Online E-Cigarette Trade Regulation

Yet again the INTERNET has undermined the best intentions of legislators. While smokeless e-cigarettes are banned in Australia, they are increasingly available online. The question legislators are facing is not how to police the life-threatening habit of smoking, but how to write laws that effectively deal with online cigarettes trade that frustrates their attempts to regulate. It's not the first time, and presumably it's far from being the last occasion, when the internet has caught the establishment off guard. Already this year the Sunday Canberra Times has revealed that synthetic drugs sold over the Internet, while illegal in some places, were being consumed legally in the ACT because authorities were wrong-footed by the variety of drugs that could be bought online. As reported today, the sale of e-cigarettes increased dramatically after a hike in the cost of a packet of smokes. Judging by the anecdotal evidence provided by one exporter based in New Zealand, Australian laws were significantly ineffective. Politicians need to further debate the impact of the internet on their ability to govern effectively. It is no good having laws unless they can be backed up by policing. Meanwhile, experts have lined up to argue e-cigarettes are unhealthy, saying they reinforce the smoking habit and could be dangerous because of the parts contained within them. These arguments seem to involve a lack of evidence, rather than relying on data from which a conclusion can be drawn. An ACT Health spokeswoman said e-cigarettes were not tested to Australian standards. There was no published data. It would be beneficial to see rigorous research done on this subject as it could be the assumption of many e-cigarette users that the devices help them quit smoking. Until they see hard evidence telling them it is dangerous, they may be difficult to convince. The fact that they are available online means many will ignore warnings from Australian health authorities, or are perhaps ignorant of the Government's stance toward the devices. There might be evidence out there that shows e-cigarettes are much healthier than smoking cigarettes themselves. It is a pity more research results are not available.