I have written about the consequences of smoking, previously writing about how girls who smoke have a higher likelihood of obesity. I have heard people tell me they’re quitting by moving to e-cigarettes. New guidelines from the WHO say not so quickly…
Ban e-cigarette use in public and outlaw advertising that targets the young, urges the World Health Organization (WHO) in a report released this week. The group, which is part of the United Nations, also “expressed ‘grave concern’ about the growing role of the powerful tobacco industry in the e-cigarette market, warning that the financially powerful companies could come to dominate the new business and use the current tolerance of the new products as a gateway to ensnaring a new generation of smokers at a time when the public health authorities seem to be winning the battle against tobacco.” While the recommendations are simply that — non-binding recommendations — they’re important because they are likely to be referenced by policy makers in various countries and at various levels. While welcomed by some, many were concerned the recommendations would lead to over-regulation, quashing the potential benefit of using e-cigarettes as a “stepping stone” to help smokers quit. The rapid growth of the electronic cigarette industry has left regulators and health experts scrambling to keep up. The market was worth $3 billion with 466 brands of e-cigarettes as of last count in 2013. Sales are expect to increase 17-fold by 2030.
