Norway imposes restrictions on e-cigarette advertising

Norway's Directorate of Health has notified vendors of electronic cigarettes that all pictures and positive reviews of the products must be removed from the websites, local media reported on Saturday.

"E-cigarette is a tobacco surrogate and is therefore covered by the ban on advertising," said Hilde Skyvulstad, a senior official of the Norwegian Directorate of Health, according to local business newspaper DN.

Sellers of the products fear that an advertising ban will hurt their business even thought many of their products are nicotine-free and do not look like cigarettes.

E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that vaporize a liquid solution, creating an aerosol that is inhaled and simulating the feeling of smoking. Using e-cigarettes is also called "vaping".

E-cigarettes don't contain many other cancer-causing chemicals that are found in regular cigarettes, but they usually contain nicotine, the substance responsible for causing addiction to tobacco products, and flavorings.

The benefits and health risks of e-cigarettes are mostly not certain so far, but a recent report from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health suggests e-cigarettes are not without health risks for people who vape or for bystanders.

Since e-cigarettes supply nicotine in the same quantities as cigarette smoking, the same harmful effects from nicotine can be expected for both vapers and bystanders, according to the new risk assessment report published in April.

While e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking tobacco, especially with regards to cancer, the health risks of long-term e-cigarette use in the population are unknown, the report said.

The report has only considered e-cigarettes with nicotine since there has been very little research about e-cigarettes without nicotine. Endit