Many leading scientists have appealed to world health bosses not to over regulate ecigs.
Fifty three experts from fifteen different countries including the United Kingdom wrote a letter to the World Health Orginisation to urge them not to “control and suppress” the popular nicotine devices, stating they have the potential to save millions of lives.
The letter urges the global health adviser due to publish a recommendation about e-cigs to governments later this year to not impose the kind of regulations on electronic cigarettes that they do on traditional cigarettes because the risks are very different and far apart.
The letter says “The potential for tobacco harm reduction products to reduce the burden of smoking related disease is very large, and these products could be among the most significant health innovations of the 21st Century – perhaps saving hundreds of millions of lives.”
“The urge to control and suppress them as tobacco products should be resisted and instead regulation that is fit for purpose and designed to realise the potential should be championed by WHO.”
The authors published the letter after they had claimed to have seen leaked documents from the WHO which branded the e-cigarettes as a “threat”.
Research published last week by Mr West found e-cigs can greatly improve the success rate of people trying to quit smoking by 60% compared with nicotine patches or gum.
It is good to see scientists speaking out against such potential over regulation however governments don’t always take the advice of the experts that they hire to advise them in the first place. So this is no time to be complacent and everyone should remain hard at work campaigning for their right to vape!