This morning, the European Parliament, the legislative body of the European Union, voted to reject a proposal that electronic cigarettes or “e cigs” be regulated as medical devices. The ruling, which contradicts several federal laws held by member nations of the E.U., is a major decision on what’s a fairly new and poorly understood health issue.

Electronic cigarettes have gained momentum in the past few years they’re seen as quasi medical tools to help quit smoking, but also seen as milder versions of cigarettes. They’re small, sometimes cigarette shaped devices that heat a liquid base containing nicotine and other ingredients (flavorings, mostly) slowly, so that the active chemicals vaporize, rather than burn as they would in a cigarette. The vapor is likely easier on the lungs than smoke from a regular cigarette, they can be smoked in places where cigarettes aren’t allowed (like bars and restaurants), and are about the same price as cigarettes in highly taxed places like New York City. (Disposable e cigs like the popular Blu brand, which costs $9.99, have about the same number of estimated “puffs” as a pack of regular cigarettes.) E cigs are estimated to become a $1.7 billion industry in the U.S. this year, more than twice that of the E.U.

E cigs are barely regulated. The few studies that have been performed indicate that the vapor from certain brands contains carcinogens, including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein, but e cigs are so new and have so recently become popular that the laws and regulations are struggling to catch up. At the moment, the U.S. has banned the sale to minors, but courts have rejected the FDA’s repeated attempts to have them classified as drugs (in the same category as nicotine patches). In the E.U., some countries, like Greece, have banned them outright. Some, like Britain, want them treated like medical devices, which would mean they would be more heavily regulated and only sold in pharmacies in some countries. The ruling will trickle down to the member countries within the next few years, as each country has to adjust its individual local and national laws.

Regulation in the U.S. is expected in the next month or so from public health officials, though the FDA hasn’t specified a timeline, and things are complicated by the shutdown.

Read more at the NY Times.

Customs regulations for travellers to ireland

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Travelling to Ireland from the EU

Cash controls

Ireland has no restriction on the amount of cash you can carry in or out of the country, or a requirement to declare it, when travelling within the EU. However, under the Criminal Justice Act 1994 Section 38(1) as amended by the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act 2005 Section 20, if you are carrying at least 6,348.69 in cash, a customs officer may seize and detain the cash. The customs officer must have reasonable grounds for believing the cash represents the proceeds of crime or is intended for use in criminal conduct.

Excise duties and VAT on goods

Since June 30, 1999, the sale of duty free goods to those travelling within the European Union (EU) has been abolished. This means that you will no longer be able to buy goods that are free of excise duty and VAT (value added tax) if you are travelling within the EU. Any goods you buy within the EU (with the exception of food, drink and tobacco products for on board consumption) will now be subject to normal rates of excise duty and VAT. Duty free sales will continue as before, if you are travelling to destinations outside the EU.

Goods bought in another EU country

You will not be charged any extra duty or VAT on purchases where the duty and VAT has been paid (for example, goods bought in shops, supermarkets, etc.) in another EU country, provided the goods are for your personal use.

If your purchases are equivalent to or less than the quantities set out in the table below, they will usually be regarded as being for your personal use. If you exceed these quantities, you may have to demonstrate at Customs that the goods are for your personal use.

Alcohol and tobacco allowances for travellers to Ireland from EU

Goods

Maximum quantity allowed

Cigarettes (see Note below)
Cigarillos
Cigars
Smoking tobacco
Spirits (whiskey, vodka, gin, etc.)
Intermediate Products (e.g. sherry, port, etc., excluding sparkling wine)
Wine (only 60 litres of sparkling wine allowed)
Beer

800
400
200
1 kg
10 litres
20 litres
90 litres
110 litres

Note Since January 2014 a reduced allowance of 300 cigarettes applies if you purchased the cigarettes in Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania or Romania.

You are not entitled to alcohol or tobacco allowances if you are aged under 17 years.

You should keep any receipts as proof that you have paid duty and VAT.

Bringing in meat or dairy products

Only products which have been produced in accordance with EU rules may be imported for personal consumption. As a guideline, quantities should not exceed 10 kg. Generally, the products are on sale to the public in the EU country of origin, are appropriately packaged and have an identifying EU health mark. An EU health mark is an oval stamp with

• The country code on the upper part, for example, UK
• An approval number in the centre
• The initials EC (European Commission indication) on the lower part.

Travelling to Ireland from countries outside the EU

Cash controls

Since 15 June 2007 if you are entering or leaving the European Union and carrying 10,000 or more cash you must make a declaration to the Customs authority of the member state you are entering or leaving. Under Regulation (EC) 1889/2005 you must lodge the declaration at the airport, seaport or land frontier through which you are entering the EU see How to apply below. If you are travelling to or from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man you also must make a declaration. Cash includes

• Currency in the form of banknotes or coins
• Bank drafts, cheques or money orders in bearer form, endorsed without restriction or with payee s name omitted.

Under the Criminal Justice Act 1994 Section 38(1) as amended by the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act 2005 Section 20, if you are carrying at least 6,348.69 in cash, a customs officer may seize and detain the cash. The customs officer must have reasonable grounds for believing the cash represents the proceeds of crime or is intended for use in criminal conduct.

Goods

You are allowed to bring in to Ireland the goods shown in the table below, (subject to maximum limits) if you are travelling to Ireland from any country outside the EU (this includes the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar).

The goods in question may have been bought either duty free/tax free or duty paid/tax paid outside the EU.

Allowances for travellers from outside EU

Goods

Maximum quantity allowed

Cigarettes
Cigarillos
Cigars
Tobacco

200 or
100 or
50 or
250 grammes

Spirits (whiskey, vodka, gin, etc.)
Intermediate Products (e.g. sherry, port, sparkling wine, etc.)

1 litre or
2 litres

Still wine

4 litres

Beer

16 litres

Other goods (e.g. gifts, souvenirs, perfume, clothing, etc.)

430 per adult
215 per child under 15 years

Your tobacco and intermediate products allowances are distributed on a fractional basis, i.e., you are allowed to bring in litre of spirits plus 1 litre of port or 100 cigarettes plus 50 cigarillos.

You are not entitled to alcohol or tobacco allowances if you are under 17.

People travelling together as a group cannot combine their individual allowances to buy goods.

You should keep any receipts as proof that you have paid duty and taxes.

Prohibited or restricted goods

Certain goods cannot be imported to Ireland or can only be imported under licence.

The main items that cannot be imported or must be imported under licence are

• Firearms
• Ammunition
• Explosives and fireworks
• Offensive weapons
• Indecent or obscene material (books, periodicals, prints and video recordings)
• Plants or bulbs
• Live animals or dead animals (including cats and dogs)
• Birds, poultry or eggs
• Endangered species
• Meat and meat products, milk and milk products, and certain foodstuffs (with specific exceptions)
• Hay or straw (even if used as packing)
• Oral smokeless tobacco products (for example, Snus)

There is more information on prohibited and restricted goods on Revenue’s website.

Drugs

It is an offence to import or carry on your person controlled substances (drugs) when travelling to or from Ireland. (Examples of controlled substances are cannabis, cocaine, heroin and amphetamines). The Customs National Drugs Team has dog units located at airports and ferryports. The drug detector dogs are trained to detect drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin and amphetamines. There are penalties for drugs offences in Ireland.

Bringing in meat or dairy products

You are prohibited from importing meat or dairy products for your personal consumption from almost all non EU countries. Limited quantities of certain other products may be imported provided their country of origin is an EU approved country. Further information is available in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine document on Animal Products Imports for Personal Consumption (pdf).