NEWS
END THE VAPING MISINFODEMIC
Despite eight million tobacco-related deaths each year … …‘ the tobacco control field is the only area of public health that rejects harm reduction ’
Words : Patrick Griffin and Jordan Millar
The World Health Organization and billionaire financier Michael Bloomberg are being accused of spreading a dangerous ‘ vaping misinfodemic ’ on a global scale .
Former WHO senior adviser Charles A . Gardner is spearheading an international campaign for governments to challenge his exemployers on this issue .
Gardner , now executive director at international consumer nicotine group INNCO , said we must shine a spotlight on the WHO ’ s ‘ evidence-denialist ’ attitude towards vaping .
He said : “ There are 1.1 billion smokers in the world , a situation that has barely changed in 20 years , but the anti-harm reduction conservatism of the WHO and Bloomberg is not working .
“ That ’ s why we are calling for a global response in the form of a Tobacco Harm Reduction Working Group and international governments collectively questioning and challenging their prohibitionist approach .” Gardner was speaking as INNCO released a 23-page dossier – ‘ Bloomberg , the World Health Organization & the Vaping Misinfodemic ’ – demanding urgent action .
INNCO said : “ WHO and Bloomberg have both made clear their opposition to safer nicotine alternatives , despite growing evidence of lower harm and efficacy for smoking cessation .”
The hard-hitting report calls on world governments to :
• collectively challenge the WHO and Bloomberg ’ s current prohibitionist position on safer nicotine alternatives
• demand to know why , despite eight million tobacco-related deaths every year , the tobacco control field is the only field of public health that rejects harm reduction
• set up a global Tobacco Harm Reduction Working Group of independent scientists , international health experts , specialist academics and ex-smokers and to
• stop funding and / or boycott future Conference Of Parties ( COP ) tobacco control meetings , until the WHO gives full consideration to the overwhelming evidence that safer nicotine alternatives save lives .
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