British media sent samples of e-cigarettes containing synthetic cannabinoids for testing. The E-cigarette Association called for a distinction between legal and illegal products

British media sent samples of e-cigarettes containing synthetic cannabinoids for testing. The E-cigarette Association called for a distinction between legal and illegal products

British media investigations found that illegal e-cigarettes contain synthetic cannabinoids "Spice", and the Electronic Cigarette Association called for distinguishing legal nicotine e-cigarettes from illegal products to avoid causing panic among consumers.

According to Clearing the Air on January 14, a researcher from ITV News in the UK recently contacted several laboratories in the UK and requested that e-cigarette samples be tested to detect whether they contain synthetic cannabinoid spices (Spice). In the email they sent, it was clearly stated that this move was in preparation for a report on the illegal sale of e-cigarettes and e-cigarette oils in the UK. The email mentioned that it was hoped that e-cigarettes and their oils would be sampled and tested.

Although "Spice" is an illegal substance in the UK, a recent BBC investigation found that a large number of illegal e-cigarettes contain the substance.

According to a study conducted by the University of Bath for the BBC, synthetic cannabinoids such as "Spice" have serious effects different from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and are associated with about half of prison deaths. The study also found that e-cigarettes containing "Spice" were sold as marijuana e-cigarettes in British schools and were extremely common. All of these products are currently illegal and sold by drug dealers.

At this time, the Tobacco and E-cigarette Bill is being considered by Parliament. The bill may give the British government the power to ban the addition of flavors to legal e-cigarettes, but not e-cigarettes containing "Spice". An industry insider told Clearing the Air that "the concern is that such reports may be used to scare MPs into supporting a crackdown on legal products, but will not help prevent drug dealers from selling already illegal products."

In 2019, US media reported that e-cigarettes caused acute respiratory diseases in young people, suggesting that this was related to legal nicotine e-cigarettes. Although it was eventually found that these cases were caused by illegal marijuana e-cigarettes and contained vitamin E, prohibitionists still used this as an argument to ban legal e-cigarette products.

John Dunne, Director General of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), warned,

"Consumers can be confident that compliant nicotine e-cigarettes are available from any reputable e-cigarette supplier, and that these products are designed to help them transition from cigarettes. There have been panic reports in the media, such as 'e-cigarettes confiscated from schools contain zombie flavours', which have led people to mistakenly believe that the nicotine e-cigarette industry is responsible for this new trend."

"Unless a clear distinction is made between the regulated e-cigarette market (which provides adult smokers with products that are 95% less harmful than cigarettes) and the unofficial supply of illegal products, it may make people wary of all e-cigarettes and may once again drive up smoking rates."