TheScotsman is this week reporting that a British Medical Association (BMA) meeting in Clydebank, Scotland is to hear calls for the further regulation of electronic cigarettes, a nicotine delivery device that is growing in popularly throughout the UK, as fears grow that children and young adults could be moving from e-cigs to traditional tobacco products.

The article states that some are worried that electronic cigarettes – which produce no smoke – could normalise smoking, despite e-cigs being widely considered safer than traditional cigs.

The conference will debate the motion that the Scottish government should ban e-cigarettes in enclosed places, outlaw their sale to under 18s and only be displayed alongside nicotine replacement therapies as a medicine.

Public Health Minister Michael Matheson said:

“While I accept that the devices may potentially help people smoke fewer cigarettes, or even stop altogether, there is concern that the devices could also re-normalise smoking. They are addictive because they contain nicotine, and promotional activity may increase their appeal to young people.”

But director of Forest, Simon Clark, believes that more regulation is the last thing that e-cigs need:

“Selling them exclusively to a smoking cessation aid and banning their use in public places is a sure way to reduce their appeal with the result that fewer smokers will make the switch.

“Most nicotine replacement therapies fail because they are medicinal products. The great appeal of e-cigarettes to many smokers is that they are a recreational product that mimics the act of smoking without the smoke.”

 Liberty Flights is one of the UK’s largest e-cigarette companies. They regularly react to industry news, research and topics. A salesperson for the company said:

“We often used to, and still do to some extent, hear about a lack of research when it comes e-cigs but that’s what people have been saying since 2008. There has been a lot of research since then and the consensus seems to be that e-cigs have little to no ‘second hand’ effects.

“We don’t think there’s anywhere near enough evidence to ban e-cigs in enclosed places. Ultimately this will have a negative effect as it takes away some of the positives of using an e-cig and will surely discourage ardent tobacco smokers from considering a switch.”

Liberty Flights, established in 2009 and based in the UK, is one of the world’s largest providers of electronic cigarette devices, liquids and equipment. Visit the Liberty Flights website today at www.liberty-flights.co.uk to find out more about e-cigs and shop for competitively priced liquids.

For quotes, contact Matthew on 0845 257 9008 or matthew@liberty-flights.co.uk