E-cigarette seller will 'fight tooth and nail' against law

A New Glasgow retailer who sells electronic cigarettes says she's prepared to fight for her business after the Nova Scotia government announced it is cracking down on the devices.

On Thursday, Health Minister Leo Glavine announced plans to treat e-cigarettes like ordinary cigarettes by banning them from bars and restaurants and limiting the ways they can be sold.

The restrictions would apply whether the devices are loaded with nicotine or just flavours.

"I just shook my head and said, 'Another premature move by the government,'" said Shai Conners.

She makes a living selling e-cigarettes at The End Vapor Shop and the flavoured juice that's used in them.

She said the devices are safer than regular smokes and she's putting her own money where her mouth is.

Conners said she'll fly in a European expert to challenge the government's new legislation.

"I can't say anything medically because I'm not a doctor, but he is. So I'll allow him to speak that voice that I wish I could," she said.

The health department is also drafting amendments to the law to prevent the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and to force retailers only to sell e-cigarettes from behind the counter.

"It's not what 80 per cent of the population now want to have in public places and so we will prevent them from being in public places," said Glavine

But Conners said she serves nearly 6,000 customers out of her small shop and she ships all over Atlantic Canada.

"I'll fight tooth and nail. I'll fight pretty much to the death right now. I'm a mother I have kids and I have mouths to feed," she said.

The Nova Scotia Lung Association is putting on a round table discussion on e-cigarettes next week and Connors said shell be there to argue her case.