DISPUTE OVER E-LIQUID CIGARETTES

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The sale of e-liquid cigarettes is soaring significantly in Korea with legal loopholes exploited. Imported e-liquid and vape juice are being marketed without proper regulations in place, since they are not categorized as cigarettes. Here are the details.

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E-liquid products are on display at a corner of a convenience store. Demand for the smoking alternative is on the rise, since they come in various flavors, including strawberry and mango.

[Soundbite] (CONVENIENCE STORE EMPLOYEE(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "Many people do e-cigarettes, which don't emit smoke. We set aside e-cigarettes to sell to those who made reservations."

Most e-juice products contain nicotine, synthesized or extracted from tobacco stems, not leaves. They are the same as cigarettes for smokers. E-liquid is not categorized as cigarettes but chemicals under the current law in Korea.

[Soundbite] (E-LIQUID COMPANY OFFICIAL(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "They are cigarettes. But legally, they are an item of personal preference, which contains nicotine."

Most e-juice products are distributed without sales permits. One is required to obtain permission for sales of harmful chemicals when selling smoking alternatives containing over 2% nicotine. However, as most of these smoking alternatives contain less than that amount of nicotine, most e-liquid retailers simply reported they are selling the products, with only one firm obtaining a seller's permit. The lax regulations make it easy to buy e-liquid products, with insufficient tests to verify their potential harms. Recently, the number of lung disease cases, possibly related to e-cigarettes has surged 52 percent in the U.S.

[Soundbite] PROF. CHO HONG-JUN(SEOUL ASAN MEDICAL CENTER) : "Nicotine decreases the cognitive function of youths. It also can quicken their pulse and cause cardiovascular symptoms."

[Soundbite] REP. KI DONG-MIN(PARLIAMENTARY HEALTH&WELFARE COMMITTEE) : "Despite serious harms to public health, there are no legal measures to control e-liquid products."

Critics are calling for tighter, stronger regulations on all nicotine-containing products, regardless of their origin and types.