As the European Parliament convenes to finalise a decision on the way electronic cigarettes are to be regulated vapers all around the world wait nervously for the verdict. Snus (smokeless tobacco) has been banned in all EU countries except Sweden which managed to retain its usage when it joined the union. Possibly as a result of snus, Sweden has the lowest smoking rates among males and the lowest rates of lung cancer and emphysema. However, snus has reportedly been under repeated attack from researchers funded by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
It appears that electronic cigarettes are worryingly getting the same treatment. Despite the scientific evidence that shows traditional nicotine replacement therapy products (NRTs) to be considerably less effective than e-cigs and snus in helping people quit smoking, pharmaceutical companies have lobbied in favour of banning all nicotine substitutes other than tobacco. This gives people the very narrow choice of either pharmaceutical patches or drugs such as Pfizer's Chantix (which is currently under class action due to the hundreds of suicides by recipients).
