WHO ban on e-cigarettes for teens

WHO: Study suggests ban on e-cigarette for adolescents

08/26/2014

The World Health Organization has issued a new recommendation for electric cigarettes e-cigarettes. According to this, all states should basically stop selling e-cigarettes to children and adolescents. Consumption in public buildings and rooms should also be banned.

E-cigarettes have long been medically hotly debated. So far, long-term experience and meaningful studies are lacking. While the research that has been done so far has shown that e-cigarettes are less harmful than conventional smoldering sticks, there are also health risks associated with inhaling contaminated water vapor. The World Health Organization (WHO) now encourages all states to ban adolescents from purchasing these electronic replacement cigarettes. The justification given by WHO is that „The health consequences of inhaling flavored tobacco substitutes with the help of electric cigarettes are much under-researched and potentially dangerous for both unborn and adolescent children“. On Tuesday a study was published on this topic.

Also, the passive smoking is to be prevented
At the same time, pregnant women are advised against consuming e-cigarettes. „Again, the consequences for the unborn child are not sufficiently explored“, said a spokesman for the UN Health Organization. Additionally, WHO calls for the ban on e-cigarettes and conventional smoking stalks in all public spaces. It is unclear whether the steam expelled by the consumer, whether with or without nicotine, could cause harm to the bystanders. The technical report will be discussed at an international WHO conference in Moscow from 13 to 18 October 2014.

Less harmful than traditional cigarettes
However, the experts had to admit that vaporizing battery-powered e-cigarettes has far fewer health hazards than smoking tobacco. „Just because something is less harmful, the dangers are not reversed“, stressed a physician. From the expelled steam „For example, pollutants can be eliminated by the harmful flavorings and additives“.

Many consumers of e-cigarettes say they use them because they would be better off smoking cigarettes. The WHO experts do not want to accept this argument. Give for this statement „there is no sufficient evidence“. Rather, the tobacco industry is suspected of launching a new source of income. Since 2005, there is the e-cigarette. Since then, about 2.3 billion have been implemented with various brands and products.

In Germany, many politicians campaign for a general ban on e-cigarettes in adolescence. For example, the Federal Drug Commissioner Marlene Mortler and Federal Nutrition Minister Christian Schmidt spoke again in favor of strictly prohibiting e-cigarettes for children and adolescents. The drug commissioner criticized that the e-cigarettes are a starting aid for real cigarettes. The consumer initiatives see it differently. They look in the discussions and prohibitions „a collaboration between politics and the tobacco lobby“. It should be prevented that smokers switch to e-cigarettes. (Sb)