[Jackie]

Update (4 June):

2 June was the deadline for MHRA Consultation MLX 364. Deadline has now been extended yet again until 9 June. The deadline has been changed yet again to 8 June! A huge thank you to everyone who has responded, and to those who have attempted to gather support via MPs and other officials - fingers crossed that the feedback will have some impact!

If you'd like to see some of the responses that have been written Kate has gathered a few over at Vapers Network.

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Given the urgency of the situation at hand we (meaning myself and the mods, and massive credit goes to Prof Beard for this post) felt something needed to be put together to give people a quick at a glance post for information. So here it is. :)

Vaping in the UK is under serious threat

As part of the Governments "Smokefree Future" initiative, a shift towards "harm reduction" is proposed:

http://www.dh.gov.uk...t/dh_111748.pdf

This ought to be good news for vapers who have already found a successful way of replacing smoking as their means of using and enjoying nicotine. BUT - the government has placed the responsibility for dealing with "nicotine containing products" with the MHRA. The MHRA is proposing regulation, which, if implemented as proposed, could see the end of the products and liquids we enjoy, and at best their replacement by "approved" devices and liquids "eventually". See:

http://www.mhra.gov....=LatestReleased

There is a "public consulation", with a form to give your (please be honest but not emotional) views:

http://www.mhra.gov..../MLXs/CON065617

If MHRA ignore our views (or don't get them) the timescales for this consultation are too short to allow any current e-cig or juice vendor/manufacturer to gain approval for their products before e-cigs and liquid would be forceably removed from the market.

There is a suspicion that the MHRA were hoping for/expecting no responses to this consultation - they haven't even called UK vendors and vapers for a meeting.

PROVE THEM WRONG - LET THEM KNOW HOW WE FEEL

If you don't respond you'll be letting us all down.


Things you can do to help

Send a personal response to the Consultation as detailed above.

Write to your MP - http://www.writetothem.com/

Sign the UK petition - http://www.petitiono...g/petition.html

Pass on the news to any interested parties - friends, family, acquaintances, other forums, twitter and facebook friends etc.

Thanks for your attention

The UK Vapers Admin and Mod Team

*Updates*

5 Feb - iStormUK has set up a petition at the Number 10 petition site, please sign it! http://petitions.num...uk/ecigarettes/ (Sadly this petition is no longer functional, it seems all number10 petitions have been suspended for the time being.

6 Feb - detached this post from the thread so that it's a simple notice, you can continue discussion [ame="http://ukvapers.com/showthread.php?t=473"]in this thread[/ame] where the previous posts have been moved to. Also see Vapers Network for further info and discussion.

9 Feb - Lots of information can be found on Vapers Network, in particular the Legal Trends, Studies reports and expert opinion and links pages as well as the forum library. They are a useful collection of the information out there, particularly if you want information to pass to others.

8 June - Reponses now closed for MHRA Consultation (MLX 364).

This post has been edited by Jackie: 08 June 2010 - 06:42 PM
Reason for edit: Updated as MHRA changed deadline date yet again!