Not so second hand
Passive exposure to nicotine from an e-cigarette is a drastic reduction to that of conventional
cigarettes, according to a study comparing the two. The study, conducted by the
International Journal of Public Health Research, calculated the amount of nicotine that
would be ingested by a passive subject when exposed to an active vaper and an active
smoker. It concluded that, at a distance of 100cm, the passive smoker reduced their
exposure to nicotine from 600 nanograms/puff to 5 nanograms/puff when the active
subject was vaping.
Raising the bar
China, the vape hardware capital of the world,
recently submitted intent to enforce new industry
standards for e-cigarettes to the World Trade
Organization (WTO). According to market
intelligence leader ECigIntelligence, “packaging,
labelling, and instruction manuals” and other
suggestions on “test methods” and “storage and
transportation” are understood to be included
in the 68-page document. Shenzhen alone is
home to more than 600 e-cigarette producers,
accounting for 95 percent of global e-cigarette
production.
Costa del smoke-free?
Spanish authorities are pushing for a voluntary smoking
ban on beaches in Majorca and Ibiza, in an effort to curb
litter and passive smoking. If this proposed scheme goes
ahead, beaches will distribute posters, leaflets and badges
discouraging holidaymakers from smoking.General
director of public health for the Balearic Government, Maria
Ramos, told The Express: “What is involved is to gradually
get people to empower themselves and make others respect
spaces without tobacco.
“Having these smoke-free beaches or coves will be added
value for tourists who visit us and for the residents of the
municipality.”
Europe’s Nanny
The UK has been voted one of the “least free”
countries in the EU by the 2019 Nanny State
Index, which ranks EU member states on
how easy it is to eat, drink, smoke and vape.
Germany took the top spot and was praised for
imposing the fewest restrictions on consumption
of legal products. Also at the top were the Czech
Republic in second place, Slovakia and Austria
in joint third, Luxemburg in fourth, and Spain
and Italy in joint fifth.Though the UK came out
as “freest” on e-cigarette regulation alone, our
rocky relationship with other consumables -
including alcohol and fast food - landed us in
the bottom five overall.
Notre Dame: cigarettes under suspicion
Investigators trying to establish the cause of the Notre Dame Cathedral fire have
turned their attentions to cigarettes as a possible explanation, after cigarette butts were
found on scaffolding. Though a spokesperson for the restoration company strongly
disputes worker negligence as a theory, officials are not ruling anything out and
expect the investigation to last for several weeks. Electrical short-circuits near
the Cathedral’s spire are also being investigated as a possible major cause of the
devastating fire, which ripped through the 850-year-old structure in April.
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