Legal Status of Electronic Cigarettes or E-Cigarettes

Like any other products in the Digital Age, an electronic version of a cigarette has finally arrived. Yes, the conventional cigarette is also available in the Electronic Form namely Electronic Cigarette (electronic nicotine delivery systems-ENDS) which is the new fad among the "Internet Generation" and tobacco users all over the world. An “E-Cigy” as the New Generation calls it fondly, is a battery operated product that delivers nicotine and comes in different flavors like menthol, peach, peppermint and so on. 

                          Photo courtesy: Lindsay Fox via Flickr Creative Commons. 

The Legal Status of Electronic Cigarettes is currently creating a dilemma for law enforcement and healthcare officials. These include factors related to health, medical policies, speed of innovation of new products and legality of innovation. While some countries follow the WHO convention on tobacco control, some have restrictions on its use in public places, confined places like bars, restaurants, and clubs. E-Cigarettes that contain nicotine are illegal in some countries while nicotine-free E-Cigarettes are legal.

In European Union, sale of E-Cigarettes to persons under 18 years of age is prohibited. In the United Kingdom, sale and use of Electronic Cigarettes are legal and E-Cigarettes are not covered by the smoking ban. In the United States, sale and use of Electronic Cigarettes are regulated and in the absence of a Federal Law, some states in the US prohibit the sale of E-Cigarettes to persons below 18 years of age.  Some countries where Electronic Cigarettes are legal are Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, India and China.Some places where E-cigarettes are illegal include Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and Panama.

Some argue that the nicotine in Electronic Cigarettes contain less harmful ingredients than a conventional cigarette which comes with tar and other carcinogenic material.  They also argue that the "Electronic Version" helps smokers quit their habit and even helps to reduce the number of conventional cigarettes they smoke regularly.

Like in any electronic version of a new innovation, sales of E-Cigarettes are growing rapidly and the E-Cigarette industry is valued more than $15 billion . The traditional tobacco lobby is feeling a dip in their revenue due to the fad for the “E-Cigy” among youngsters and is lobbying for a ban in countries like India.  The online sales figures of E-Cigarettes are a clear indication of its popularity, disclosed an E-tailer who spoke to TechLegalWorld and wished to remain anonymous since he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the E-commerce giant selling E-Cigarettes in India.

For those looking to kick their habit and the cigy butt, check out the below link;

http://tripleclicks.com/14705629/detail.php?item=36096