UK regulation of electronic cigarettes

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to: 'ensure that electronic cigarette products and their use is regulated appropriately for recreational purposes rather than seek to define vaping as smoking, tobacco use or medical therapy.'

Electronic cigarettes offer a genuine alternative for smokers which can satisfy the smoking habit without the enormous known harms. These life saving products have been widely available for over three years and have zero known serious harmful effects, they are considered by respected harm reduction experts to be at least 99\% safer than smoking.

Inappropriate regulation will harm people by discouraging use and will make an effective smoke alternative as ineffective as NRT such as gums and patches.

The fact that contamination with diethylene glycol was found at a level of 'approximately 1\%' by the US FDA in one cartridge sample illustrates the need for government acceptance so that proper standards can be introduced to protect consumers. Inappropriate regulation can only create problems by encouraging an unregulated black market, remove an effective reduced harm option for smokers and force people to continue smoking.

Proposals to classify such products as tobacco or smoking are not based on fact - there is no tobacco, smoke or burning. Neither is this a therapeutic practice as it is not intended for and has no proof of effectiveness in treating addiction.

Sale of these products in the UK is already covered by the Poisons Act 1972 (maximum nicotine content of 7.5\%), CHIP standards (for packaging), CE mark regulations (for electrical goods) and general trading laws which say the products must be fit for purpose.

Thoughtful legislation that would protect young people from toxins and addiction is clearly desirable and it would be responsible to allow availability of these products only to young people who would otherwise smoke.

Making a legal action illegal because of moral judgements, misinformation or confusion with something perceived to be undesirable is unjustifiable.

Vaping (using an ecig) is a recreational habit that should be regulated and protected appropriately, adult citizens can make their own informed decisions in choosing what they enjoy to do.