On February 5, 2024, a crucial meeting was held in Panama, bringing together the majority of countries as part of the revision of an international treaty against tobacco orchestrated by the WHO. This meeting placed particular emphasis on the uncertainties surrounding the effects of electronic cigarettes, a subject of intense debate between its detractors and supporters.
Interviewed a few days before the event, Adriana Blanco Marquizo, head of tobacco control at the WHO, stressed that “new tobacco products”, including electronic cigarettes, will be among the main points of discussion. Current research presents mixed opinions on vaping, with some seeing it as a threat, while others view it as a less dangerous alternative to traditional smoking.
The electronic cigarette, which does not contain carbon monoxide, is seen by some as an option reducing the risks of cancer linked to tobacco. However, the WHO remains clearly skeptical about its potential benefits, a position shared by many anti-tobacco associations. For these actors, it is premature to exclude the long-term risks associated with vaping.
Countries like India and Mexico have already banned vaping, reflecting global concerns about its effects. Separately, the tobacco industry has invested in vaping, with figures such as a senior Philip Morris executive championing innovation in “smoke-free” products against the WHO’s “prohibitionist” policies.
Debates are also lively around the regulation of vaping, particularly concerning disposable “puffs” products, with scientific arguments contested on both sides. The Cochrane organization found "strong" evidence that vaping may be more effective than nicotine patches in quitting smoking, although it remains unclear whether vaping encourages young people to smoke.
In summary, although switching to vaping can significantly reduce the risk of serious illness or premature death compared to smoking, it is advisable in the long term to also abandon electronic cigarettes, according to Nicholas Hopkinson, professor of pulmonology at the Imperial College London…
The future will tell us whether all these experts were right or wrong, but at the editorial staff of vapoteurs.net our opinion is made…and yours?
Image Source: “Le Petit Vapoteur”
