As US moves to regulate e-cigarettes, Cdn expert says they help more than hurt
Posted April 28, 2014 8:00 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The debate over e-cigarettes is heating up on both sides of the border.
Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration announced it would regulate the smoking alternative for the first time.
E-cigarettes with nicotine are technically illegal in Canada. But David Sweanor, a University of Ottawa law professor who works on tobacco and health issues, thinks the devices are better than things like the patch or nicotine gum.
“They give a small amount of nicotine on a slow uptake. You don’t get any of that hand-to-mouth stuff. I think they’ve been useful. I think they’ve helped a lot of people, but we’re now starting to see products that have potential to help many more.”
He believes there are a lot of misconceptions around the smoking cessation tool.
“A lot of organizations, including Health Canada, I believe are adding to the misinformation. They’re convincing smokers that these other products aren’t safe, so you may as well continue smoking, without saying, ‘Our best estimates [suggest they are] probably about 98 per cent less hazardous than cigarette smoking. It’s a huge difference.”
But critics say there’s not enough evidence of their effectiveness or safety and many think they help make smoking more socially acceptable.