The World Health Organization (WHO) today issued a major announcement which claimed vaping was not effective to help smokers quit, posed risks to bystanders and called for a complete ban on ALL flavours.
The UK Vaping Industry Association described the announcement as an ‘attack on vaping’ which was based on discredited research and, if the measures were implemented, would lead to ‘disastrous consequences around the world’.
UKVIA Director General John Dunne said:
“The WHO’s attack on vaping is both inaccurate and misleading and will further discourage smokers from making the life-changing decision to quit. Vapes are 95% less harmful than cigarettes and are responsible for an accelerated drop in smoking in the UK in the past decade.
“The WHO’s criticism of vaping is based on discredited research and implying that vaping is in some way proven to be cancer-causing is wholly misleading, as is the claim that it harms brain development in young people, a scare story that is simply not true.
“Banning flavoured vapes would lead to more smokers and more smoking deaths. Indeed, 80% of vapers consider the availability of flavours to be a significant part of their quitting journey, according to One Poll in March 2023. 24% of respondents said that banning flavours would likely lead them to revert to smoking, potentially affecting over 1.1 million individuals in the UK.
“Restricting adult access to vapes has had disastrous consequences around the world, such as in Australia, where it has resulted in a massive unregulated black market and a boost to smoking rates.
“250 families will be mourning a loved one who died from smoking today in the UK. The WHO’s campaign against vaping is shameful and will doubtless discourage current smokers from escaping their habit through vaping”.
ENDS