Health - E-cigarettes: serious accusations by the WHO against the tobacco industry
The World Health Organization(WHO) accuses the tobacco industry of deliberately misinforming and deliberately recruiting children when marketing e-cigarettes. The industry "finances and disseminates false evidence to argue that these products reduce harm", criticized the UN agency in Geneva. The WHO called for stricter regulations for such products.
E-cigarettes are advertised by tobacco companies as nicotine products that can reduce health risks compared to conventional cigarettes. The WHO pointed out that the use of electric nicotine vaporizers also produces toxic substances that can cause cancer and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, unborn children could be harmed in the womb and the mental development of underage consumers could be impaired, it said.
In the WHO's view, e-cigarettes are not a suitable alternative for reducing tobacco consumption, but rather increase the likelihood of turning to conventional cigarettes due to their addictive effect. "Children are being recruited to use e-cigarettes at a young age and lured into a trap," warned WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The WHO called on countries to make e-cigarettes less attractive by banning flavors, reducing the nicotine content and levying taxes on these products.
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- Despite the tobacco industry's claims that e-cigarettes reduce health risks, the World Health Organization (WHO) asserts that they contain toxic substances that can lead to cancer and cardiovascular disease.
- The WHO accuses the tobacco industry of spreading false information about e-cigarettes' harm reduction capabilities, arguing that these products are more likely to lead users back to conventional cigarettes.
- In Geneva, the WHO criticized the tobacco industry's marketing strategies, which allegedly target children and recruit them into e-cigarette use.
- The WHO advocates for stricter regulations on e-cigarettes, including banning flavors, reducing nicotine content, and imposing taxes to make these products less attractive to consumers.
- E-cigarettes and vaporizers, often marketed by tobacco companies as less harmful alternatives to cigarettes, can still pose numerous health risks, according to the WHO's scientific analysis.
- The tobacco industry's deliberate misinformation about vape products' safety during pregnancy could harm unborn children and negatively impact their development, warns the WHO.
- International health organizations, such as the WHO, advocate for banning the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and reducing promotional efforts in their marketing campaigns.
- The World Health Organization called on tobacco groups to desist from using attractive flavors and higher nicotine contents in their e-cigarette and vaporizer products, noting that these features are appealing to children.
- Besides the concern for adult health, the WHO highlights the detrimental impact of e-cigarette marketing on children's health, advocating for tougher regulations to protect young consumers and future generations from the potential hazards of nicotine products.
Source: www.stern.de
