Concern in Switzerland after first vaping-related illness
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Swiss lung doctors are calling for a register of suspected vaping-related illness after a first suspected case was reported in Switzerland. The issue has gained global attention in recent weeks as the number of fatalities rises among electronic cigarette smokers in the United States.
A 44-year-old asthmatic woman who was a big e-cigarette user was hospitalised in the Swiss city of Winterthur in January with serious respiratory problems, according to a report by Swiss television SRF.
In the US, there have been hundreds of cases of severe lung damage and nine deaths linked to use of E-cigarettes. It is not yet clear which ingredients make e-cigarettes dangerous for some people. Some US states have banned them in the meantime.
On Thursday, the Swiss parliament will resume discussions on a revised draft law on tobacco. The main points in the original draft include a nationwide ban on the sale of tobacco products to people under 18 and regulations on electronic cigarettes and tobacco products for heating.
Previous attempts by parliament to tighten the tobacco law have come up against a bloc of right-of-centre parliamentarians fearful of the economic consequences. Many international tobacco companies have a strong presence in Switzerland. Among them are Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco International and British American Tobacco.
