Submitted by Andy Travis on
One of the more worrying concerns about electronic cigarettes is their potential for teenage addiction and possible entry to other forms of smoking. The tobacco industry appears to be reviving old tactics to promote this increasingly popular product. 'Right now it's the wild, wild west,' Mitch Zeller, director of the U.S. FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. For example, companies are using public transport stop displays, sponsoring racing cars and events, and encouraging smokers to 'rise from the ashes' and take back their freedom in clever TV commercials featuring celebrities. E-cigarettes are often more obviously available to young people in places such as local shop counters and the internet. In common with many other countries, U.S. Federal authorities are yet to impose comprehensive regulation. The legislative picture varies considerably worldwide. For example, the sale, importation and advertising of any kind of electronic cigarette is forbidden in Brazil, but the devices are currently legal in China and India. Unfortunately, at this moment, large scale research on e-cigarettes is limited.
Links:
E-cigarettes may face prohibitive EU tests - Prevention Hub