Smokers seek e-cig opportunity

About half of Tasmania’s smokers say they would cut down or quit smoking tobacco if nicotine-based electronic cigarettes were made legal, according to a story by Matt Smith in The Mercury, citing a new survey.

An Australasian Association of Convenience Stores survey involving 400 Tasmanian smokers showed a third had tried electronic cigarettes and almost three quarters were aware they were tobacco-free.

Half of those surveyed said they would cut back or quit smoking tobacco if nicotine-based electronic cigarettes, banned in Australia, were legalized.

“If e-cigarettes have the potential to assist even a proportion of smokers to reduce or quit smoking tobacco, then we need to give these products a chance to help Australians,” AACS chief executive Jeff Rogut said.

But the Health Minister Michael Ferguson has said there are no immediate plans to legalize electronic cigarettes with nicotine. The Government would work with other jurisdictions if any change to the regulatory framework were needed, he said.