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WHO / E-CIGARETTES
STORY: WHO / E-CIGARETTES
TRT : 3:02
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 25 - 26 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / RECENT
RECENT – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, World Health Organization Headquarters
26 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Close up, man smoking an e-cigarette
25 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
3. SOUNDBTIE (English) Armando Peruga, Programme Manager of the WHO’s Tabacco Free Initiative (TFI):
“A new WHO report highlights a number of health risks of electronic cigarettes. First, nicotine is highly addictive, a key component of electronic cigarettes and affects the brain development of adolescents and foetuses of pregnant women. Second, they are not just water vapour as indicated by the marketing of these products. They contain chemicals and usually even a few cancer causing agents.”
26 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
4. Close up, hands preparing an e-cigarette
25 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Douglas Bettcher, WHO Director of the Department for Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases:
“WHO in this report, is recommending clearly that regulation is required. The rationale for that is that regulation will maximize the potential of e-cigarettes and similar devices and minimize the risks of these products.”
26 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
6. Close up, hands preparing an e-cigarette
25 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
7. SOUNDBTIE (English) Armando Peruga, Programme Manager of the WHO’s Tabacco Free Initiative (TFI):
“Also the report highlights the use of e-cigarettes exposes other people to nicotine and toxicants in indoor spaces.”
26 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
8. Close up, hands preparing an e-cigarette
25 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
9. SOUNDBTIE (English) Armando Peruga, Programme Manager of the WHO’s Tabacco Free Initiative (TFI):
“Electronic cigarettes contain nicotine and other chemicals and usually a few cancer causing substances although a much lower level than a conventional cigarette, it doesn't mean that there not without risk.”
26 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
10. Close up, hands preparing an e-cigarette
25 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Douglas Bettcher, WHO Director of the Department for Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases:
“Underlying reasons for regulations are really to impede the promotion of these products to non-smokers and youth. And really to minimize the health risk to both users and non-users of e-cigarettes and related products. To absolutely prohibit unsubstantiated health claims. And then absolutely to prevent the tobacco industry from undermining the great success we have seen in tobacco control, because, let’s face it, the tobacco industry is not a major producer and manufacturer of e-cigarettes and related products.”
26 AUGUST 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
11. Close up, hands preparing an e-cigarette
A new World Health Organization Report says that e-cigarettes and similar devices –frequently marketed by manufacturers as aids to quit smoking - require global regulation in the interest of public health.
Since 2005, the e-cigarette industry has grown from one manufacturer in China to an estimated US$3 billion global business with 466 brands, a market in which the tobacco industry is taking a greater stake. The report highlights WHO’s concern about the role of the tobacco industry in this market.
Armando Peruga, Programme Manager of the WHO’s Tabacco Free Initiative (TFI), highlighted a number of health risks of electronic cigarettes.
He said “first, nicotine is highly addictive, a key component of electronic cigarettes and affects the brain development of adolescents and foetuses of pregnant women. Second, they are not just water vapour as indicated by the marketing of these products. They contain chemicals and usually even a few cancer causing agents.”
Dr. Peruga stressed “the report highlights the use of e-cigarettes exposes other people to nicotine and toxicants in indoor spaces.”
He added “electronic cigarettes contain nicotine and other chemicals and usually a few cancer causing substances although a much lower level than a conventional cigarette, it doesn't mean that there not without risk.”
The report states that while e-cigarettes represent an “evolving frontier filled with promise and threat for tobacco control,” regulations are needed to: impede e-cigarette promotion to non-smokers and young people; minimize potential health risks to e-cigarette users and nonusers; prohibit unproven health claims about e-cigarettes; and protect existing tobacco control efforts from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry.
The report also indicates that there is not sufficient evidence as to whether electronic cigarettes help or not smokers to quit smoking.
The WHO Director of the Department for Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases Douglas Bettcher said “WHO in this report, is recommending clearly that regulation is required. The rationale for that is that regulation will maximize the potential of e-cigarettes and similar devices and minimize the risks of these products.”
He also said “underlying reasons for regulations are really to impede the promotion of these products to non-smokers and youth, and really to minimize the health risk to both users and non-users of e-cigarettes and related products. To absolutely prohibit unsubstantiated health claims. And then absolutely to prevent the tobacco industry from undermining the great success we have seen in tobacco control, because, let’s face it, the tobacco industry is not a major producer and manufacturer of e-cigarettes and related products.”
The report on “Electronic nicotine delivery systems” (ENDS), of which electronic cigarettes are the most common prototype, is on the agenda of the 6th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), being held 13-18 October, 2014, in Moscow.
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