Health officials in France have revealed plans to ban electronic cigarettes from all public settings and put restrictions on advertising. French Health Minister, Marisol Touraine, stated on Friday efforts will be similar to the 2007 initiative aimed toward lowering the number of regular tobacco users.

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are advertised as a safe and effective way to quit normal cigarettes while providing a suitable replacement for nicotine urges. The smoking apparatus, about the size of an actual cigarette, emits a flavorful vapor blend consisting of propylene glycol, glycerol, nicotine, water, and flavoring.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released warning letters to e-cigarette manufacturers in September 2010 to address violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. FDA representatives pointed to "violations of good manufacturing practices, making unsubstantiated drug claims, and using the devices as delivery mechanisms for active pharmaceutical ingredients."

Earlier this week French researchers released a government-commissioned report indicating around 500,000 people in France use electronic cigarettes. The analysis, led by Bertrand Dautzenberg, advocates a number of changes that would put the same restrictions on electronic cigarettes as normal cigarettes:

-Banning smoking electronic cigarettes in all public places including bars and restaurants.

-Outlawing the sale of e-cigarettes to minors.

-Controlling e-cigarette advertisements in the media.

Despite the French Health Ministries upheaval against electronic cigarettes, will restricting e-cigarettes deter tobacco use or force smokers to revert back to real cigarettes?

According to the Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association (TVECA), 21 scientific studies have been conducted on electronic cigarettes and not a single one has come back with a chemical or toxin that had any effect on the human body.

The moderate levels of nicotine emitted by the device are the perfect amount for dissuading tobacco users from lighting up a real cigarette while also offering the aesthetic feeling of a cigarette in their hand.

What's more, all of the emitted vapor smoke is not harmful to second or third parties in the vicinity of an e-cigarette user. Even studies that have probed the harmful effects of e-cigarette vapor found that second-hand vapor smoke poses no risks to individuals.

To get TVECA's complete report on the benefits of electronic cigarettes, click here.