ID :
205195
Mon, 09/05/2011 - 08:14
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/205195
The shortlink copeid
'E-cigarettes' pose quandary in public smoking laws
(Yonhap Feature) By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Yonhap) -- Seon Ho, 38, smokes a pack and a half a day. He used to hate long-haul flights because he would have to stave off withdrawal pangs with nicotine gum and patches. Then he discovered a better option: electronic cigarettes.
"Shopowners assured me that it's OK to smoke 'e-cigarettes' on planes, so I bought one," Seon said.
E-cigarettes, made of plastic and metal, contain a disposable cartridge filled with a solution of liquid nicotine. When the solution is heated, it creates a vapor that the smoker inhales. For added effect, a tiny light on the tip even glows like a real cigarette.
While e-cigarette distributors continue to tout the convenience of being able to smoke anywhere traditional cigarettes are not allowed, in reality the devices have created a gray area under laws banning smoking in certain public places.
Many airlines, for example, have begun to inform passengers that e-cigarettes are in fact not allowed for use on their flights.
On a recent flight, Seon decided to whip out his e-cigarette to see if he could "light up."
"When I asked flight attendants whether I could use the device, I was told no," he said.
First marketed overseas in 2003, e-cigarettes became available in South Korea in late 2007. Since then, they have been gaining popularity in a country where nearly 40 percent of the adult population smokes.
Many opt for the new gadget, believing they contain fewer hazardous chemicals than actual cigarettes. As of April, more than 50 kinds of e-cigarettes were available on the local market.
With the growing population of e-cigarette users, the amount of liquid nicotine consumed annually increased from 700 liters in 2008 to 16,000 liters in 2009.
But whether these new gadgets can be considered actual cigarettes or not, and whether inhaling the "mist" is different from smoking, the answer is different depending on who you ask.
E-cigarettes are subject to tobacco tax like regular cigarettes. But for smokers, the issue has more to do with where they can use them, especially when the National Assembly and a growing number of local governments are banning smoking in public areas.
Enforcing the new law endorsed by the parliament, the Seoul city government began imposing a fine of 100,000 won (US$93) from June on those who puff at major public squares. It plans to designate city parks and major bus stops as non-smoking areas as well.
Authorities say that without unified rules on e-cigarettes or smoking aid devices, they have difficulty regulating those who use "cigarette-like devices" in such public places.
"By principle, we treat e-cigarettes the same as tobacco, which means they also fall under tobacco legislation," said Lee Soo-young, an official in charge of the health department in the Seoul city government. "Because the present law does not stipulate a fixed penalty on e-cigarettes, officials are currently persuading people not to smoke e-cigarettes in public spaces as it could bother others."
But e-smokers argue that regulating their devices is not an issue for the health authority and should be left up to individual establishments and businesses.
"Smoking e-cigarettes does not produce the smell of traditional cigarettes, ashes or cigarette butts," Kim Se-min, a Seoul-based e-cigarette seller, said. "Because this device allows for an inconspicuous smoking experience, it should be under less stringent rules."
Some see these alternative smoking devices as a win-win compromise to real tobacco, reducing health risks for smokers and protecting others from secondhand smoke. They're demanding leniency.
"As e-cigarettes are a compromise to normal tobacco and some use them to quit smoking, the government needs to take a flexible strategy to leave some space to breathe," said Kim Myung-jin, a 35-year-old e-smoker who is trying to quit for his newborn daughter.
Though adverse health effects of smokeless cigarettes have not yet been fully studied due to their short history, experts say at the very least there has to be a legal system to regulate e-cigarettes.
"Health authorities should monitor symptoms of e-cigarette addiction and prevent its rapid spread through websites, as it could be a gateway to smoking for youths," Myeong Seung-gwon, a doctor at the National Cancer Center, said. "Because we still don't know the exact health effects of e-cigarettes, they require constant monitoring before it's too late."
As for Seon, the frequent flier, he's been able to devise a sneaky solution to the e-cigarette ban on planes.
"Since I was told not to use the e-cigarette in my seat, I interpreted the rule in my own way," he said.
