The US outbreak of lung disease, linked to e-cigarettes and illicit THC juices, has not spread beyond the North American continent. And UK health experts are sticking to their advice to regular e-cigarette users: not to worry about getting sick.
"What is happening in the US is not happening here in the UK or in other countries where vejpning is well established. It is clear that this is a local problem"
It says John Britton, Professor and Director at UK center for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies in Nottingham to Financial Post newspaper.
Over 3.6 million Britons now use e-cigarettes regularly. The Public Health Agency of the United Kingdom was therefore quick to comment on the causes of lung disease in the United States: E-juice containing THC and the substance e-acetate. It was never about regular e-liquids or e-cigarettes. And that was clear from the start, according to the UK Department of Health.
"These substances, oils mainly, are banned from use for vejpning in the UK. At the same time, we have stricter legislation on e-cigarettes and e-juice across Europe compared to the US. This also applies to the marketing of these products, which cannot be targeted at young people. And we regulate it carefully" says Ann McNeill, Professor of Tobacco and Drug Dependence at the Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London, to Financial Post.
Smokers get the wrong message
Boats John Britton and Ann McNeill notes that the number of smokers in the UK is falling at a faster rate than in the US. One of the reasons for this is vejpningen, they say.
"It would be very unfortunate if smokers refrain from using e-cigarettes because of what is happening in the US" says John Britton.
He is also concerned about the bans on e-cigarettes that are becoming a reality in India and some US states. They are inappropriate from a public health perspective and send the wrong message to smokers.
"Smokers get the message that vejpning is dangerous and not, as research shows, 95% less harmful than cigarettes. And that's really a no-brainer. If someone continues to smoke, they lose a day of life for every four days they smoke. Banning an alternative like e-cigarettes means more people die from smoking." says John Britton to the Financial Post.
