Presenting the award World No Tobacco Day which fell on May 31st, the official reason given for the award was the approval of a new Tobacco Law which includes a ban on the sales of all ENDS (Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems). On signing the ban, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that the claim that the products are a safer alternative to cigarettes is a “lie.” “The vapors are also harmful for health.”
He went on to show a pink vaping device to illustrate how the products are intended to appeal to young people. “Look at the color, the design,” said Lopez Obrador. Mexico had already banned the import and export of vape devices and cartridges last October, but since then many businesses had continued to sell their inventory. The new ban covers “the circulation and marketing of these new products,” added Obrador.
Countries following the WHO’s guidance keep struggling with higher smoking rates
Meanwhile, a 59-page white paper discussing case studies conducted in several countries to measure smoking cessation-related progress, has shown that those following the World Health Organization’s guidance, keep struggling with higher smoking rates.
Titled “Vaping Works. International Best Practices: United Kingdom, New Zealand, France and Canada,” the publication was released by the Property Rights Alliance. It consisted of four respective case studies by Christopher Snowdon (Institute of Economic Affairs, the UK), Louis Houlbrooke (New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union, New Zealand), Patrick Coquart (IREF, France), and Prof Ian Irvine (Concordia University, Canada), and confirmed what public health experts have been pointing out all along.
“Countries applying progressive Tobacco Harm Reduction policies are enjoying a significant fall in smoking rates. Whereas those following the World Health Organization’s guidance continue to experience excessive smoking-related illnesses and deaths,” said the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA).
CAPHRA Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas, said that thankfully the release of this significant data coincided with the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which held its infamous COP9 session last November. “Ultimately, this paper proves countries that embrace vaping, such as France, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada, have witnessed a decrease in smoking rates that is twice as fast as the global average,” she said.
Mexico Passes Measure to Legalize Marijuana For Recreational Purposes
