The EC ignores voting MP’s and have E Cigs in their sites again

We all know that the European Commission have been trying to ban electronic cigarettes through regulation in the form of a Tobacco Products Directive update and we all know that they failed miserably. The updated TPD was put to vote around a month and a half ago but was deemed ridiculous by the European Parliament and put to bed. Now it seems the European Commission have thrown their dummy out of the cot and are aiming for even tighter regulations

This news comes from a leaked document which was sent out only to those who were negotiating directly on the future regulation of e cigarettes but was intercepted and published on the nicotine science and policy website. The new proposal basically goes against everything that the voters in European Parliament suggested in their amendment. Here is a basic grasp of what is written…

• Parliament suggested that the maximum nicotine content within E Liquid should be capped at 30mg/ml yet the Commission have proposed to lower the cap to 20mg/ml. This will not help the heavier smokers who need a higher dosage of nicotine.
• Parliament suggested that different flavours should be allowed on the market as there is no danger. The Commission have proposed to ban all flavours that aren’t currently used in nicotine replacement therapy products, limiting the appeal to smokers (again associating E Cigs with quit smoking devices. They just don’t listen!).
• Parliament suggest that there be no restrictions on refill E liquids as there have never been any major health issues over their use. The Commission will ban all refill E Liquids if they get their way. If this happens, users will be forced to pay prices similar, if not more, than a packet of cigarettes, severely limiting the appeal to smokers.
• Parliament suggest that there be no restrictions on devices yet the Commission will ban all refillable atomizers. Only disposable cartomizers and cartridges will be allowed.
• Parliament doesn’t have any problem with Electronic Cigarette users buying their products from different countries but the Commission will ban all cross border sales.
• Advertising by any means will be completely banned. This includes internet forums, which will be shut down, review sites, banner ads, TV commercials, Radio, news papers, magazines, any type of advertising you can think of, it will be banned. This is good for the tobacco industry as they already have established distribution channels and can get their product out there just as fast as they can normal cigarettes.

These proposals will play right into the hands of vendors like SKYCIG, Intellicig and of which are owned by Big Tobacco funnily enough. If there was ever any doubt as to whether the tobacco industry was playing a part in electronic cigarette regulations, either directly or indirectly through lobbyists, then this has surely proven it. How strange that Lorillard Tobacco, one of the Big Tobacco companies, should choose to buy SKYCIG, a UK Electronic Cigarette vendor who only sell cartridges and limited flavours, right at a time when the future and European regulation of e cigarettes is so uncertain. In fact, all the tobacco companies who bought into the e cig industry have steered clear of refillable E Liquid models.

When Big Tobacco released their own electronic cigarette model, called VYPE, it was looked upon as an instant failure as one single cartridge would cost about the same as a pack of normal cigarettes and would have less of an effect. It was obvious that Big Tobacco saw no profit in refillable E Liquid and they were trying to keep their revenue flowing with a ridiculously expensive model. Then this paper gets leaked and now the puzzle is a lot clearer.

Make no mistake, Big Tobacco will not go down without a fight. They know that if refillable E Liquid isn’t banned they are doomed. We must fight back against the tobacco companies who have spent years killing it’s customers and reaping rewards and now want to corner the biggest threat to their empire they have ever seen.

You can view the leaked document here

For information on what you can do to help, see

Eu forbids chocolate cigarettes: “dangerous starter drugs”… but real cigarettes and cigars to remain legal!

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By P Gosselin on 10. November 2013

The Brussels based EU bureaucrats continue to spread their enviro and social tyranny.

The German language Turkish news site Deutsch T rkische Nachrichten here reports that the EU has passed another law designed to save people from dangerous drugs a ban of chocolate cigarettes.

Hat tip DirkH

The Deutsch T rkische Nachrichten writes

Also sweets are on the EU’s verboten list. Chocolate that is shaped like cigarettes must no longer be sold in the future. In the EU parliament’s view, chocolate cigarettes are dangerous starter drugs”.

Real cigarettes and cigars to remain legal

Ironically, the real cigarettes and cigars with addictive tobacco will continue to be legal, the Deutsch T rkische Nachrichten reports. Tobacco in Europe, it seems, is far safer than chocolate.

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