Tougher controls urged for e-cigarettes

Although they may appear to be a safer option than tobacco products, electronic 'vapes' are coming under fire from health groups, who say they are being marketed to impressionable young people as fashion accessories, as Shan Juan and Wang Xiaodong report.

Anti-tobacco campaigners and pressure groups are calling for tough regulations to cover the rising use of electronic cigarettes in public places in China. They said e-cigarettes pose a threat to public health and could derail the country's efforts to limit the use of tobacco and related products.

Electronic or e-cigarettes were invented in China in 2003. They use battery-powered cartridges to produce a flavored vapor that often contains nicotine, although not always.