There is much misinformation in the media about electronic cigarettes and a strong need for more evidence-based research into their use. One area which has sparked regular debate is the classification of e-Liquid as a dangerous poison. A recent report (June 2014), commissioned by ECITA (The Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association) concluded that European officials have been wrongly labelling e-liquid as extremely toxic.

The ECITA press release 11 July 2014 - E-Cigarette Liquid Is Not Highly Toxic - It’s Less Dangerous Than Washing Up Liquid, states ‘Basic mathematical errors by officials across the EU have resulted in e-cigarette liquid being wrongly categorised as a highly dangerous substance like strychnine and formaldehyde when most e-liquid is in a lower hazard category than washing-up liquid’.

How toxic is e-Liquid? Many have argued strongly that the quantity of nicotine contained in e-Liquid does not warrant such a strong classification as a dangerous poison. ECITA, in wanting to answer such questions consulted a specialist toxicological consultancy, bibra in order to obtain an independent and scientifically valid answer to this question. The full report can be read here.

ECITA writes (11 July 2014), 'The new report demonstrates that the acute oral and dermal toxic hazards of the strongest consumer e-liquids only merit being classed as category 4 – along with washing-up liquid – while the vast majority of e-liquid (which has nicotine concentrations below 25mg/ml or 2.5%) does not require any type of formal hazard warning'.

To further verify the report, ECITA sort further input from three people with specific expertise in nicotine, the world’s top-ranked nicotine scientist Professor Riccardo Polosa, eminent toxicologist, Professor Bernd Mayer and tobacco scientist, Dr Jacque Le Houezec. Their input can be read in the ECITA article published here.

Liberty Flights advocate the need for ongoing evidence based research and the importance of the need to ensure quality research and valid data is available for consumers to make informed choices and decisions about making the switch to electronic cigarettes.

Liberty Flights will always take actions to ensure warnings and safety labelling is adhered to across our range of products. Nicotine does have potential dangers for small children and small pets and we do recommend that e-Liquid be stored where children and pets cannot access e-Liquid bottles. Nicotine does have emetic effects (i.e. a substance which induces nausea and vomiting) and ingestion is unpleasant and can be traumatic which is clearly a risk that should be reduced as much as possible.

Liberty Flights is a board member of ECITA and we are working to continuously raise quality standards in the industry.