because e-cigarette liquids in Tasmania are not meant to contain nicotine, consumers might not realise the risk they pose to children.”

Mrs Egan said the products also undermined the anti-smoking message with teenagers, because it “normalised smoking”.