An E-Cigarette mainly consists of 3 components:
1. A container containing nicotine (though not all -e-juice contains nicotine), water, flavoured e-juice with propylene glycol base, vegetable glycerine, or a polyethylene glycol mixture.
2. An atomizer which contains a resistance element which, when energized, boils the liquid into a vapour; and
3. A battery which powers the atomizer, indicator light, or any other option the unit may have.
Are they legal Canada?
While e-cigs may be marketed to help quit smoking or replace tobacco, they are not approved for use in Canada. Actually, it is the nicotine that may be in the e-juice that is not approved. In March 2009, Health Canada released an Advisory in March 2009, that Canadians shouldn’t use e-cigarette products as they could impose various health issues and risks. At that time had not been tested for efficacy, safety, and quality by Health Canada. In addition, they also released a notice to shareholders in this niche defining that e-cigarette products that were sold with the intent to introduce a dose of nicotine into the body is considered a new drug and would come under the legislation of the Food and Drug Act. Now, the notice applies only to e-cigs or e-juice that contained or was intended to introduce nicotine into the human body. This, of course, created a grey area to which many marketing efforts have exploited. E-cigs that don’t make a health claim or don’t incorporate nicotine in the ingredient may, in fact, be sold legally in Canada. Therefore, a lot of stores and businesses are selling these devices without nicotine or with claims of ‘nicotine free’ cartridges to stay within these regulations and generate revenue in this niche.
Are E-Cigs safe to use?
At this time, there isn’t sufficient research done to evaluate any risks to vapors from using e-cigs. This, of course, produces a need for more research so that these questions can be answered. While e-cigs may be sold as a safe alternative to tobacco or to help one quit smoking, they may still pose other unknown risks like alternate addictions or possibly poisoning.
Nicotine’s a very addictive and dangerous drug, it only makes sense that if you’re using e-cigs to assist in quitting smoking, that you use a mom-nicotine e-juice.
