52 researchers from countries around the world have written to the WHO to protest the organization’s policy on e-cigarette.
According to them, one billion deaths could be prevented
The WHO estimates that one billion lives will be lost due to tobacco use by 2100.
But according to these researchers, that number can be significantly reduced…thanks to e-cigarettes.
They are asking the WHO to stop classifying e-cigarettes in the same category as tobacco products (traditional cigarettes, rolling tobacco, pipes, cigars, etc.).
What People Are Saying About E-Cigarettes
One of the scientists, Gerry Stimson, professor emeritus at Imperial College London, argued that:
“If the WHO succeeds in its goal of eradicating e-cigarettes, it will not only destroy what is one of the greatest public health innovations of the past thirty years, but it will also contradict its own charter, which includes the right to allow consumers to take control of their own health.”
“The use of e-cigarettes is a revolution that could save millions of lives,” said John Britton, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.
“The speed at which this innovation is spreading shows just how much smokers are seeking out nicotine products that aren’t deadly. I hope that the WHO and all public health policymakers will recognize and capitalize on the opportunities that e-cigarettes offer in terms of public health.”
This approach has had implications for certain European governments, particularly the Welsh government, which is pushing for the passage of laws that are unfavorable to e-cigarettes. Similar legislation in Spain has led to a 70% decline in e-cigarette sales.
Call for Researchers (PDF)
To learn more about this defense of e-cigarettes (in English)