Done By: Kamal Adiab
Reasons for Government Regulation of E-cigarettes
Governments need to regulate the use of e-cigarettes for two reasons. Firstly, the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are unknown (1). Information on safety and potential benefits vs. harms are also unknown; furthermore, studies show that e-cigarettes contain nicotine and may also contain other harmful chemicals, including carcinogens and lung irritants (2). The studies showed that the chemicals found in two leading brands of e-cigarettes included an ingredient used in anti-freeze (2). Secondly, the growth in the number of high school and middle school e-cigarette users is very alarming. Studies showed that 61.1 percent of middle school students that used e-cigarettes …show more content…
In certain countries there is a complete ban (i.e. Greece and Lithuania), in fourteen countries e-cigarettes are regulated as medicinal products and in nine member states e-cigarettes are regulated as consumer products (1). The varying regulations of member states in the EU are indicative of weak intergovernmental relations. The EU seems to act like a forum of cooperation between sovereign states (3); therefore, each member state will be driven by its own interests and actions (3). If each state’s concerns on e-cigarettes differ, a greater sense of difference will be felt by the rest of the member states (3). In this case, the varying regulations by each member state are the result of differing concerns on e-cigarettes. Secondly, the EU member states lacked the intergovernmental machinery among the member states; consequently, this led to the pushback from the tobacco companies after the 2013 proposed regulation which classified e-cigarettes as a tobacco product (1). Ideally, a network of councils or working groups should be involved in aligning the regulations on …show more content…
However, regulations are being imposed at the both provincial and municipal level (4). For example, in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick the sale of e-cigarettes to people under age of 19 is not allowed; furthermore, in Alberta, the use of vaporizers is banned everywhere the use tobacco cigarettes is banned (4). In the EU, the Tobacco Products Derivative (TPD) was put in place to regulate e-cigarettes at the federal level (1). The TPD proposed classifying all e-cigarette products as medical devices. This classification means that e-cigarettes will be put in the same category as surgical lasers and MRI machines. Firstly, Canada’s approach is more effective in that the regulations address the concern (e.g. underage users of e-cigarettes) as opposed to the classification of e-cigarettes (i.e. medical device). The Canadian provinces have similar regulations regarding the sale of e-cigarettes when compared to the EU. This is indicative of the fact that the Canadian province’s concerns are aligned as opposed to the varying concerns of various EU member states. In this case, the decentralization of power allowed the Canadian provinces to take on the regulation of e-cigarettes in an efficient and effective
Reasons for Government Regulation of E-cigarettes
Governments need to regulate the use of e-cigarettes for two reasons. Firstly, the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are unknown (1). Information on safety and potential benefits vs. harms are also unknown; furthermore, studies show that e-cigarettes contain nicotine and may also contain other harmful chemicals, including carcinogens and lung irritants (2). The studies showed that the chemicals found in two leading brands of e-cigarettes included an ingredient used in anti-freeze (2). Secondly, the growth in the number of high school and middle school e-cigarette users is very alarming. Studies showed that 61.1 percent of middle school students that used e-cigarettes …show more content…
In certain countries there is a complete ban (i.e. Greece and Lithuania), in fourteen countries e-cigarettes are regulated as medicinal products and in nine member states e-cigarettes are regulated as consumer products (1). The varying regulations of member states in the EU are indicative of weak intergovernmental relations. The EU seems to act like a forum of cooperation between sovereign states (3); therefore, each member state will be driven by its own interests and actions (3). If each state’s concerns on e-cigarettes differ, a greater sense of difference will be felt by the rest of the member states (3). In this case, the varying regulations by each member state are the result of differing concerns on e-cigarettes. Secondly, the EU member states lacked the intergovernmental machinery among the member states; consequently, this led to the pushback from the tobacco companies after the 2013 proposed regulation which classified e-cigarettes as a tobacco product (1). Ideally, a network of councils or working groups should be involved in aligning the regulations on …show more content…
However, regulations are being imposed at the both provincial and municipal level (4). For example, in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick the sale of e-cigarettes to people under age of 19 is not allowed; furthermore, in Alberta, the use of vaporizers is banned everywhere the use tobacco cigarettes is banned (4). In the EU, the Tobacco Products Derivative (TPD) was put in place to regulate e-cigarettes at the federal level (1). The TPD proposed classifying all e-cigarette products as medical devices. This classification means that e-cigarettes will be put in the same category as surgical lasers and MRI machines. Firstly, Canada’s approach is more effective in that the regulations address the concern (e.g. underage users of e-cigarettes) as opposed to the classification of e-cigarettes (i.e. medical device). The Canadian provinces have similar regulations regarding the sale of e-cigarettes when compared to the EU. This is indicative of the fact that the Canadian province’s concerns are aligned as opposed to the varying concerns of various EU member states. In this case, the decentralization of power allowed the Canadian provinces to take on the regulation of e-cigarettes in an efficient and effective