WHO warns: Beware of the dangers of e-cigarettes

In its latest statement, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a critical warning that e-cigarette use leads to nicotine addiction in young people and causes serious health problems such as heart and lung issues. The WHO stated that e-cigarettes are not effective in quitting tobacco use, but rather develop a different type of addiction.

Another important issue highlighted in the statement was that they specifically target young people and are sold via social media without age restrictions. The WHO stated that e-cigarette sales are banned in 34 countries, but there is no minimum age limit for purchasing e-cigarettes in 88 countries, and there are no regulations regarding these products in 74 countries.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement on the subject, “E-cigarettes have been allowed onto the open market and aggressively marketed to young people. 34 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 at all for these harmful products.”

What are the health effects of e-cigarette use?

Another important point underlined by the WHO was that e-cigarette use can cause heart and lung diseases. Dr. Ruediger Krech, a WHO director, stated, “Nicotine e-cigarettes are highly addictive and harmful to health. While long-term health effects are not fully understood, it has been determined that they produce toxic substances, some of which are known to cause cancer and others which increase the risk of heart and lung disorders.”

Furthermore, it was noted that e-cigarette use could cause learning disabilities in young people. It was stated that exposure of a fetus to e-cigarettes could negatively affect fetal development in pregnant women, and that exposure to emissions from e-cigarettes could also pose a risk to those nearby.

WHO's call: Urgent measures must be taken!

The WHO called on countries to take strict measures to protect their citizens. The WHO Director-General invited countries to prevent the purchase of cigarettes to prevent children from using e-cigarettes at an early age. He also stated that e-cigarette use has caused an alarming increase among young people, saying, “There is an alarming increase in the use of e-cigarettes among children and young people, at rates that in many countries exceed the use by adults.”

Findings regarding the use of at least 16 thousand flavors, cartoon characters, and stylish designs on social media to target young people also increase concerns. Research shows that young people who use e-cigarettes are almost three times more likely to use cigarettes later in life.

This important warning from the WHO highlights the negative effects of e-cigarette use on younger generations and calls for raising awareness and protecting societies.