Israel Health Ministry Warns Against Electronic Cigarettes Because of "Lack of Uniformity"

According to an article in the Jerusalem Post, the Israel Health Ministry is warning against the use of electronic cigarettes because of a "lack of uniformity" in their production and in their ingredients.

According to the article: "Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) have become popular around the world among those who have difficulty giving up the addictive nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products. But now the Health Ministry has warned against using the smokeless devices, as “their contribution to smoking cessation has not been proven, and e-cigs are liable in some cases to pose a real health danger.” The “certificates of safety” that manufacturers and marketers distribute to purchases of the devices “can’t be trusted,” as they do not undergo any “orderly process of monitoring,” the ministry said on Wednesday. ... Thus the ministry urged the public to stay away from ecigs, as some authorities around the world have found dangerous and even carcinogenic substances in these products. “There is no research that prove safety and efficacy of the products. The manufacturing conditions are problematic, as there is no uniformity or quality control,” the ministry continued. Also, there is no uniformity in the amount and concentration of the chemicals that reach the user’s lungs, according to the ministry, which said that there have been reports of problems with the battery and leakages from the cartridges."

The Rest of the Story

It appears that the Israel Health Ministry would rather have smokers use real cigarettes than quit smoking via the use of electronic cigarettes, because unlike the electronic ones, tobacco cigarettes have an "orderly process of monitoring," "uniformity and quality control" in their production, and "uniformity in the amount and concentration of the chemicals that reach the user's lungs." They also have no batteries or leaky cartridges to worry about.

Given the magnitude of the problem of smoking in Israel, especially among Arab men, one would think that the Health Ministry would embrace a new technology that is helping thousands of ex-smokers to remain off cigarettes and has been shown in a clinical trial to help more than half of subjects to cut down on smoking by at least 50%. Especially when there is clear evidence that these products are much safer than regular cigarettes, including the fact that they reduce TSNA (a carcinogen) levels by more than two orders of magnitude and that they contain no other identified carcinogens.

It is almost as if the Health Ministry is praising cigarettes because of the uniformity in their production and chemical delivery. Sure, they'll kill you, but at least we know they are produced in a uniform and controlled manner.

So today, I am offering some slogans that cigarette companies can use to market their products in Israel. I am not claiming copyright on these slogans, so the companies are free to use them:

Smoke Tobacco Cigarettes: You Can Trust Our Quality Control

Tobacco Cigarettes: Uniformity You Can Count On, Quality You Can Trust

Tobacco Cigarettes: You Know Exactly What You're Getting in Every Puff

Take the Mystery Out of Vaping: Switch to Real Cigarettes