E-Cigarettes Banned to Minors in Italy

The sale of e-cigarettes to minors has been banned in Italy.

Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin "bans the sale of electronic cigarettes with nicotine to minors under the age of 18," her ministry said in a statement.

E-Cigarettes to be Banned in France
France is expected to apply the same bans to electronic cigarettes as it does on tobacco, Health Minister Marisol Touraine said.

"We don't want to say that electronic cigarettes are more dangerous than normal cigarettes but they should not be used as harmless objects," Lorenzin told Rai television.

"People need to be informed about what they use... water and aroma (capsules) are one thing, but nicotine can create dependencies," she added.

Italian consumer association Codacons criticised the new law as "utterly insufficient".

Italian Health Ministry Casts Doubt Over Effectiveness of E-Cigarettes
The Italian Health ministry said that they might not be too effective as they too deliver nicotine to the body.

"E-cigarettes should be banned in all public places, just like normal cigarettes. It's not clear why the ministry believes they are dangerous, and therefore should be banned in schools, but not in other places open to the public," Codacons president Carlo Rienzi said.

Source-AFP

Recommendation to Ban Smoking E-cigarettes in Public Places
The Italian health ministry's top advisory body has recommended a ban on the smoking of electronic cigarettes in public places and their sale to pregnant women and minors.