Latest Vape News – Scientists urge WHO to take up vapes

A hundred scientists have called for the WHO to rethink their negative campaign against vaping.

11 November 2021 | Hannah-Rubery

The world of vaping has been surrounded by controversy, negative media and pushback from the WHO (World Health Organisation), since it first began to take off. Now a hundred scientists have called for the WHO to change its hostility on tobacco harm reduction, with an open letter to the FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control).

Experts Believe Millions of Smokers Could Be Saved Each Year

These experts support the paper campaigned by Clive Bates, the former director of anti-smoking campaign group ASH. It is believed that as many as eighty million people a year could be saved by switching to vaping. Regardless of the number, there have been many studies that have also looked into the correlation between smoking and vaping. These also laid claims that by making the switch, it would save lives.

Yorkshire Cancer Research are just one of the many advocates for vaping in the UK. Compared to the US, here in the UK, we have taken a positive stance towards vaping as a means for helping smokers quit. With many UK-based studies providing positive results, our National Health Service (NHS) also promote the study-backed successes of vaping as a way to quit smoking.

An Aggressive Campaign Against Vaping

It’s safe to say that especially over the recent years, the WHO has taken an even stronger stance against vaping with an aggressive campaign across the US. From claiming that vape liquids are full of metals and harmful toxicants, to the notion that vaping is more or equally as harmful as traditional smoking, the WHO has been anything but kind. Despite contradictory studies, the WHO claim that vaping can be a gateway to tobacco consumption and that children and adolescents were twice as likely to later use cigarettes after vaping.

The Difference in how the UK and US Handle Things

British MPs have even called out the WHO’s stance on vaping as ‘short sighted’ and ‘out of date’. In the UK where regulations have been kept up to date based on relevant new data, in the US the FCTC’s protocol has not been amended since it was created. Between the US and UK, there has always been a stark contrast in the way that vaping as a smoking alternative is portrayed; and the data shows it.

While the US worry about more young people who have never smoked, taking up vaping – something that the WHO is capitalising on for spreading against vaping – in the UK we see no concern for such matters with only 1% of young people vaping who had never smoked. The problem seems to be more about how each country regulates vaping, with the US falling behind the UK’s much stricter regulations. But due to the vocal WHO, vaping is seeing a negative shift from the populace.

Clive Bates’ open letter suggests six recommendations with how and why vaping should be pushed, in the hope of curbing smoking-related deaths. The issue is set to be brought up at the intergovernmental conference (COP9) which will look at how to bring down the number of tobacco-related deaths. Led by the WHO on November 8th until the 13th, it certainly will be interesting to hear what comes from it.