{"id":9329,"date":"2021-10-18T14:00:37","date_gmt":"2021-10-18T12:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world-heart-federation.org\/?post_type=news&p=9329"},"modified":"2022-08-01T18:17:01","modified_gmt":"2022-08-01T16:17:01","slug":"world-heart-federation-calls-for-strict-regulation-of-e-cigarettes-and-greater-oversight-of-the-industrys-marketing-and-sales-strategies","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/world-heart-federation.org\/news\/world-heart-federation-calls-for-strict-regulation-of-e-cigarettes-and-greater-oversight-of-the-industrys-marketing-and-sales-strategies\/","title":{"rendered":"World Heart Federation calls for strict regulation of e-cigarettes and greater oversight of the industry\u2019s marketing and sales strategies"},"content":{"rendered":"

GENEVA <\/em>(18 October 2021)<\/em> \u2013 In a new policy brief, the World Heart Federation (WHF) is calling on governments to implement strict regulations on e-cigarettes in a determined effort to stop the e-cigarette epidemic in its tracks.<\/p>\n

Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, have become an increasingly popular alternative to conventional cigarettes, particularly among young people. This is primarily due to aggressive marketing strategies and misleading claims by manufacturers, which have led to a widespread belief that e-cigarettes are a healthy option compared to regular tobacco cigarettes. These claims, however, appear to ignore the growing number of studies that link e-cigarettes to a range of health issues, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The long-term health effects of e-cigarettes remain largely unknown, but studies have found that e-cigarettes contain and produce dangerous substances which can affect the heart, respiratory system and brain. And while there is some evidence that vaping can help smokers quit, it has been found to have the opposite effect on non-smokers, who are more likely to start smoking after taking up vaping.<\/p>\n

The effectiveness of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation tools has been brought into question by multiple studies, which have shown that smokers who start using e-cigarettes often become dual users of both traditional and electronic cigarettes. In fact, a growing body of research shows that e-cigarettes are unhealthy products designed to be addictive and hook first time users, particularly teenagers \u2013 a key target market for e-cigarettes manufacturers.<\/p>\n

This strategy, which involves luring a new generation of potential consumers, perpetuating the nicotine addiction and misleading regulators, is straight out of the Big Tobacco playbook. It will come as no surprise that prominent players in the tobacco industry have all invested heavily in the e-cigarette market, including Philip Morris, British American Tobacco and Japan Tobacco.<\/p>\n

The WHF Policy Brief, E-Cigarettes: A New Threat to Cardiovascular Health<\/em><\/strong>, <\/em>explores the available evidence regarding the negative health impacts of smoking e-cigarettes and highlights the need for stricter regulation and greater oversight of e-cigarette sales and marketing, particularly when it comes to young people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tobacco industry has a long history of deceptive marketing practices,\u201d<\/em> said Eduardo Bianco, Chair of the WHF Tobacco Expert Group. \u201cToday, it promotes e-cigarettes as a safer and less addictive alternative that can help people quit smoking. But, as we\u2019ve seen in the past, independent scientific evidence does not match up with claims by the industry. Our Policy Brief aims to clarify any misconceptions around the health impacts of e-cigarettes while urging governments to take action.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The brief includes a list of specific actions that every government should immediately take, including:<\/p>\n