WHO Calls for E-Cigarettes Regulations
In the interest of public health, the World Health Organisation has urged member nations of its global tobacco treaty to ban or regulate the use of e-cigarettes and other novel and emerging products of the tobacco industry.
The world’s health body made the call on Tuesday during a virtual media briefing by the Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals on the global tobacco treaty.
According to the National Institutes of Health, e-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that people use to heat liquid into a vapour that can be inhaled.
WHO’s global tobacco treaty is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms all people’s right to the highest standard of health.
The conference was organised ahead of the 10th Conference of Parties to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Panama.
The Treaty Officer, Legal Affairs, at WHO FCTC, Sabina Jacazzi, noted that the tobacco industry’s novel and emerging products fall under the category of tobacco products.
Jacazzi said this in response to a question on if the COP was unfairly ignoring such products and whether such products were safe alternatives to cigarettes.
She said, “The COP has adopted decisions on novel and emerging tobacco products, including heated tobacco products, and Electronic Nicotine and Non-nicotine delivery systems. It has clarified that HTPs are tobacco products and are subject to the WHO FCTC.
As for ENDS/ENNDS, the COP clarified that parties that have not banned these should regulate them with the objective to prevent their initiation by youth and vulnerable groups, minimise potential health risks to users and those who are exposed to these products, prevent unproven health claims from being made about these products and protect tobacco control activities from commercial interests of the industry.
