NEWS
E-CIG VAPOUR IS SMOKE
SAYS WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION …
… but by that logic we must now ban ‘ hot showers , restaurants and grandma ’ s kitchen ’.
Words : Jordan Millar
In a radical new effort to shift perceptions on vaping , the World Health Organization tried to change the meaning of the word ‘ smoke ’.
The health body claimed that – despite there being no combustion – the aerosols produced by e-cigarettes are the same as the smoke that comes from tobacco .
This ‘ Orwellian twisting ’ of facts sparked a huge backlash from experts , who accused the WHO of ‘ defying scientific thought or reason ’.
Critics were quick to point out that , by the same logic , kettles and steaming bowls of soup would also expose you to dangerous fumes .
Vape activist Phillip Kirschberg said : “ Steam , vapour and mist have all been defined as ‘ smoke ’… hot showers , restaurants and grandma ’ s kitchen to be banned immediately .”
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates ( CAPHRA ) added : “ It defies any level of scientific thought or reason …
It defies any level of scientific thought or reason … but sadly , it ’ s also not terribly surprising .
but sadly , it ’ s also not terribly surprising .” Unfortunately , this isn ’ t the first time the WHO used questionable language to describe e-cigarettes , with the health body already listing vaping products as tobacco .
INNCO , an international harm reduction group , compared the WHO ’ s anti-vaping language to the ‘ carefully constructed lies ’ and ‘ thought control ’ seen in George Orwell ’ s ’ iconic novels .
It said that the WHO ’ s ‘ moral animosity ’ towards vaping is steering its policies in the wrong direction … compromising the fight to end smoking addiction .
The International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations said : “ This is not 1984 … it ’ s 2021 .
“ Innovation has given us new options to help smokers shift to safer nicotine alternatives and if we hope to avoid a dystopian future with a billion deaths this century … tobacco control ’ s Newthink needs a serious rethink .”
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