“Us” is Fivape, the Interprofessional Federation of vaping, a professional organization committed to the development of the French industry. The speaker, Charly Pairaud, is its vice-president but also the co-founder of one of the most dynamic French companies in the sector, the Girondine VDLV (Vincent dans les vapes), based in Pessac.
“Because from the outset, at VDLV, we have developed, here in Bordeaux, a protocol for measuring liquids and, more recently, e-cigarette emissions, we had the arguments to supplement the results of the national testing laboratory. "
Afnor standards unveiled April 2
These arguments were crucial when establishing the security and transparency criteria which were used to develop the first voluntary standards on electronic cigarettes and e-liquids under the aegis of Afnor. These standards will be officially unveiled Thursday April 2 in Paris. They will concern the safety of equipment, the safety of liquids, the control and measurement of emissions (this standard therefore concerns professionals).
The normative evolution of the vaping environment does not prevent, or perhaps even explains, the recent release of certain alarmist studies which, at the very least, “pollute” the business of “e-cigarette manufacturers”.
“It is true that two studies came out in quick succession, one Japanese and one North American, they were widely taken up by the media. Because of studies like these, we can estimate that if we have so far convinced the curious, those who want to test a way to stop or curb their tobacco consumption, we have not succeeded in convincing skeptics. This is normal in terms of what they can read or hear. We felt that as a cheap blow, because, on closer inspection, these studies are questionable ”, estimates Charly Pairaud.
Voluntary standards VS alarmist studies?
“We learn that by overheating the e-liquid containing nicotine, the vapor can form formaldehyde, a substance 15 times more carcinogenic than tobacco… it's true, but it's totally biased because first of all it the e-cigarette must overheat, and therefore fail; then overheated, the e-liquid has a very bad burnt taste, which no vaper accepts and therefore does not inhale durably. The study focused on a single molecule, formaldehyde… it forgot to mention that one of the main dangers of cigarettes is carbon monoxide… and that the e-cigarette does not emit any… Frankly , when we know that more and more doctors are moving towards the electronic cigarette to help stop smoking and that 400.000 French people have stopped smoking since its appearance, we say to ourselves that certain statements, certain decisions, influenced by these studies, are coming back to deny the smoker in free fall the chance to benefit from a parachute! "
The debate between pros and anti-e-cigarettes remains open. The battles of words, figures and experts have been launched, but now, with Afnor's voluntary standards, the French e-cigarette industry believes it can be armed to respond to all-out attacks.
These standards are the result of the work of 80 players in the sector, including tobacco manufacturers, under the direction of professor of pulmonology Bertrand Dautzenberg (Pierre-et-Marie-Curie University) who chaired the standardization commission. A professor Dautzenberg who, it should be noted, will visit, on April 23, the LFEL (French laboratory of e-liquid) research center in Pessac, created at the initiative of the local company, VDLV, specializing in the manufacture of e-liquids with natural flavors.
Source : ObjectifAquitaine
