The World Health Organization (WHO) risks being labelled an ‘enemy of harm-reduction’ if its inaccurate and unscientific treatment of vaping continues.
It is increasingly out of touch with evidence on public health and its credibility is now open to question. Recent recommendations made by its study group on Tobacco Product Regulations, which would prohibit electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery systems where the user can control device features and liquid ingredients, only exacerbate this problem.
WHO has also called for the prohibition of the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems that have a higher ‘abuse liability’ than conventional cigarettes, for example by controlling the emission rate or flux of nicotine.
John Dunne, Director General at the UKVIA, says the WHO poses a real threat to smoking-cessation and harm-reduction in the UK:
“While the WHO is scheduled to hold a crucial summit on vaping in November 2021, known as COP9, it continues to find itself at odds with health and industry advocates.
“Certain WHO positions are now so out of date, and so thoroughly refuted by the experts, that they may as well be saying the earth is flat. They deviate dramatically from leading experts, including Public Health England (PHE) and Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
UK Vaping Association – March 15, 2021.
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