British scientists rage "WHO is spreading misleading information"
WHO's new position paper on e-cigarettes is being heavily criticized by independent researchers. The WHO, which updated its information on vejpning at the beginning of the year, claims that e-cigarettes are harmful to health and the environment and that the method does not work to quit smoking. In addition, the WHO states that researchers do not know if they are less harmful than regular cigarettes.
"By minimizing and disregarding the independent research, the information is misleading. The WHO guidelines are based on a lot of inaccuracies" says John Britton, doctor and manager at British Institute for Tobacco and Alcohol Research at the University of Nottingham, to Science Media Center.
WHO goes against independent studies
John Britton refers to the large body of research that clearly points to the opposite of what the WHO says. These are the studies that underpin UK legislation on e-cigarettes.
"Among other things, we have several clinical studies that clearly show that e-cigarettes are effective for quitting smoking. They are also more efficient than the methods referred to by the WHO. The WHO claims that ´we do not know´ if e-cigarettes are less harmful than regular cigarettes. But we know, today, that the vapor contains a fraction of the harmful substances found in tobacco smoke" says John Britton.
The British Medical Association and several other UK health organizations have previously stated that vejpning only means 5% of the risk compared to tobacco smoking and that the long-term effects on health are likely to be small.
"By choosing to completely disregard the available independent research, the WHO is engaging in the dissemination of grossly misleading information" says John Britton to Sciencemag.org
E-cigarettes - not heart disease
He is joined by addiction researcher Professor Peter Hajek at Queen Mary's University in London.
"The WHO is tarnishing its reputation and unfortunately losing its credibility. Virtually every claim in the document is wrong. They write that vejping leads to heart disease, when the evidence points to the contrary. They claim that e-cigarette vapor has a negative impact on the environment, even though there is no solid evidence to support this. They write that vejpning attracts young non-smokers, when the evidence points to the contrary. Only one percent of young people who use e-cigarettes are former non-smokers." says Peter Hajek
Harming public health in the world
Since the criticism, the WHO has changed parts of its message, but not all. And the Peter Hajek, who has been studying e-cigarettes since they first appeared on the market more than 10 years ago, says the WHO's approach could harm public health worldwide.
"The author should be held accountable for this clearly misleading document. It is likely to dissuade smokers from choosing a less harmful alternative" says Peter Hajek.
John Britton and Peter Hajek point out that the WHO is wrongly using the recent lung damage in the US as an argument for vejpning can damage the lungs. Something they say is deeply unfortunate.
"The research shows that the lung injuries in the US were caused by improperly manufactured products containing marijuana mixed with the substance e-acetat. The substance is not used in regulated e-liquid and has nothing to do with regular vejp products, says Peter Hajek to the Science Media Center.
Bans in many countries
According to the WHO, 30 countries around the world have banned e-cigarettes and more are considering it. Overall, the organization calls for tougher legislation. E-cigarettes should not be promoted as an alternative to cigarettes, says the WHO.
According to the UK Department of Health, e-cigarettes help over 50,000 Britons per year to quit smoking. A major study from New Zealand has found that e-cigarettes are twice as effective as other nicotine products (patches and gum). UK authorities note that e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than regular cigarettes and that vejpning can be used as a method to quit smoking.
