Estonian Health Foundation Recommends Equalling E-cigarettes with Tobacco Products

Source from:  The Baltic Course  09/26/2013

The Estonian Health Foundation made a proposal to the social minister to equal e-cigarettes with tobacco products, ban advertising the product, selling it to minors and smoking in public places and tax the nicotine liquid with excise tax, LETA/Postimees Online reports.

"Consumption of e-cigaretteshas surged also among minors, and without an analysis it is not possible toascertain whether the fill-up liquid of an e-cigarette contains nicotine ornot. When kids smoke e-cigarettes in public transport and tell an adult whogoes to forbid them, that this is not a forbidden activity, then it is clearthat clear regulations are needed for the society," said Estonian HealthFoundation board chairman Eero Merilind, adding that nicotine is a nerve toxin in any way of consumption and long-termeffects of using e-cigarettes are not known.

The Estonian Health Foundationestimates that all sales and consumption restrictions described in the laws fortobacco products would have to be implemented on e-cigarettes, which means,among other things, a sales restriction and consumption restriction for minorsand banning the use of e-cigarettes in places where smoking is forbidden.

The Estonian Health Foundationproposed that the nicotine in the fill-up liquid of e-cigarettes should betaxed with tobacco excise tax, which would enable to get extra income for thetense state budget. Enditem