E-cigarettes, recognized for their severe health threats, are aggressively targeting the youth, and the lack of regulatory safeguards in numerous countries is placing children at risk, warns the UN health agency, WHO.
With 88 nations lacking a minimum age restriction for e-cigarette purchases and 74 countries yet to enact any e-cigarette regulations, WHO underscores the imperative need for immediate intervention. The unrestrained marketing and availability of e-cigarettes have raised serious concerns, particularly as these products show no evidence of being effective for widespread tobacco cessation.
A staggering 34 countries have outright banned the sale of e-cigarettes, emphasizing the global scope of this issue. WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasizes the urgency of strict measures to prevent the initiation of e-cigarette use, especially among children and young people, who are increasingly falling prey to nicotine addiction.
NEED FOR PROTECTIVE MEASURES
Highlighting the addictive nature and harmful effects of nicotine-laden e-cigarettes, WHO emphasizes the urgent need for protective measures. While the long-term health implications remain incompletely understood, evidence points to the generation of toxic substances linked to cancer, heart, and lung disorders. Additionally, e-cigarette use poses risks to brain development in young people and adversely affects foetal development in pregnant women.
TARGETED STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY E-CIGARETTES
Dr Ruediger Krech, WHO Director for Health Promotion, draws attention to the targeted strategies employed by e-cigarettes, utilizing social media and influencers, coupled with a diverse array of enticing flavours and appealing designs. Alarmingly, rates of e-cigarette use among children and young people surpass adult usage in many countries, indicating a critical need for intervention.
COUNTER NICOTINE ADDICTION AND PREVENT THE UPTAKE
In response to the escalating crisis, WHO advocates for urgent measures to counter nicotine addiction and prevent the uptake of e-cigarettes. For countries banning their sale, strengthened implementation of the ban, continuous monitoring, and robust enforcement are crucial. In regions permitting commercialization, strict regulations are urged, encompassing the prohibition of flavours, limitations on nicotine concentration, and taxation.
Moreover, cessation strategies should align with evidence-based efficacy, supplementing existing tobacco control measures and undergoing meticulous monitoring and evaluation. Governments considering e-cigarettes as cessation tools should exert control over access conditions, treating these products as medicines with stringent regulations.
TOBACCO INDUSTRY’S MANIPULATION
WHO also sounds the alarm on the tobacco industry’s manipulation, using e-cigarettes to influence policymaking and lobby against health policies. Despite the industry’s claims of harm reduction, it continues to target children and non-smokers while profiting from both e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes.
In conclusion, robust and decisive action is imperative to curb the rising tide of e-cigarette use among children and adolescents. The evidence is clear: protecting the health of the next generation demands swift, global intervention.
