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UK researchers respond to WHO warning on vaping
New warnings about vaping issued this week by the World Health Organization have prompted strong pushback from public health experts in the United Kingdom, who charged that WHO was spreading “blatant misinformation” about the potential risks and benefits of e-cigarettes.
In a document released Monday, the WHO said that “there is not enough evidence to support the use of these products for smoking cessation,” and urged smokers looking to quit to try nicotine patches or gum, or other tools such as hotlines that counsel smokers.
Peter Hajek, who directs the Tobacco Dependence Research Unit at Queen Mary University of London, wrote “The WHO has a history of anti-vaping activism that is damaging their reputation. This document is particularly malign,” in a statement released by the U.K. Science Media Centre.
“There is no evidence that vaping is ‘highly addictive,’” he said. “Less than 1% of non-smokers become regular vapers. Vaping does not lead young people to smoking—smoking among young people is at [an] all-time low. … There is clear evidence that e-cigarettes help smokers quit,” Hajek continued.
E-cigarettes are “clearly less harmful” than tobacco, said John Britton, director of the UK Centre for Tobacco & Alcohol Studies and a consultant in respiratory medicine at the University of Nottingham, in similarly critical comments. “WHO misrepresents the available scientific evidence,” he argued. Public Health England maintains that vaping is “at least 95% less harmful than smoking cigarettes.”
Source: ScienceMag, 22 January 2020
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Drivers could be fined and banned for driving while vaping
Motorists who use e-cigarettes while driving might find themselves in legal trouble if the clouds of vapour obscure their vision. While vaping in cars isn't illegal, drivers who are distracted by e-cigarette smoke can be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention.
The vape clouds can produce a similar visual impairment to glare from the sun, which can cause fatal accidents. Police can issue £100 on-the-spot fines and three penalty points if they believe the vapour affected the driver’s ability to drive safely. Insurers are not likely to cover any damage or injuries sustained in a crash if vision is impacted by vapour.
In more serious cases, or those contested in court, the charge can attract a maximum £5,000 fine, up to nine penalty points and a court-imposed driving ban.
Nick Lloyd, head of road safety at Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: "Distracted driving is a leading cause of road accidents in the UK. Any secondary activity which takes eyes off the road is potentially dangerous. As well as being a physical distraction, vaping while behind the wheel can create visibility problems if clouds of vapour are produced.
"Although it is not currently prohibited in law, drivers choosing to vape while on the road is a growing and concerning trend. If using an electronic cigarette whilst driving causes a motorist to become involved in a collision, then the activity could be considered careless driving - which is an offence."
Source: The Sun, 21 January 2020
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Big Tobacco wants social media influencers to promote its products – can the platforms stop it?
In a piece for The Conversation, Andy Rowell, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Bath, speculates on the future of social media advertising of tobacco and e-cigarettes:
“In December 2019, in a landmark decision, the UK Advertising Standards Authority ruled against British American Tobacco and three other firms for promoting their products on Instagram, after a complaint by ASH, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and STOP.”
“In a follow-up statement, Facebook and Instagram announced what many saw as a long-overdue update to their policy on tobacco. It said that branded content that promotes goods such as vaping, tobacco products and weapons ‘will not be allowed’. The statement made the bold claim that their advertising policies had long ‘prohibited’ the advertisement of these products. The platforms promised that enforcement would begin on this in the coming weeks.”
“Headlines touting the new policy made it clear that the platforms will ban influencers from promoting e-cigarettes and tobacco products. For example, a BBC headline announced: ‘Instagram e-cigarette posts banned by ad watchdog.’ But they missed three crucial points. First, Facebook’s policies are designed for companies that play by the rules, not for tobacco companies whose playbook is to find ways around them or flout them.”
“Second, those who track the industry’s activities online say it is notoriously difficult to tell what Facebook calls 'branded content'. On Instagram, Big Tobacco’s influencers post glamorised images of vape products with hashtags such as #idareyoutotryit and captions such as 'feeling Vype AF'. They don’t post content that simply says, 'paid promotion of British American Tobacco,' for example.”
“Finally, serious doubts remain about how any of this will be enforced. The reality is that Big Tobacco needs Instagram to survive and can’t afford to be excluded. A market research company, Klear, recently noted that 96% of all brands have incorporated Instagram into their influencer strategy and that global Instagram influencer marketing activity increased by 48% in 2019.”
Source: The Conversation, 23 January 2020
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ASH Daily News is a digest of published news on smoking-related topics. ASH is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASH does not necessarily endorse the material contained in this bulletin.
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