As the Government lays out its plans for tobacco product packaging legislation and cigarette displays in shops, there is finally some good news for the electronic cigarette industry and their customers (“vapers”). This follows the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) public consultation on electronic cigarette licensing.

ECITA, (the Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association), of which Liberro are founding members, received notification from the MHRA of the outcome of their public consultation MLX364 concerning the regulation of nicotine containing products. The details of this consultation have been published on the MHRA website.

The MHRA have been debating whether electronic cigarettes should be licensed as medical devices. This would have a huge impact on the electronic cigarette industry and opens the debate as to why tobacco-free cigarette devices should be subject to such rigorous licensing, whereas tobacco cigarettes and cigars are not.

Katherine Devlin from ECITA stated, in an open letter to The Independent, recently:

"Electronic cigarettes are simply a much safer alternative way to smoke, when compared to smoking cigarettes, which require combustion, so that the user is exposed to the 4,000 toxic chemicals including 50 known carcinogens which are the by-products of burning. There have been a substantial number of studies undertaken, which demonstrate the relative safety of electronic cigarettes. ECITA members abide by a very strict Code of Conduct, which insists upon absolute compliance with the relevant regulatory laws which apply to electronic cigarette products. This includes very specific labelling and packaging requirements to ensure public safety. "

There were three options available for the public consultation:
1.regulate and remove from the market within 21 days
2.regulate with 1 year (or longer) to comply
3.take no action

The outcome of the public consultation (open to the general public, medical professional bodies including pharmacy, royal colleges, public health and NHS bodies, local authorities and trading standards, manufacturers/importers/retailers and tobacco industry, pharmaceutical and the healthcare industries) concluded that the MHRA should take no action in the regulation of electronic cigarettes as medical devices. This is with a view to carrying out further research over the next 18 months and has the full support of ECITA.

This is great news for both the electronic cigarette industry and "vapers" who can continue to enjoy tobacco-free electronic cigarettes for the recreational purpose they are designed and sold for, and not defined and controlled as medical therapy.