Your monthly round up of what happen in the world of the electronic cigarette UK. New studies, cheapest e-cig ever, serious skills and other goings on in this edition of “the month of July in E-Cig World”.



The heat wave continued though out the whole of July and the global debate sparked off by proposed legislation in the Euro zone and US in June kept heating up too. Electronic cigarettes seem to be a hot topic at the moment with all the big news networks picking up the commentary. From supportive to critical to darn right slander, there is no shortage of news and opinion on electronic cigarettes and their place in society.

Studies

A medical trial conducted in July concluded electronic cigarettes where effective in helping people quit smoking or reduce smoking rates. The study published in Plos One was conducted at the University of Catania in Italy by Pasquale Caponnetto and colleagues.

Industry



We heard last month that all the big tobacco players where now invested into e-cigs. British American Tobacco launched their new product, the “Vype”. A disposable electronic cigarette that will be available in shops by September. Some worried it could lead to boosting the company’s profits with tax payers money if the NHS where to begin prescribing electronic cigarettes to smokers to help them quit.

We all know one of the benefits of electronic cigarettes over tobacco is the low cost of use. But how about an electronic cigarette for £1? The bargain basement e-cigarette is set for release and will be stock in pound stores around the UK. Could this cheap disposable be any good? Or will it be true that you get what you pay for?

Politics

There was outrage and dismay at statements from an WHO official this month. Dr Florante Trinidad, technical officer at “Tobacco-Free Initiative” suggested e-cigarettes where more dangerous than smoking tobacco. He stated because electronic cigarettes have no filter the nicotine goes into the lungs. A strong critique of his comments was made by Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos who pointed out the errors in his rational and general inconsistencies in his opinion.

Opinion

London MEP Marina Yannakoudakis made her views known by stating electronic cigarettes should be readily available to smokers. She states the danger from tobacco smoking justifies supporting electronic cigarettes as consumers are using them to reduce harm from smoking tobacco.

Lynn Kozlowski, Ph.D. Dean of the School of Public Health and Health Professions at the University of Buffalo featured in the Huffington Post this month. His article encourage all smokers to switch to electronic cigarettes and the FDA to use light regulation to allow e-cigarettes to remain attractive and competitive to tobacco products. Kozlowski is well known for his research into tobacco and harm reduction. In the 1980’s he promoted smokeless tobacco as an alternative to cigarettes and argued little evidence of it being a gateway to smoking. He argues cigarette smokers have a fundamental human right to accurate information regarding safer forms of nicotine and tobacco use.



Christopher Snowdon, Director of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic and author of Velvet Glove, Iron Fist: A History of Anti-Smoking, published a strong critique on Europe’s strong resistance to tobacco harm reduction. He argues the banning of electronic cigarettes and Swedish snus will ultimately lead to unnecessary and premature deaths. The two of the least least harmful recreational nicotine products available could play an massive role in reducing the smoking rate and harm from smoking tobacco. Snowdon states “neo-prohibitionist approach is unjustifiable from the perspective of both personal liberty and population health.”



Perhaps my favourite and informative blog on electronic cigarette policy has to be Clive Bate’s Counterfactual. Former director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH-UK), he is very active in the campaign for a honest and reasonable debate about the future of electronic cigarette regulation.This month he had several great posts.

In the News

The Telegraph: EU vote on electronic cigarettes ‘makes no sense’.

Smokeless electronic cigarettes risk being taken off the market by a “short-sighted” vote in the European Parliament that will classify them as a medicinal product, critics said.

BBC E-cigarettes: Is a smoking alternative being choked by regulation?

Dozens of countries are introducing legislation restricting the use of electronic cigarettes, but their proponents say they are harmless and their use could in fact save millions of lives. Could they be right?

In Rome electronic cigarette makers and sellers went on hunger strike to protest a massive 58.5% tax levied on e-cigs.

The information Daily: In the shadow of ‘Big Pharma’: Why e-cigarette users defy legislation

Management Today: The EU wants to stub e-cigarette businesses out.

Other Stuff



Last week we posted a guide on how to blow smoke rings with an electronic cigarette. This guy puts most of us to shame with some serious skills!















