The World Medical Association (WMA) renews its call for strong action on Electronic Cigarettes
World Medical Association Statement on Electronic Cigarettes and Other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, Adopted 23 October 2023
Recommendations included:
1. That e-cigarettes and ENDS be subject to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and to jurisdictional smoke-free laws and regulations.
2. That the manufacture and sale of e-cigarettes and ENDS be subject to national regulatory bodies as either a new form of tobacco product or as a drug delivery device. At a minimum, regulations should address maximum strength of nicotine fluids, tank size on vaping devices, product labeling, and child-resistant packaging. This recommendation also applies to devices using synthetic nicotine.
3. That clinical testing, large population studies and full analyses of e-cigarette ingredients and manufacturing processes be conducted to determine their level of risk, viability, and efficacy as tools for tobacco cessation.
4. That e-cigarettes and other ENDS should never be marketed as a valid or efficacious method for smoking cessation without validated clinical research that is assessed by appropriate regulatory bodies. In all other instances, plain package marketing should be required, in accordance with the WMA Resolution on Plain Packaging of Cigarettes, e-Cigarettes and Other Smoking Product.
5. That the sale, marketing, distribution, and accessibility of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products to children and adolescents be prohibited.
6. That the production, distribution and sale of flavored e-cigarette cartridges and candy products that depict or resemble tobacco products be prohibited.
7. That the sale of e-cigarettes and ENDS via the internet be prohibited in order to prevent access to these products by minors.
8. That physicians, pediatric practitioners and dentists inform their patients of the potential risks of using e-cigarettes and ENDS, e.g., addiction, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, impact on brain development due to nicotine, physical injuries, etc., even if regulatory authorities have not taken a position on the efficacy and safety of these products.
9. That the WMA and its members support further research on the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and ENDS, especially in children, adolescents and young adults. 14 December 2023
WMA Statement on Electronic Cigarettes and Other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems
Comment: These recommendations are consistent with the WHO’s 14 December 2023 Call to Action on Electronic Cigarettes. Stephen Hamann
