The e-cigarette would be less harmful than a real cigarette and would help to stop smoking. But if it is up to the Dutch pulmonologists, there will be a total ban on e-cigarettes.
In an interview in the AD, Leon van den Toorn, chairman of the Association of Physicians for Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis (NVALT) is very firm:"We want no more e-cigarettes in the Netherlands."
Read also: "Why is it so hard to quit smoking?"
According to the lung specialist, there are "worrying developments". At least eight Dutch people went to the lung specialist after using the product. One even ended up in intensive care. Patients also cough up blood and abnormalities have been found on CT scans.
According to the lung specialist, it is nonsense that the e-cigarette is 95 percent less harmful, because there is no scientific evidence for this. It also does not help to get rid of smoking.
Whether there will be a total ban remains to be seen. State Secretary Paul Blokhuis wants to include the findings of the lung specialists in the ongoing research into the e-cigarette, but emphasizes that a total ban is not just possible, because he has to deal with European regulations.
United States
In the United States there has been a lot of fuss about the e-cigarette lately. More than 1,000 cases of lung injuries and at least 18 deaths from e-cigarette smoking have been reported there.
Sources:AD.nl/RTLnieuws.nl
