Health
E-cigarettes: Serious accusations from the WHO against the tobacco industry
The World Health Organization (WHO) accuses the tobacco industry of deliberate misinformation and targeted recruitment of children when marketing e-cigarettes. photo
© Lisa Ducret/dpa
No alternative: The World Health Organization considers nicotine vaporizers to be no better than normal cigarettes. She calls for stricter rules for marketing.
E-cigarettes are promoted by tobacco companies as nicotine products that can reduce health risks compared to traditional 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 users could be impaired, it said.
From the WHO’s point of view, e-cigarettes are not a suitable alternative for reducing tobacco consumption, but rather increase the likelihood of using conventional cigarettes due to their addictive effects. “Children are being recruited and lured into a trap to use e-cigarettes from a young age,” warned WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The WHO called on countries to make e-cigarettes less attractive by banning flavors, reducing nicotine content and imposing taxes on these products.