The " E-Cigarette " Issue !

In Queensland, the E-Cigarette is subjected to the same laws that apply to the tobacco product. In New South Wales it is still legal, but a variety of health professionals are urging Mike Baird to follow the Queensland lead and apply a ban.

There are two distinctly different claims made and vested interests are closely watching and waiting for an outcome to emerge.   Some people claim that E-Cigarettes help those wanting to quit the evils of tobacco by offering a harmless alternative, and others claim that they introduce a conduit by forming a smoking habit that leads to tobacco use.

So far, science has been silent on any form of declaration either approving or declining health risks associated with E-Cigarettes.   The only statement forthcoming has concerned "long term health risks "- and those are undetermined.

The basic principle involved raises no obvious threat.   A battery provides the power to heat Propylene Glycol and various "taste "chemicals to form a vapour that can be inhaled.  The  "E-Cigarette "is a permanent structure which can be restocked with Propylene Glycol packs and new batteries when required.   It usually sells somewhere in the $ 20 cost range.

One of the obstacles to quitting smoking are the habits that surround the handling and puffing on tobacco products.   Proponents claim that by simply replacing a lit cigarette with an innocuous replica that delivers no medical harm this obstacle is overcome.  Many former smokers claim that E-Cigarettes have enabled them to either quit completely, or at least cut down on tobacco use.

There is absolutely no doubt that that this new product eliminates one of the greatest dangers smokers pose to other people - sidestream smoke inhalation. That is a consideration that should be taken into account when evaluating this new product.  In particular, a smoker who indulges that habit at home is subjecting both partner and kids to a serious health risk - which E-Cigarettes can eliminate.

The problem is that the anti-tobacco crowd tend to be fanatics.  E-Cigarettes will not get an unbiased evaluation and any scientific paper that finds in it's favour will be dismissed and ridiculed.  Anything that even remotely looks like a cigarette will bring on the full firepower of the anti smoking lobby.

The fact that Queensland has rushed legislation into place to subject E-Cigarettes to the same prohibitions that apply to tobacco will increase pressure on the other states to follow suite.   If E-Cigarettes are a means of helping smokers quit their habit we will be doing health a serious disservice by applying a blanket ban.    We encourage the production and sale of anti smoking aids such as nicotine flavoured chewing gum and various inhalers - and the only valid reason given for banning E-Cigarettes seems to be the similarity in appearance to cigarettes.

Every year the number of Australians that smoke decreases.  The health message is getting through and the ever increasing price of continuing the smoking habit is having an effect.  Nicotine is probably as addictive as heroin - and just as hard to quit.  If  E-Cigarettes are so effective in reducing the compulsion to light up as some smokers claim, slapping on a ban just to satisfy the anti-smoking lobby would be counter productive.

Making that decision should wait until the boffins give us a real reason to proceed !