International Experts Slam World Health Organization’s Deceptive Vaping Release
Chelsea Boyd, MS, research associate for harm reduction policy, R Street Institute;* and Filter contributor:
“It will be years or decades before population-level data that can accurately assess the long-term safety of e-cigarettes without bias from past smoking behavior is available to researchers. However, we already know that combustible tobacco products are unsafe and cause more death and disease than any other consumer product. We also know that after more than 10 years on the market, evidence of harm from the use of legally obtained e-cigarettes is limited, while anecdotal and empirical evidence of their benefit to smokers is widespread.”
“The WHO needs to weigh the relative risk of e-cigarettes, compared to combustible tobacco products, rather than focusing exclusively on the absolute risk. Although public health should not forget the ‘tobacco wars,’ health organizations also must not perpetuate those wrongs by shunning innovative products that have the potential to decrease the extensive and known harm caused by combustible tobacco products.”
