Ukraine’s draft law #4358: “On Amendments to Some Laws of Ukraine on Public Health Protection from Harmful Tobacco Exposure,” includes certain restrictions on vaping products including a ban on vape flavours, use in public places, and any advertising, sponsorship and promotion of the products.
Sadly, the bill mirrors the World Health Organization’s outdated recommendations, which are known to be counterproductive to tobacco harm reduction (THR) and insist on reducing smoking rates by promoting a forbidding stance.
The WHO’s misleading stance
In fact the agency’s “Eighth annual report on the global tobacco epidemic”, reiterated the agency’s misguided stance on safer nicotine alternatives such as vaping products and nicotine pouches, labeling them a “threat” rather than an opportunity.
In a recent press release about the report, UK-based public health agency Knowledge·Action·Change (KAC) highlighted the following points:
- “No fewer smokers around the world in 2021 than when the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control was enacted.
- Global institution insists safer nicotine products pose threat – when evidence shows they offer significant opportunity to help adult smokers quit.
- Harm reduction long integrated into WHO response on drugs and HIV/AIDS – but not smoking, which kills 8 million a year”
The WHO needs to change its stance and tell the truth about vaping. Vaping is much safer than smoking. Vaping helps people quit smoking. I quit smoking by starting to vape and I never went back. Thank God for vaping or I would still be smoking regular cigarettes. I am breathing so much better now, thanks to vaping.