• More on this story

• Cigarette packaging U turn will take politics out of the issue, minister says

  Jane Ellison defends move after Labour claimed government was only acting because it feared defeat in House of Lords

• Every coalition U turn the list in full

• U turn could result in plain packaging on cigarettes by 2015

• Tobacco companies fuel black market in Britain, say MPs

• Will banning 10 packs really help smokers quit?

• Menthol cigarettes to be banned by EU

• MEPs to vote on tougher smoking rules

• 80% of teens in favour of standardised cigarette packaging, survey shows

• Health groups dismayed by news ‘big tobacco’ funded rightwing thinktanks

• Comment and debate

• Big Tobacco’s unidentified voice goes unchallenged on the airwaves

  George Monbiot For some reason, the Institute of Economic Affairs is allowed to broadcast about smoking without revealing its paymasters

• Heard a thinktank on the BBC? You haven’t heard the whole story

• The BBC must declare the interests of its contributors, or lose our trust

• Why the assault on cigarette packets? They already look like props in a horror movie

War within the eu: european commission acting against european parliament’s will on e-cigarettes

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War within the EU European Commission acting against European Parliament s will on e cigarettes

By Dr Farsalinos

It seems that besides a public health disaster, the issue of e cigarette proposals by the European Commission is also a political scandal. It is just 48 days ago that the European Parliament voted for amendment170 concerning e cigarettes regulation. This was supposed to be the basis of any further negotiation, with the goal to make improvement and transform this amendment into regulation. Instead, the European Commission has completely bypassed the will and vote of the Parliament and has introduced a completely new proposal. Here are the main differences between the two proposals

European Parliament maximum nicotine concentration of 30mg/ml

European Commission maximum nicotine concentration of 20mg/ml

European Parliament flavorings allowed

European Commission flavorings banned (except from those present in NRTs)

European Parliament no restriction on refill liquids

European Commission refill liquids banned

European Parliament no restriction on devices

European Commission refillable atomizers banned, only single use cartos allowed

European Parliament no restriction on cross border sales

European Commission cross border sales prohibited

European Parliament request to report list of ingredients and emissions

European Commission e cigarettes should be free from contaminants

European Parliament advertisements prohibited

European Commission advertisements prohibited

It is obvious that the Commission s proposal contradicts almost every aspect of the amendment voted by the Parliament. This should be considered a scandal, shows disrespect towards the will of the MEPs and is an effort to bypass all procedures and implement a strange agenda of illegalizing e cigarettes. For example, they ask that e cigarettes should be free from contaminants while they know that this cannot happen and they know that even pharmaceutical NRTs have nitrosamines (at levels similar to e cigarettes). In any case, they have completely ignored science showing that nicotine is needed for e cigarettes to be effective, users self titrate their nicotine intake and any instructions on dosage are useless, and flavors are an important part in consumers efforts to reduce or quit smoking.

The European Commission is deciding on regulation contrary to Parliament proposals, contrary to scientific findings and contrary to public health interest