Tens of thousands of people have backed a bid to reverse highly-controversial European rules governing electronic cigarettes.

Vapers are FURIOUS that Britain has implemented a hated EU order called Tobacco Products Directive 2014/14/EU (TPD) , which comes into force today.

Critics fear these "draconian new regulations" will legislate the "freewheeling" e-cig industry out of existence.

They say the rules are tantamount to a crackdown and will result in a vape-pocalypse that will force British businesses to shut down and force smokers back to their deadly old habit.

Now Lord Callanan has filed a motion to the House of Lords calling for the laws to be scrapped.

Vapemageddon Now: Could new laws send people back to smoking danger cigarettes? (
Image:
Getty)

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He wrote: "The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 [should] be annulled on the grounds that its restrictions on product choice and advertising of vaping devices were devised before evidence had accumulated that vaping was enabling many people to quit smoking, run counter to advice from the Royal College of Physicians to promote vaping and are so severe that they could force vapers back to smoking and create a black market with harmful products."

In the past 24 hours, more than 25,000 people have signed a petition backing the motion , supported by a campaign on Twitter using the hashtag #LordsVapeVote .

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Petitioners called on the House of Lords to "back Lord Callanan’s motion to stop harsh regulations on e-cigarettes which would force vapers back to smoking".

"We urge our House of Commons to debate the implications for public health of the TPD on e-cigarettes," they continued.

"And we plead with the Prime Minister to use his influence in Brussels to get a British opt-out from Article 20 before the EU referendum so this issue does not affect that vote."

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Westminster said new laws would set "minimum standards for the safety and quality of all e-cigarettes and refill containers".

Most e-cig advertising will be banned, along with bottles of liquid which hold more than 10ml of nicotine and "tanks" with 2ml of the chemical.

Prominent members of the vaping industry fear these extra rules will drive small businesses into the ground, whilst letting "big tobacco" wipe out a grassroots industry which sprung up to help people stop smoking deadly combustible cigarettes.

Close up of a woman inhaling from an electronic cigarette (
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Alamy)

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Christian Mulcahy, business development director of the e-cig brand multiCIG, said: "It will become far more expensive and time consuming to bring new products to market.

"Many brands will cease trading. It will stifle innovation, smaller business will simply be unable to compete, the range of products will consolidate, and product prices will go up."

Vapers also fear lower levels of nicotine will drive smokers back to cigarettes, which are much more dangerous than electronic replacements.

A man smoking an electronic cigarette (
Image:
PA)

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Andrew Orlowski, a journalist and notable vaper, is an outspoken critic of the TPD.

"Vaping is an astonishing example of mass grassroots self-organisation, with millions giving up tobacco without the help of Nanny," he wrote .

"And Nanny hates it."

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