E-cigarette use has exploded and has been celebrated as the greatest aid to smoking cessation ever invented. Yet, as of 2016 in the UK, e-cigarette manufacturers will have to choose between being regulated as a medicine by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency or adhere to strict new EU regulations similar to tobacco products. The Welsh Health Ministry even want to ban their use in public places. The movement to ban or hyper-regulate e-cigarettes seems less to do with people’s health than a concern to attack and control our lifestyle choices. In this fascinating debate filmed at the Battle of Ideas, speakers tell it like it is and Chris Snowden argues compellingly public health policy needs to be stubbed out.
