E-cigarettes will be forced to become weaker as a result of new EU rules.

 

A Government impact assessment has warned that the restrictions set down in the Tobacco Products Directive could drive users back to smoking, as well as hiking the price of e-cigarettes and creating a black market of products that fall outside the new regulations. Under the new EU rules, which must be incorporated into domestic law by May 20, the maximum strength of the nicotine-containing liquid in e-cigarettes will be capped at 20 milligrams per millilitre.

 

UK legislations currently does not set a specific nicotine limit for e-cigarettes and many users vape concentrations of up to about 30 or 35 milligrams per millilitre to replace the nicotine they formerly ingested from heavy smoking. The Department of Health impact assessment says: "Consumers may switch to buying more lower concentration products due to no longer being able to purchase higher concentrations. This may lead to an increase in demand."

 

"Conversely, there may be a reduction in demand, as if users can't get the desired nicotine level from e-cigarettes they may switch to cigarettes." The impact assessment continues: "There is a risk that due to the potential price increase and reduction of choice of e-cigarettes, people will choose to switch back to smoking, thus harming their health."

Source: The Telegraph (27 April 2016) Reference: 110891