The ongoing saga surrounding theelectronic cigarettecontinues apace, without any resolution appearing imminent it seems. Some governments are even recommending that companies do not continue to market them until they have been tested by health organisations and officially declared safe.

My father, a non smoker, developed lung cancer and died as a result ofpassive smokingand I am a non smoker myself. From the outside looking in it does appear nothing short of incredible that the electronic cigarette is not being embraced by governments and health officials the world over.

If the electronic cigarette companies are to be believed (and perhaps eventually proved officially correct) then the potential of the electronic cigarette is huge. Life changing and possibly even world changing stuff! My political views may well be very naïve but if a world existed where decisions were based simply on what we currently know then surely this debate would be a no brainer!

It would seem a fair point that the vast majority (there are always exceptions) of the smoking population would love to smoke a cigarette that isn’t going to kill them if they intend to continue with the habit, whilst there are millions of course who would love toquit smokingaltogether.

Everything I have read about the electronic cigarette so far seems to promote both of these ideas strongly. A cigarette you can continue to smoke without inhaling all the harmful toxins, enabling a smoker to continue their habit without worrying about the muddy tar accumulating in their lungs or a cigarette that can actually help wean a smoker off “regular” cigarettes by allowing the user to gradually reduce the amounts of nicotine taken in thanks to the handy cartridge system an electronic cigarette uses.

It is obvious that the potential of these controversial electronic cigarettes is massive. Perhaps even the breakthrough of the century! So why are we still waiting for answers? If health organisations are saying they have not yet been tested, why not? If the potential here really is off the chart, why isn’t there a frantic dash from organisations and companies to be the first to declare the electronic cigarette officially safe?

Perhaps when all is said and done, it is sadly all about politics because organisations don’t seem to be prepared to declare the product categorically unsafe either!

In conclusion to a very meaningful and personal viewpoint, I hope that the electronic cigarette is proven to be as safe and radically life changing as the companies claim and the sooner the better, for everyone!