Italian Tobacconists At War With The Electronic Cigarette

Chillout

Chillout

Community Member
Sep 10, 2007
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Mantova, Italy
The union that represents 5320 Tobacconist in Italy (L'UniontabItalia) is at war with the electronic cigarette as they say that it is ruining their industry. In the region of Lazio they have appealed to the regional administrative court (TAR) to stop shops from selling them.

An Electronic cigarette is a form of smoking but without tobacco and paper used in traditional cigarettes. The nicotine is sold in a liquid form and is available in many different flavours. The bottles of nicotine are also sold at different strengths providing the smoker the choice of nicotine intake.

Italy has very strict laws on who can sell cigarettes and only tobacconists with a license are authorised to sell them. In recent years, most towns, big and small have seen many electronic cigarette shops open. At present, you do not need a license to sell them as they are not classified as a tobacco product.

The union claims that electronic cigarettes is a liquid form of smoking and want them to be classified as a tobacco product.

What are your thoughts?
 
I think that electronic cigarettes are a great invention and it's only logical that tobacco companies are extremely mad. Smoking kills, that's for sure, and many people want to quit. You spend a lot of money on cigarettes every day too, almost 5 euros a day (if you smoke "only" 1 pack a day) is a lot, not to mention that you spend money to ruin your own health.

The electronic cigarette is a 'cheap' way to smoke and, even if it's harmful or not (like cigarettes aren't...), at a certain point you quit using it because that's the whole point.

Of course big cigarette companies are mad, they are losing a lot of money because people stop buying their cigarettes.
 
Chillout said:
The union that represents 5320 Tobacconist in Italy (L'UniontabItalia) is at war with the electronic cigarette as they say that it is ruining their industry. In the region of Lazio they have appealed to the regional administrative court (TAR) to stop shops from selling them.

An Electronic cigarette is a form of smoking but without tobacco and paper used in traditional cigarettes. The nicotine is sold in a liquid form and is available in many different flavours. The bottles of nicotine are also sold at different strengths providing the smoker the choice of nicotine intake.

Italy has very strict laws on who can sell cigarettes and only tobacconists with a license are authorised to sell them. In recent years, most towns, big and small have seen many electronic cigarette shops open. At present, you do not need a license to sell them as they are not classified as a tobacco product.

The union claims that electronic cigarettes is a liquid form of smoking and want them to be classified as a tobacco product.

What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
I can see why the Union claims electronic ciggaretts are a liquid form of smoking because it is basically. The reason they are angry about this is due to the fact they do not want people to quit smoking. I know a lot of people who have successfully quit smoking by using the electronic ciggs, and I don't think they should try to keep electronic ciggerrette shops at bay. It all boils down to money, they are afraid it's taking away from their industry.
 
This fight with electronic cigarettes is a lost battle really because I feel that more and more people with either stop smoking or start vaping, just because this last is a not so bad habit. I understand the setback that it is for the industry of tobacco, but it's a nasty sector that has to come to an end.
 
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