The World Health Organization (WHO) considers vaping to be as big a public health problem as smoking and recommends banning flavors.
- According to the WHO, electronic cigarettes are not effective for quitting smoking.
- The body considers that the use of e-cigarettes is risky for the consumer and that all the health consequences are not yet known.
- WHO recommends banning e-cigarette flavors.
“Urgent action is needed to control electronic cigarettes to protect children as well as non-smokers and minimize risks to the health of the population”, indicates the World Health Organization (WHO) in a communicated published this Thursday, December 14. For the health authority, vaping is as important a public health problem as smoking.
Vaping, an ineffective means of weaning according to the WHO
Vaping is often presented as an alternative to cigarettes, which allows smokers to quit their addiction. And it is also the most used substitute in France, according to a survey carried out by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) this year. Indeed, of the 600 consumers of nicotine products surveyed, 80% use electronic cigarettes, and more than one in two regularly (54%).
But for the WHO, the electronic cigarette “has not been shown to be effective in helping smokers quit.” The health authority advises against “public authorities authorize the sale of electronic cigarettes as consumer products aimed at cessation”.
The substances generated by electronic cigarettes and their consequences on health, some of which still remain unknown, are also highlighted by the WHO. ”It has been established that the toxic substances they generate can cause cancer and increase the risk of heart and lung problems, indicates the press release. The use of e-cigarettes can also affect brain development and lead to learning disabilities in young people. In pregnant women, exposure to electronic cigarettes can harm the development of the fetus. Electronic cigarettes also present risks for people exposed to their emissions.”
Towards a ban on flavors for e-cigarettes?
The nicotine present in electronic cigarette liquids is highly addictive, which is all the more dangerous as the sellers’ marketing strategy targets young people in particular, according to the WHO.
“Electronic cigarettes target children through social media and influencers, offering at least 16,000 flavors, said Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of the Department of Health Promotion at WHO, in the press release. Some of these products use cartoon characters and display an elegant design, which appeals to the younger generation. There is an alarming increase in e-cigarette use among children and young people, with figures higher than those for adults in many countries.”
The health authority recommends the establishment of “strict regulations” on electronic cigarettes “in order to reduce their appeal and their harmfulness for the population, in particular by banning all flavors, limiting the concentration and quality of nicotine and subjecting them to taxes.”
