Quitting made easier

Electronic cigarettes will not be offered as an aid to help UAE smokers quit their habit until the full health impact of these devices is determined, according to a story in thenational.ae.

This week the Government’s product regulator said that vaping products could be sold legally from mid-April, overturning the current ban.

New regulations are being introduced to ensure product standards are maintained and to help the authorities stamp out the black market in these devices.

But government doctors said the country would not go as far as some nations in promoting the devices to smokers who wanted to quit but who had failed to do so using other methods.

Dr. Mohammad El Disouky, who is in charge of Dubai Health Authority’s smoking cessation clinic, said more long-term research was needed.

“Consumers will now have full details of the chemicals contained in the products and information on how to use them,” he said.

“From a public health perspective, this is a good move as people who are using these products will know they have been legally distributed under supervision from the authorities.

“That will guarantee their content and will restrict what materials some companies are using.

“But legalising and regulating e-cigarettes does not mean they can be offered as a quitting aid for tobacco smokers.”