The Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority warned today that unless e-cigarettes are used to deliver a medicinal against nicotine addiction, they cannot be considered as a medical device. When a manufacturer markets e-cigarettes against nicotine addiction, the proper data on the doses of nicotine delivered to the blood must be shown.

The Authority said most of the e-liquids used in the electronic cigarettes are mixtures containing various concentrations of aromatic substances, glycerol, propylene-glycol and other substances. There are refills which consist of hazardous substances such as nicotine. When a hazardous substance is present, the refilling E-liquid should be classified and labelled according to the appropriate legislation in terms of the Dangerous Preparations Directive.

The label of the e-liquid has to include the name, address and telephone number of the supplier, the nominal quantity of the substance or mixture in the packages made available to the public, the chemical name and identification number, and, where applicable, hazard pictograms, signal words, risk phrases and safety phrases.

Accumulators and battery packs must also be appropriately marked.