"I smoked it inside the aircraft lavatory, and the smoke detector didn't go off. It's no surprise because it produces mist, not smoke."
SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Yonhap) -- Seon Ho, 38, smokes a pack and a half a day. He used to hate long-haul flights because he would have to stave off withdrawal pangs with nicotine gum and patches. Then he discovered a better option: electronic cigarettes.
"Shopowners assured me that it's OK to smoke 'e-cigarettes' on planes, so I bought one," Seon said.
E-cigarettes, made of plastic and metal, contain a disposable cartridge filled with a solution of liquid nicotine. When the solution is heated, it creates a vapor that the smoker inhales. For added effect, a tiny light on the tip even glows like a real cigarette.
While e-cigarette distributors continue to tout the convenience of being able to smoke anywhere traditional cigarettes are not allowed, in reality the devices have created a gray area under laws banning smoking in certain public places.
Many airlines, for example, have begun to inform passengers that e-cigarettes are in fact not allowed for use on their flights.
On a recent flight, Seon decided to whip out his e-cigarette to see if he could "light up."
"When I asked flight attendants whether I could use the device, I was told no," he said.
First marketed overseas in 2003, e-cigarettes became available in South Korea in late 2007. Since then, they have been gaining popularity in a country where nearly 40 percent of the adult population smokes.
Many opt for the new gadget, believing they contain fewer hazardous chemicals than actual cigarettes. As of April, more than 50 kinds of e-cigarettes were available on the local market.
With the growing population of e-cigarette users, the amount of liquid nicotine consumed annually increased from 700 liters in 2008 to 16,000 liters in 2009.
But whether these new gadgets can be considered actual cigarettes or not, and whether inhaling the "mist" is different from smoking, the answer is different depending on who you ask.
E-cigarettes are subject to tobacco tax like regular cigarettes. But for smokers, the issue has more to do with where they can use them, especially when the National Assembly and a growing number of local governments are banning smoking in public areas.
Enforcing the new law endorsed by the parliament, the Seoul city government began imposing a fine of 100,000 won (US$93) from June on those who puff at major public squares. It plans to designate city parks and major bus stops as non-smoking areas as well.
Authorities say that without unified rules on e-cigarettes or smoking aid devices, they have difficulty regulating those who use "cigarette-like devices" in such public places.
"By principle, we treat e-cigarettes the same as tobacco, which means they also fall under tobacco legislation," said Lee Soo-young, an official in charge of the health department in the Seoul city government. "Because the present law does not stipulate a fixed penalty on e-cigarettes, officials are currently persuading people not to smoke e-cigarettes in public spaces as it could bother others."
But e-smokers argue that regulating their devices is not an issue for the health authority and should be left up to individual establishments and businesses.
"Smoking e-cigarettes does not produce the smell of traditional cigarettes, ashes or cigarette butts," Kim Se-min, a Seoul-based e-cigarette seller, said. "Because this device allows for an inconspicuous smoking experience, it should be under less stringent rules."
Some see these alternative smoking devices as a win-win compromise to real tobacco, reducing health risks for smokers and protecting others from secondhand smoke. They're demanding leniency.
"As e-cigarettes are a compromise to normal tobacco and some use them to quit smoking, the government needs to take a flexible strategy to leave some space to breathe," said Kim Myung-jin, a 35-year-old e-smoker who is trying to quit for his newborn daughter.
Though adverse health effects of smokeless cigarettes have not yet been fully studied due to their short history, experts say at the very least there has to be a legal system to regulate e-cigarettes.
"Health authorities should monitor symptoms of e-cigarette addiction and prevent its rapid spread through websites, as it could be a gateway to smoking for youths," Myeong Seung-gwon, a doctor at the National Cancer Center, said. "Because we still don't know the exact health effects of e-cigarettes, they require constant monitoring before it's too late."
As for Seon, the frequent flier, he's been able to devise a sneaky solution to the e-cigarette ban on planes.
"Since I was told not to use the e-cigarette in my seat, I interpreted the rule in my own way," he said.
"I smoked it inside the aircraft lavatory, and the smoke detector didn't go off. It's no surprise because it produces mist, not smoke."
