The vaping debate is characterised by confusion and contradiction - but those who have converted to e-cigarettes seem convinced.
The World Health Organisation this month insisted that e-cigarettes should be banned from use indoors because the risk to third parties was too great.
The health body's decision to weigh in on the vaping debate has added further confusion to what is already a cloudy issue.
While many highly-respected groups have sounded warning bells over vaping, there is also a vociferous health lobby rallying against over-regulation, arguing that getting smokers to switch to e-cigarettes could actually save lives.
The UK-based anti-smoking charity QUIT was among the high-profile voices raised in protest at WHO's call for a ban.
It cited university studies that prove those who have never smoked are extremely unlikely to use e-cigarettes - despite EU and WHO assertions to the contrary.
"Evidence does not support the view that e-cigarettes are undermining tobacco control," the study added.
Also quick to criticse WHO's call for a blanket ban was Professor Ann McNeill of King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry.
In response to the study, Prof McNeill stated: "Although e-cigarette vapour may be an irritant to people in close proximity to the e-cigarette user, there is no evidence of harm from other people inhaling e-cigarette vapour - unlike the known risks of second-hand cigarette smoke. There is also, as yet, no evidence that e-cigarettes are renormalisng smoking."
Medically referred to as Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Ends), e-cigarettes release a nicotine-infused vapour - but, significantly, they contain no tobacco or tar.
However, with such an onslaught of contradictory information, when it comes to legislation, taxation and regulation, many governments, it seems, are unsure of their next move.
Source: Gillian Fitzpatrick, Irish Independent, 23/09/14
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