definitely the electronic cigarette divides. The “anti” camp recently enlisted the support of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union). This health institute distinguished itself on the occasion of its 44th world conference on respiratory health, in Paris, by declaring its severe doubts as to the safety of electronic cigarettes: “No scientific study has demonstrated the absence of harmfulness of these products”, affirmed the Union in a press release.
The organization is particularly concerned about the negative effects of consumption among adolescents, in particular “the potential negative impact of nicotine on brain development” as well as “on the risk of nicotine addiction”.
In France, an estimated 500,000 French people have adopted the electronic cigarette. Among adolescents, the craze for e-cigarettes is difficult to quantify. But a risk of addiction cannot be ruled out, based on figures from the United States. Thus 10% of high school students and 3% of American college students “vape”, according to the American authorities who fear a new addiction among young people.
Advertising and sale prohibited to minors
In the absence of scientific evidence on the electronic cigarette, the Union pleads for a “regulation of these products as soon as possible” at the level of the manufacture, marketing and sale of electronic cigarettes. She wants the electronic cigarette to be classified as medicine. A request that will remain a dead letter since the European Parliament ruled negatively on this point at the beginning of October.
The Union will perhaps have a better chance of seeing these other demands succeed: “the prohibition of its advertising, its sale to minors and its use in public places. It also requests the display of the detail of the composition of the liquids, and the warning labels.
