WHO Ban Call Elicits Response
The World Health Organization issued a call for “urgent action” to control e-cigarettes just before Christmas, eliciting rebuke from the UK Vaping Industry Association and the World Vapers’ Alliance
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by Dave Cross
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Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General and all-round clown, said: “Kids are being recruited and trapped at an early age to use e-cigarettes and may get hooked to nicotine. I urge countries to implement strict measures to prevent uptake to protect their citizens, especially their children and young people.”
His press release made a number of ridiculous, unevidenced statements:
- E-cigarettes with nicotine are highly addictive
- E-cigarettes are harmful to health
- E-cigarettes generate toxic substances which are known to cause cancer
- E-cigarettes increase the risk of heart and lung disorders
- E-cigarettes can affect brain development
- E-cigarettes lead to learning disorders for young people
- E-cigarettes adversely affect the development of the foetus
- E-cigarettes emissions pose risks to bystanders
- Brief exposure to e-cigarette content on social media can be associated with increased intention to use these products
- Young people that use e-cigarettes are almost three times more likely to use cigarettes later in life
Dr Tedros Adhanom Fruitloop called for the complete ban on the sale and use of vapes but, in countries that do not ban, instructed them to ban all flavours, limit “the concentration and quality of nicotine”, and to place punitive taxes on vape products.
The UK Vaping Industry Association described the announcement as an ‘attack on vaping’ which was based on discredited research and, if the measures were implemented, would lead to ‘disastrous consequences around the world’.
UKVIA Director General John Dunne said: “The WHO’s attack on vaping is both inaccurate and misleading and will further discourage smokers from making the life-changing decision to quit. Vapes are 95% less harmful than cigarettes and are responsible for an accelerated drop in smoking in the UK in the past decade.
“The WHO’s criticism of vaping is based on discredited research and implying that vaping is in some way proven to be cancer-causing is wholly misleading, as is the claim that it harms brain development in young people, a scare story that is simply not true.
“Banning flavoured vapes would lead to more smokers and more smoking deaths. Indeed, 80% of vapers consider the availability of flavours to be a significant part of their quitting journey, according to One Poll in March 2023. 24% of respondents said that banning flavours would likely lead them to revert to smoking, potentially affecting over 1.1 million individuals in the UK.
“Restricting adult access to vapes has had disastrous consequences around the world, such as in Australia, where it has resulted in a massive unregulated black market and a boost to smoking rates.
“250 families will be mourning a loved one who died from smoking today in the UK. The WHO’s campaign against vaping is shameful and will doubtless discourage current smokers from escaping their habit through vaping”.
Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, expressed his strong disapproval: “The WHO's latest stance on vaping flavours is not just misguided, it's dangerously out of touch with scientific reality. By pushing for a blanket ban, the WHO blatantly disregards a wealth of scientific evidence that underscores the benefits of vaping when compared to alternatives. Flavoured e-cigarettes have been proven to increase the chances of successful smoking cessation by 230% compared to non-flavoured alternatives. It's appalling to see such a pivotal public health tool being dismissed by an organisation that should be at the forefront of harm reduction.
“The WHO's proposal is a blatant neglect of its duty to protect public health. It's a disservice to millions of smokers and vapers who have successfully quit smoking through flavoured e-cigarettes. This ban is a regressive move that will inevitably drive people back to smoking, causing more harm and loss of life. It's time for the WHO to start basing its decisions on science and real-world evidence rather than perpetuating unfounded fears and moral panic.”
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
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