Will E-Cigarettes Be Regulated By The MHRA in the U.K.?

In a recently published article, the United Kingdom Medicines and Health Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has stated that henceforth e-cigarettes in the country will be controlled and regulated like medicines. This has been decided with a focus on improving the product, and also to maintain a standard in manufacturing and marketing that is approved by the authority.

In U.K. alone smoking causes more than 80,000 deaths every year. Once it becomes mandatory to acquire license from the regulatory authority for electronic cigarettes and other related products – they will be recognized as medicines, and will be sold over-the-counter only. This is not at all a very good development for e-cig manufacturing companies producing substandard products. Presently, e-cigarettes are self regulatory to meet the market standards, but once they come under the medical regulation, access to these products will be more restricted, and that seems quite unjustifiable for a number of manufacturers.

But from the user’s point of view this is certainly a good new, as they will no longer need to worry about the product quality they will be purchasing over the counter. Moreover, if you are under age, you will not get your hands on those products. These are certainly going to bring down the sales figures, but in a world that expects around 8 million deaths caused by tobacco consumption by the end of the year 2013, it is a necessary step forward.

Way back in 2011, the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S.A. announced categorizing of electronic cigarettes as tobacco products and bring them under their regulation. As per FDA, at present customers have no way knowing the safety standard of most of these products available in the market, or how much nicotine they will be inhaling by using such products. E-cigs, though can be a very good alternative to traditional tobacco consumption are currently not recommended by either the FDA or the MHRA simply because of the fact they are not regulated to maintain a certain standard.

MHRA considers complete cessation of smoking as a good alternative. But that can be pretty difficult for most regular and habitual smokers. Subsequently, getting the required amounts of nicotine from safer sources is without any doubt a healthier proposition. Until the regulation comes into action, consumers are advised to depend more on nicotine patches and gums to cut down on their daily nicotine consumption.

Both FDA and MHRA aim at bringing the e-cigarettes under their regulation and surveillance and once these devices are classified as therapeutic usage items, situation will be more under their control. Many manufacturers might not be happy with the announcement, but this is certainly a healthy step towards the future.