Electronic Cigarette

Jakarta - Drug and Food Control Agency warned the public that electronic cigarettes that have been circulating in some cities are illegal and unsafe products.
"This product has not been doing clinical trials is therefore dangerous. World Health Organization (WHO) has declared product is not safe to eat, to recommend to prohibit its circulation," explained Director of Drugs Control POM Danardi Sosrosumihardjo in Jakarta, Friday (6 / 8) .

Electronic cigarette or "Elecronic Nicotine Delivery Systems" (ENDS) is marketed as a substitute for cigarettes and claimed not cause odor and smoke.
Shaped like a regular cigarette, but instead of burning tobacco leaves, like a conventional cigarette products, ENDS burning liquid and vapor that use batteries into the user's lungs.

The product is marketed under many names, among them the electronic cigarette, ecigarro, electro-smoke, green-CIG, and smartsmoker.
Danardi said it had received reports from various areas, among others, Makassar, Semarang, Lampung and Palembang, about the circulation of these illegal products, and has coordinated with the Ministry       of Commerce for enforcement............

  "Because it's illegal, POM can not supervise. The product is also not registered as a cigarette, so can not be disciplined by the Customs," explained Danardi.
In a leaflet or flyer, one product called Surabaya Electric Cigarette marketing two types of cigarettes, which are black and green.
Black cigarettes sold for Rp190 thousand and green colors for Rp160 thousand.

It also claims the product has obtained national and international certificate, which is disputed strongly by POM.
"This product has not been registered in Indonesia. In many countries also circulated illegally. China and Hong Kong are now banned because it is considered toxic," said Danardi.
ENDS industry calls are not clearly disclose the combination of chemicals that entered during the setup process.

"The industry is also not clear, but from searching the internet for at least 24 companies are licensed and more brands and models," explained Danardi.
POM United States, the FDA in May 2009 and then conducted an analysis of these cigarettes and examine the contents of the e-cigarette from the two companies.
The result is found that it contains diethylene glycol and specific nitrosamines in tobacco.
FDA studies show that an inconsistent level of nicotine in the container with the same label. In fact, in a container labeled ENDS does not contain nicotine was found nicotine.
"The World Health Organization" (WHO) in September 2008 had stated that they did not agree and do not support electronic cigarette consumption as a tool to quit smoking.

On 6-7 May 2010 and then, WHO is convening a meeting to discuss safety related regulations ENDS, and states that the product has not been through enough testing to determine if it is safe to consume.
Based on the consideration that, then POM suggested that the product was banned, and to the public not to consume products that cigarette alternative.
"We want to say to the public, this product is not safe," said Danardi asserted