The 15 authors, all SRNT past Presidents, point out that e-cigarettes would have a more positive impact if the health community recognized their benefits. “‘While evidence suggests that vaping is currently increasing smoking cessation, the impact could be much larger if the public health community paid serious attention to vaping’s potential to help adult smokers, smokers received accurate information about the relative risks of vaping and smoking, and policies were designed with the potential effects on smokers in mind. That is not happening.”
Discussing the paper, Executive Coordinator of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) Nancy Loucas, said that the article highlights the absurdity of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) stance. “One American Journal of Public Health article is proving to be a watershed moment in the vape debate. It has singularly pushed the World Health Organisation to the compete outer when it comes to considered international opinion and research,” she said.
“The authors confirm what we’ve been saying all along: Overblowing youth vaping issues has only led to overall public health being harmed. This is because pressured politicians feel forced to reduce the appeal and availability of safer nicotine options, meaning fewer adult smokers successfully quit deadly cigarettes,” she added.
The WHO is influenced by funding entities
Sadly, the WHO has become renowned for being aggressively anti-vaping, despite all the scientific data available in favour of e-cigarette use for tobacco harm reduction. Loucas, has previously highlighted that the health agency’s position against e-cigarettes has been influenced and compromised by vested interests that provide funds to the organisation, as in this case.
“This vested interest has coloured the information in order to serve the political and financial interests of Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Gates Foundation who provide nearly half of all the funding for the WHO-FCTC. The WHO is lying to you to protect their own financial interests and keep their private donors happy. They are not objective. They are not focused on their own mandate under FCTC to promote the health of the people and their right to have information to make informed choices regarding their health,” said Loucas.
The WHO’s reckless approach to vaping
In response to recent allegations made by the WHO, that vaping may increase one’s chances of contracting the corona virus, the CAPHRA had written a 103-page white paper, saying that “in its quest to rid the world of smoking,” the health organization is denying millions the opportunity of quitting successfully via vaping.
