A parliamentary study group in the United Kingdom has requested the British government and health authorities to oppose the World Health Organization’s (WHO) stand on vaping in an international treaty conference which is underway.
The UK is one of the largest countries to posit that vaping is a lesser evil than cigarette smoking and therefore is a perfect traditional smoking reduction measure. However, as of late, She hasn’t challenged the WHO’s forbidden stance on vaping.
Some public health experts in the UK are of the notion that WHO is simply disseminating “blatant misinformation” about the likely risks and benefits peculiar to e-cigarettes. On the contrary, WHO’s warnings about vaping have their roots in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and some US scientists who publicly voiced out the uncertain dangers and potential hazards that come with vaping.
Given the sudden outbreak of severe lung disease which is still under investigation and which is connected to the use of e-cigarettes containing THC, CDC now recommends that e-cigarettes never again be used by any youth.
Moreover, the risks which could be short-term and long-term are still being investigated, but many people are of the view that they are of lesser risk than cigarettes. Some are also of the opinion that e-cigarettes encourage the reduction and eventual stopping of traditional smoking. Well, the question of whether e-cigarettes help smokers stop smoking is still a controversial issue.
Studies indicate that tobacco kills over 8 million people annually around the globe and many smokers have publicly claimed that e-cigarettes help them reduce their smoking habits. Also, a trial at random which was run by Hajek and others reported in The New England Journal of Medicine that e-cigarettes were more effective than nicotine replacement therapy in encouraging smokers to quit smoking.
As it happened, the data revealed that 40% of the 438 respondents that used e-cigarettes as a quitting measure continued vaping after a year, and one-quarter of others who were also assigned to e-cigarettes eventually started vaping and smoking. This shows the high level of complexity involved in this controversial issue.
The WHO is just being health cautious and it is of the view that as much as e-cigarettes are less dangerous than regular cigarettes, it still has its own set of negative effects. Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, and how smoking and vaping have made smokers and vapers respectively to be susceptible to the virus; it will be wise to stop both.
This controversial issue is highly unlikely to be resolved soon and WHO are of the stance that the negativities of e-cigarettes far outweigh the benefits. Currently, e-cigarettes are prohibited in over 30 countries all over the world, and many other countries are considering outlawing them as well so as to protect their youth.
Final Thoughts
In summary, vaping is a lesser evil than smoking, but if it can be avoided, great. Studies indicate the inconsistencies in e-cigarettes given the fact that it helped some smokers quit and it also made others become “dual users.” Thus, it will be better to stop as there are still uncertain dangers involved.