Bill tabled to regulate ecigarettes

A bill aimed at regulating the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes is being launched this morning.

Senators Averil Power and John Crown want to see a ban on the sale of the products to minors, an end to advertising and a ban on smoking e-cigarettes in public places.

However, smokers’ group Forest Eireann is opposed to stricter regulation of e-cigarettes.
Spokesman John Mallon said:“Government must resist the temptation to over-regulate e-cigarettes because there is no evidence they are harmful to the user or anyone else.”

“Restricting the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes could deny smokers access to an increasingly popular smoking cessation aid.There is no evidence e-cigarettes are a gateway to tobacco. The overwhelming majority of consumers who use them are smokers or ex-smokers.”

He concludes:“There has been a lot of scaremongering about e-cigarettes but politicians must wean themselves off the idea that nicotine is bad. It can be addictive but it’s no more harmful than caffeine”.