The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged member nations of its global tobacco treaty to ban or regulate E-cigarettes and other novel and emerging products of the tobacco industry, if they are yet to do so, in the interest of public health.


It made the call Tuesday at a virtual media workshop ahead of the 10th Conference of Parties to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC – the global tobacco treaty) in Panama.

Treaty Officer (Legal Affairs) at WHO FCTC, Sabina Timco Jacazzi, noted that the tobacco industry’s novel and emerging products fall under the category of tobacco products.

Jacazzi was responding to a question on whether the COP was unfairly ignoring such products and whether such products were safe alternatives to cigarettes.

Jacazzi said: “The COP has adopted decisions on novel and emerging tobacco products, including heated tobacco products (HTPs), and electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery systems (ENDS/ENNDS). It has clarified that HTPs are tobacco products and are subject to the WHO FCTC.

“As for ENDS/ENNDS, the COP clarified that Parties that have not banned these should regulate them with the objective to prevent their initiation by youth and vulnerable groups, minimize potential health risks to users and those who are exposed to these products, prevent unproven health claims from being made about these products and protect tobacco control activities from commercial interests of the industry (tobacco and related to ENDS/ENNDS).

“In relation to the latest scientific evidence and policy recommendations on these products, I very much encourage checking the reports (by WHO and the Convention Secretariat) that will be considered at COP10, available online.”

The event, organised by the Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT), featured experts from around the world, including Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).

read detail here: https://nationalinquest.com/e-cigarettes-others-should-be-banned-or-regulated-says-who/

E- cigar 🤣