Urgent action needed to protect children from e-cigarettes – PAHO

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has called for urgent action to control usage of e-cigarettes, in protecting children from the adverse health effects.
It was outlined that e-cigarettes have been allowed on the open market and aggressively marketed to young people. Thirty-four countries ban the sale of e-cigarettes, 88 countries have no minimum age at which e-cigarettes can be bought and 74 countries have no regulations in place for these harmful products.
WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has outlined, “Kids are being recruited and trapped at an early age to use e-cigarettes and may get hooked to nicotine…I urge countries to implement strict measures to prevent uptake to protect their citizens, especially their children and young people.”
E-cigarettes with nicotine are highly addictive and are harmful to health. Whilst long-term health effects are not fully understood, it has been established that they generate toxic substances, some of which are known to cause cancer and some that increase the risk of heart and lung disorders.
PAHO outlined that use of e-cigarettes can also affect brain development and lead to learning disorders for young people. Foetal exposure to e-cigarettes can adversely affect the development of the foetus in pregnant women while exposure to emissions from e-cigarettes also poses risks to bystanders.
WHO Director for Health Promotion, Dr Ruediger Krech underscores, “E-cigarettes target children through social media and influencers, with at least 16 000 flavours. Some of these products use cartoon characters and have sleek designs, which appeal to the younger generation. There is an alarming increase in the use of e-cigarettes among children and young people with rates exceeding adult use in many countries.”
Children between the age of 13–15-years old are using e-cigarettes at rates higher than adults in all regions. Studies consistently show that young people that use e-cigarettes are almost three times more likely to use cigarettes later in life.
“Urgent measures are necessary to prevent uptake of e-cigarettes and counter nicotine addiction alongside a comprehensive approach to tobacco control, and in light of national circumstances. Where countries ban the sale of e-cigarettes, to strengthen implementation of the ban and continue monitoring and surveillance to support public health interventions and ensure strong enforcement.”
Where countries permit commercialisation of e-cigarettes as consumer products, the Organisation called for strong regulations to reduce their appeal and their harm to the population, including banning all flavours, limiting the concentration and quality of nicotine, and taxing them.
“Cessation strategies should be based on the best available evidence of efficacy, to go with other tobacco control measures and subject to monitoring and evaluation. Based on the current evidence, it is not recommended that Governments permit sale of e-cigarettes as consumer products in pursuit of a cessation objective.”
The statement added, “Any government pursuing a smoking cessation strategy using e-cigarettes should control the conditions under which the products are accessed to ensure appropriate clinical conditions and regulate the products as medicines (including requiring marketing authorisation as medicines).”