"Electric cigarette explodes in Florida man’s mouth"

[Palinurus]

From: _http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/11/electronic_cigarettes_are_addi.php

Electronic cigarettes are addictive, dangerous to health: RIVM

Thursday 28 November 2013

Claims that electronic cigarettes are less harmful than ordinary cigarettes are untrue, according to the Dutch public health institute RIVM in Thursday’s AD.

Like an ordinary cigarette, e-cigarettes are addictive and contain noxious substances, the body is quoted by the AD as saying.

Users report mouth and throat irritations and nausea, the exhaled air contains dangerous chemicals and the nicotine which is inhaled is a danger to unborn children, the paper says.

Junior health minister Martin van Rijn is now planning to take immediate action to curb the use of the cigarettes rather than wait for legislation from Brussels.

Information

‘I am taking the RIVM and product safety inspectors’ warnings seriously,’ the AD quotes Van Rijn as saying. ‘That is why I am going to take extra steps in terms of information to the public about the safety of the e-cigarette.’

There are no rules in the Netherlands about where e-cigarettes can be smoked because they do not contain tobacco. ‘But until there is more clarity, researchers recommend they be smoked away from children,’ he said.

The minister has also asked the RIVM to carry out further investigation.

Marcel Göertz, founder of the Dutch e-cigarette users’ lobby group Acvoda told the Volkskrant all major international studies show e-cigarettes are far less dangerous than ordinary tobacco products.

‘And there is no damage to the surroundings,’ he said. ‘The RIVM report has major errors and deliberately leaves out information… we know exactly what an e-cigarette does to you, just not in the long term. And that is being researched.’

Water pipes

In July, Van Rijn said he had no plans to ban the sale of 'shisha pens', a mini water pipe which mimics the effect of smoking and which is popular among school children.

However, addiction experts at the Trimbos institute said the use of shisha pens is a worrying development because of the potential health risks and the fact that youngsters become used to the idea of smoking and inhaling smoke.

The pens can be bought on line and in tobacconists. While the Dutch importer has recommended they are not sold to the under-16s, this is not compulsory.

© DutchNews.nl

 

[SeekinTruth]

The whole thing sounds like nonsense, because they are arguing whether e-cigarettes are more or less dangerous than regular cigarettes/tobacco, when there's no evidence that tobacco is dangerous in the first place, especially whole leaf tobacco. There's quite a bit of evidence for the benefits of tobacco (and nicotine), though. I don't know about the long term use of these e-cigs, but it just reenforces the feeling that they just don't want anyone getting ANY benefits from nicotine, period. Always going on about the dangers to those nearby, blah, blah, blah. Making nonsensical claims that "second hand/passive" smoke is even more dangerous, etc.

For a couple of decades I've told some people that if "second hand smoke" was so dangerous, us smokers should basically be dropping dead by our 30's (if not earlier), especially those of us who've been smoking since our teens. Probably many others were making similar arguments for a while, because for the last few years there's a pretty widespread fear campaign that claims "second hand smoke" is even more dangerous.

Another thing that stood out is that kids can smoke water pipes/shisha "pens" in the Netherlands? Isn't there a minimum age for tobacco products in Netherlands? If not, that's pretty remarkable. There was no minimum age for tobacco when I was a kid in the U.S. Any child could go into a store and buy cigarettes/tobacco for their parents (or themselves, obviously). And then, I think around the early 90's, I noticed that each state had passed laws with minimum age to buy tobacco products, and stores that sold them were very careful to ask for ID, if in doubt, so as not to get into trouble, just like selling alcohol to those underage.

 

[Palinurus]

Another thing that stood out is that kids can smoke water pipes/shisha "pens" in the Netherlands? Isn't there a minimum age for tobacco products in Netherlands?

The minimum age for allowance of buying tobacco products was recently (2012) changed from 16 yo to 18 yo in order to equalize with the minimum age for alcohol and other stimulants. Some groups advocated a minimum age of 20 or 21 but didn't get their wishes honored.

As for the shisha pens, most of them just imitate smoking and contain no nicotine. They are available in a variety of flavors which makes them attractive for kids, like sweets are. It's just make believe, really.

Those that do contain nicotine are called Vapes and are restricted to 18 yo and older. But control and enforcement are lacking and --when existent-- easily to bypass via elder friends doing the buying for the underages.

_http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishapen (Dutch only)
_http://www.shisha-pens.com/
_http://www.quitshisha.com/blog/are-electronic-shisha-pens-a-safe-alternative/

 

[SeekinTruth]

Thanks for the additional info, Palinurus. I thought it would be too good to be true to have young teens have access to nicotine. NOT in this world at this time.... But, they can have all the junk food they want. Maybe we should start a disinformation campaign that consuming junk food is more dangerous to those around you than even yourself.

 

[Palinurus]

The latest from: _http://www.nltimes.nl/2015/12/04/e-cigarettes-banned-for-people-under-18/

E-cigarettes banned for people under 18

Posted on Dec 4, 2015 by Janene Pieters

E-cigarettes (Picture: Twitter/@ECigarettesUK1)

E-cigarettes will soon fall under the same rules as normal cigarettes – not for sale to persons under the age of 18 and restrictions on advertising, RTL Nieuws reports.

According to the broadcaster’s sources, the Council of Ministers will approve Health State Secretary Martin van Rijn’s measures in the new tobacco law on Friday.

While the vapor of an e-cigarette is less harmful than the smoke of a normal cigarette, it still contains nicotine and noxious substances and is thus still unhealthy. Van Rijn is changing the Tobacco Law to reflect that.

The updated law will state that e-cigarettes are not for sale to people under the age of 18, the same advertisement restrictions as for normal cigarettes applies and e-cigarettes must be sold with a mandatory package insert explaining the health risks. E-cigarettes may still be smoked in restaurants and bars for the time being.