Tobacco giant licenses rival e-cigarette product in UK

A new nicotine inhaler to be sold by a unit of British American Tobacco has been licensed in Britain as a medicinal product, marking the arrival of a novel alternative in the fast-growing market for electronic cigarettes.

The cigarette-shaped Voke Inhaler marks a further move by one of the world’s biggest tobacco companies to defend its turf in a rapidly changing market. Since it involves no heat, electronics or battery it is not classified as an e-cigarette.

The uptake of e-cigarettes, which use battery-powered cartridges to produce a nicotine-laced vapour, has rocketed in the past two years and the market is now estimated to be worth €3bn a year — but there is fierce debate about the risks.