“The big question, and why we’re here, is whether that goal can be realised and how best to do it… and what kind of cultural, regulatory environment can be put in place to make sure that’s achieved.

“I think it can be achieved but that’s a hope, a promise, not a reality,” he said.

A revolution

This view was echoed by Dr Jacques Le Houezec, a private consultant who has been researching the effects of nicotine and tobacco.

He said that because the harmful effects of its main comparator, tobacco, e cigarette use should not be over regulated.

“We’ve been in the field for very long, this for us is a revolution.

There is concern over the lack of regulation of e cigarettes

“Every adolescent tries something new, many try smoking. I would prefer they try e cigarettes to regular cigarettes.” Dr Le Houezec added.

Many are now calling for the industry to be regulated.

Konstantinos Farsalinos, from the University Hospital Gathuisberg, Belgium, said it was important for some light regulation to be put in place “as soon as possible”.

“Companies are all hiding behind the lack of regulation and are not performing any tests on their products, this is a big problem.”

Prof Farsalinos studies the health impacts of e cigarette vapour. Despite the lack of regulation, he remained positive about the health risks associated with inhaling it.

An EU proposal to regulate e cigarettes as a medicine was recently rejected, but in the UK e cigarettes will be licensed as a medicine from 2016.

Healthy rats

E cigarettes are still relatively new, so there is little in the way of long term studies looking at their overall health impacts.

In order to have valid clinical data, a large group of e cigarette users would need to be followed for many years.

Seeing as many users aim to stop smoking, following a large group of e smokers for a long period could be difficult.

But in rats at least, a study showed that after they inhaled nicotine for two years, there were no harmful effects. This was found in a 1996 study before e cigarettes were on the market, a study Dr Le Houezec said was reassuring.

Concern about the increase in e cigarette use remains.

The World Health Organization advised that consumers should not use e cigarettes until they are deemed safe. They said the potential risks “remain undetermined” and that the contents of the vapour emissions had not been thoroughly studied

E cigarettes still divide opinion

The British Medical Association has called for a ban on public vaping in the same way that public smoking was banned.

They stated that a strong regulatory framework was needed to “restrict their marketing, sale and promotion so that it is only targeted at smokers as a way of cutting down and quitting, and does not appeal to non smokers, in particular children and young people”.

Ram Moorthy, from the British Medical Association, said that their use normalises smoking behaviour.

“We don’t want that behaviour to be considered normal again and that e cigarettes are used as an alternative for the areas that people cannot smoke,” he told BBC News.

But Lynne Dawkins, from the University of East London, said that while light touch regulation was important, it must be treated with caution.

She said that e cigarettes presented a “viable safer alternative” to offer to smokers.

“We don’t want to spoil this great opportunity we have for overseeing this unprecedented growth and evolving technology that has not been seen before, We have to be careful not to stump that.”

Vt. lawmakers discuss taxing e-cigarettes – wcax.com local vermont news, weather and sports-

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MONTPELIER, Vt.

Health professionals warn about the dangers of e cigarettes, but users say they&#39 re the healthier choice. Now lawmakers must decide whether to tax them.

“Normal cigarettes seem disgusting to me now, said Frances Russell, an e cigarette smoker.

Russell is trying to quit smoking. She says after three weeks of swapping e cigarettes for traditional cigarettes, her breathing has improved.

Russell is smoking more frequently, but says she&#39 s already cut back on the strength of her new fix.

“So far this has been the best way for me not to smoke real cigarettes,” said Russell.

E cigarettes heat a nicotine solution and deliver the drug via water vapor. Those looking to quit try to wean themselves to just water vapor others are simply trying to switch habits.

“I think the product is a dangerous one,” said Sen. Jon Campbell, D Windsor County.

The Vermont Legislature is considering a proposal to tax the product at a rate level to the regular tobacco tax at 92 percent.

The measure passed in the House, and Senate President Pro Tem Campbell wants to see it become law. He says not enough is known about the health consequences and argues the highly toxic vials can kill if accidentally ingested.

“I know that will not make some people happy, but when it comes down to the safety of children, it means a lot to me,” said Campbell.

“We should be cautious about taxing a product that we think might be getting some folks off of tobacco,” said Gov. Peter Shumlin, D Vermont.

The governor says he&#39 s heard stories of e cigarettes helping folks quit, and says the state shouldn&#39 t regulate it out of fear of the unknown.

In Burlington, Garcia&#39 s Tobacco Shop Manager Robert Ronci says prices will nearly double. He says taxing the product makes sense it&#39 s the rate that doesn&#39 t.

“The bigger picture is that we&#39 re taxing something at 92 percent to begin with,” said Ronci.

Ronci says the tax is regressive with much of the tax dollars coming from the state&#39 s poorest individuals. Russell says she&#39 ll keep puffing e cigs and doesn&#39 t think she can afford a price hike, but says her lungs can&#39 t afford going back to traditional cigarettes.

The taxes would be applied on the wholesale level with costs passed on to consumers. Proponents do concede the concentrated solution could be fatal if swallowed, but point out that many common household items are as well.

Both the American Heart Association and American Lung Association have warned against the use of E cigarettes.