A CONSIGNMENT of electronic cigarettes has been confiscated from a store in Manama. It is believed more such cigarettes have been smuggled into the country and more raids are expected. The cigarettes were being sold illegally at the store, despite directives that they be sold only at pharmacies, said sources.

"The raid was conducted by a team from the Industry and Commerce Ministry in co-operation with officials of the Health Ministry." they said.

"It was carried out after a tip-off from a member of the public when he saw cigarettes being sold at the store."

It is understood that around 24 of the cigarettes were seized.

A Health Ministry official told the

GDN it was not clear what action would be taken against the store.

He said it appeared the consignment had been brought into Bahrain clandestinely and distributed to several outlets.

"More raids are expected," said the official.

The typical electronic cigarette is made of stainless steel, has a chamber for storing liquid nicotine in various concentrations, is powered by a rechargeable battery and resembles a real cigarette.

Users puff on it as they would a real cigarette, but they do not light it and it produces a fine, heated mist, which is absorbed into the lungs, rather than smoke.

It was developed in China in 2004 and is sold there and in numerous countries. Some promoters have been marketing it as a means to help smokers break addiction to tobacco.

Bahrain Anti Smoking Society head Dr Kadhem Al Halwachi told the GDN the World Health Organisation had issued guidelines over the cigarettes.

"Contrary to what some marketers of the electronic cigarette imply in their advertisements, the WHO does not consider it a legitimate therapy for smokers trying to quit," he said.

He said the Health Ministry had recently stopped a consignment of such cigarettes at Bahrain International Airport and allowed it in only after written assurances from the importer that they would be sold at pharmacies and only to those above 18 years.

"It is not a smoking cessation device as people claim it is," said Dr Al Halwachi.

"This is what the WHO is also saying and we made it clear to the importer that they would have to specify that on the packaging."

He said WHO's non-communicable diseases and mental health assistant director-general Dr Ala Alwan had said there was no scientific evidence to confirm the product's safety or efficacy.

"Its marketers should immediately remove from their web sites and other informational materials any suggestion that WHO considers it a safe and effective smoking cessation aid," said Dr Al Halwachi.