The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently called for enhanced regulation or a potential ban on e-cigarettes and other novel tobacco products. This significant move by the WHO aims to safeguard public health across its member nations. The recommendation emerged during a virtual media briefing by the Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals, focusing on the global tobacco treaty.
E-cigarettes, commonly known as electronic cigarettes, are battery-operated devices designed to deliver nicotine through inhaled vapor. These products have been a subject of public health discussions due to their rising popularity and perceived health risks.
The WHO’s initiative is rooted in the principles of the global tobacco treaty, a comprehensive evidence-based agreement that emphasizes every individual’s right to attain the highest health standards. The call for regulation was highlighted in the lead-up to the 10th Conference of Parties to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, scheduled to take place in Panama.
During the conference, Sabina Jacazzi, the Treaty Officer for Legal Affairs at the WHO FCTC, addressed the categorization of emerging tobacco products, including heated tobacco products (HTPs) and Electronic Nicotine and Non-nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS/ENNDS). Jacazzi clarified that these products are indeed tobacco products and fall within the scope of the WHO FCTC.
The WHO has outlined specific regulatory recommendations for countries where these products are not banned. These include preventing their use by youth and vulnerable groups, minimizing health risks to users and bystanders, prohibiting unproven health claims, and safeguarding tobacco control efforts from the commercial interests of the tobacco industry.
Global experts, including Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, contributed insights during the event. Oluwafemi highlighted a concerning trend where the tobacco industry is positioning itself as part of the solution rather than the problem, a strategy reminiscent of tactics seen at climate conferences. He raised alarms about the industry’s efforts to undermine health ministries through other government channels and the influx of misleading media articles and online campaigns promoting e-cigarettes.
The conference panel featured prominent figures like Daniel Dorado, Tobacco Campaign Director at Corporate Accountability; Labram Musah, Executive Director of Vision for Alternative Development, Ghana; Blanca Llorente, Research Director at Fundación Anaas, Colombia; Dr. Tara Singh Bam from the Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development, Singapore; and Shobha Shukla, Founding Managing Editor of CNS India.
The WHO’s stance on e-cigarettes and related products reflects a growing concern about the public health implications of these novel tobacco products. With the upcoming conference in Panama, the global community anticipates further developments and potential policy changes aimed at curbing the proliferation and use of these products, especially among youth and vulnerable populations. This initiative underscores the WHO’s commitment to comprehensive tobacco control and its relentless pursuit of global health and wellness.
