New standards on electronic smoking products in the UAE have been issued, opening the door for legal sale of the devices and liquids.

Though owning them has always been perfectly legal, the sale of e-cigarettes, vapes and other electronic smoking equipment was prohibited under the UAE’s Federal Law No.15 of 2009.

Fresh regulations known collectively as UAE.S 5030 will govern the composition of electronic nicotine products and their importation, manufacturing, packaging, supply and circulation, as well as health warnings on packaging.

The Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) established them to combat the illegal sale of potentially harmful tobacco-alternative products.

Globally, the electronic smoking market is worth somewhere between USD 10 and 17 billion and that figure is predicted to triple within the next six years.

Many vapers believe the devices are a less harmful alternative to traditional forms of smoking. They say because there is no combustion, the vapour is inhaled and not smoked and there are fewer toxic compounds in e-liquids and e-juices. However, long-term studies are yet to give any kind of conclusive evidence on what’s a relatively new technology.

ESMA created these new standards in co-operation with, and to reflect, existing guidelines from the World Health Organization, European legislation and the British Standard.