E-cigarette use in public places: Striking the right balance

Abstract

First paragraph: The availability, marketing and use of electronic cigarettes or nicotine vapourisers is subject to a range of regulations across different countries, varying from the prohibition of sales and use, to little or no regulation. The most common approach adopted in countries that permit some use of e-cigarettes has been to adapt existing laws or frameworks designed for tobacco products to include e-cigarettes. This can include extending bans on tobacco advertising to e-cigarettes, applying the same age of sale laws or taxing e-cigarettes like tobacco. In some jurisdictions including many Canadian provinces and US states, existing smoke-free public places laws have also been amended to include e-cigarettes, so that vaping is prohibited wherever tobacco cannot be used—including enclosed public places, workplaces and some outdoor areas. But is this the right approach, and is it supported by research evidence?