HOW will electronic cigarettes be regulated?
Last year the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said e-cigarettes in the UK would be subject to licensing from 2016. It’s expected that those products that gain a licence will still be able to be sold over the counter in stores.
But as this section of Scottish Grocer went to press the European Parliament was expected to approve the updated EU Tobacco Directive, which, among many other changes, would set up dual status for electronic cigarettes. Products marketed as a quit aid would be regulated as medical items. Products marketed as an alternative to tobacco will be regulated in a similar way to tobacco products. In that case, says the directive, they should not contain nicotine more concentrated than 20mg/ml, a single cartridge should contain the equivalent nicotine of a pack of cigarettes and products should be child-proof, carry health warnings and be subject to advertising restrictions.
