Smoking giant China plans to regulate e-cigarettes through legislation in a bid to address critical concerns over the product's harmful effects, Xinhuanet reported.

China's National Health Commission (NHC), along with other relevant departments has been conducting joint research on this issue, said Mao Qunan, head of the planning department of NHC at a press conference. Studies have shown that the aerosol generated by e-cigarettes contains toxic elements, and various additives in the products pose health risks to the users, Mao said. In addition, the ambiguous labelling of nicotine content in e-cigarettes could lead to an overdose of the unhealthy chemical, along with other potential hazards such as battery explosion, liquid leaking and burning, he said.
According to Xinhuanet, there are over 300 million smokers in China.