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Some of the leadership in Ireland are pushing for heftier restrictions on electronic cigarettes. A new bill proposed by two senators would ban the sale of electronic cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18 along with banning their use in bars, restaurants, and workplaces. As well, the bill would place restrictions on the advertising and marketing of e-cigs similar to those on tobacco cigarettes.

Ireland has among the toughest anti-smoking laws in the world. Their public smoking bans apply not only to bars and restaurants, but also to any general workplace, healthcare and educational facilities, public transit, and any enclosed public space. As well, tobacco packages in Ireland are required to include graphic warnings. Ireland is also on track to be the second country in the world (after Australia) to adopt plain packaging laws for cigarettes.

So it’s not much surprise that the country is pushing fast for all-inclusive electronic cigarette legislation. Two senators, Averil Power and cancer specialist John Crown are behind the new bill. Even so, Crown admits that for some individuals that can’t quit smoking, “it can be better to to use e-cigarettes.”

He goes on to argue that there are a new and different set of risks associated with electronic cigarettes. Primarily, he argues that shoddy construction and materials can result users inhaling metal particulates and synthetic constituents known to cause complications. While this is true, it remains that many experts believe that the worst, most harmful electronic cigarette can be no more harmful than 5% of the harm of tobacco cigarettes. This is because 99% of the harm caused by tobacco cigarettes is caused by the smoke and no explicitly by the compounds in them.

Senator Power argued that the new regulations were necessary to inform users that electronic cigarettes are still harmful — even if less so than tobacco cigarettes. She went on to argue that “Bystanders, particularly children, deserve to be protected from the passive inhalation of e-cigarette vapour.” Clearly she is unaware that recent studies have found no discernible harm from secondhand electronic cigarette vapor.

You can read more about the new bill right here.