NSW MP Gives First Person’s Account Against Use Of E-cigarettes; Smoked One To Prove A Point

A New South Wales Greens MP, Jeremy Buckingham lit up e-cigarette in the NSW Upper House on Wednesday, to point out the legal issues around the controversial device. The MP who happens to be the health spokesperson of the Greens, apparently prompted uproar when he leaned back in his seat and blew puffs of vapour from the device during the Question Time in the Upper House.

Government whip Dr. Peter Phelps was shocked and immediately alerted the House President about the MP’s behaviour. "Mr. Jeremy Buckingham is clearly smoking a vape cigarette in this house, more importantly, he's done it with clear pre-meditation," Dr. Phelps said. "It is an outrageous act against the decorum of this house."

But Mr. Buckingham denied saying he wasn’t smoking.

The President of the Upper House, Don Harwin, cautioned Mr. Buckingham against using such props to prove a point. Meanwhile, other MPs present at the House described Mr. Buckingham behaviour as a mere "stunt" and called him a "media tart".

Electronic Cigarettes Being Sold Alongside Chocolates

Earlier this month an audit revealed that four out of five shops, which sold e-cigarettes, placed those next to lollies and chocolates targeting children. While it is true that e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco -- a primary cancer-causing substance, they are still not free of toxic and addictive nicotine substances.

The audit made the Cancer Council to request the State Government to enforce laws similar to regular cigarettes to control the usage of devices that could pose a threat to health.

A Step Ahead

Meanwhile, the government has introduced a bill to Parliament to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, but the attempt didn't appear to be sufficient enough in the Greens and Labor parties' views. Mr. Buckingham said e-cigarettes should fall under the same laws designed for tackling tobacco and nicotine in the country.

He later clarified saying his actions in the House showed the double standards towards e-cigarettes.

"I was trying to make a very important point today that under NSW law and the modest reforms of the Government, it is still legal in this state to vape in a preschool, on a bus, in a public space and even in the Parliament," he added.

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