Bbc news – tough eu smoking rules approved
February 26th, 2015
“The new rules will help to reduce the number of people who start smoking in the EU.
“These measures put an end to products which entice children and teenagers into starting to smoke in the European Union.”
Simon Clark, the director of the pro smoking campaign group Forest, said banning menthol cigarettes was a ban on consumer choice that “will do little” to deter children from smoking.
He also questioned the need for plain packaging legislation to remove any branding from packs, which is being considered in some EU countries, including the UK.
Uniform or plain packs have been introduced in Australia
“If health warnings are going to be even more prominent, dominating both sides of the pack, why on Earth do we need plain packaging?” he asked.
“At the very least the government should wait and see what impact the larger warnings have before introducing standardised packs which are opposed by so many people.”
The commission said plain packaging could go ahead when “justified on grounds of public health”.
Cancer Research UK’s head of tobacco policy, Alison Cox, said “Today is a great day for health. The Tobacco Products Directive sets standards on tobacco which will bring real benefits for people’s health in the UK and across Europe.”
Archie Turnbull, the president the Smoke Free Partnership, said “Today marks a genuine turning point for European tobacco control and a huge stride towards a tobacco free Europe.”
England’s Public Health Minister, Jane Ellison, said “Today’s vote in the European Parliament to support new Europe wide controls on tobacco is good news for people’s health.
“The Government is serious about reducing smoking rates and in particular stopping children from taking up smoking. I am very pleased that we have made a significant step towards further tough action on tobacco in the UK and across Europe.”
Bbc news – users warn eu e-cigarette controls could cost lives
The European Parliament hasn’t banned their use. But it is going to impose restrictions on the kind of e cigarette that can be sold.
In particular, users or vapers as they call themselves will no longer be able to get some of the reusable and refillable devices that deliver the biggest nicotine hit.
The growing community of vapers believe it’s an assault on a product that is saving their lives by removing the temptation of tobacco.
Improving health
Christena Heseltine from North Shields in Tyneside has been using e cigarettes for five years.
She credits them with improving her health, but she also enjoys them. Her daughter Kirsteen is another user, and husband Ron, who has terminal oesophageal cancer, has recently joined them.
It’s unclear whether smoking caused his cancer but vaping has allowed him to continue to enjoy nicotine without smoking.
Christena is outraged at the European Parliament’s decision. She thinks it’ll ramp up costs for vapers but also make it impossible to obtain the high nicotine devices she often uses.
She says many frustrated users will go back to smoking, while others her included may look to the black market.
Kirsteen, Ron and Christena Heseltine all swapped tobacco for e cigarettes
She said “I’ll be forced to break the law, become a criminal, and that is scary.
“The vaping community has worked hard to make sure it’s as safe as possible. We have worked with trading standards to ensure the nicotine juices are safe and properly labelled.
“But now if I go to the black market, I won’t know whether the nicotine I’m getting is safe, so the work we have done will have been for nothing.”
Wrong direction
Vapers did have some allies in the European Parliament. North East Conservative MEP Martin Callanan, fought against the EU proposals, and is disappointed most of his colleagues backed them.
He said “This is going in completely the wrong direction. E cigarettes have the ability to convert thousands of smokers to vaping as they call it. That is a thousand times safer than smoking tobacco cigarettes.
