"There is scientific consensus that e-cigarettes are less harmful to smokers and their environment than traditional cigarettes. There is also clear evidence that e-cigarettes help smokers quit - more effectively than nicotine replacement therapy."
So says Jamie Hartmann-Boyce from Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group in response to the WHO campaign against e-cigarettes.
WHO wants to ban e-cigarettes. The Swedish government plans to ban virtually all flavours in e-liquids - something both Denmark and Finland have already done. But in the UK, where the government, in collaboration with health authorities and several health organisations, is investing billions in e-cigarette research, bans and harsh restrictions are seen as the wrong way to go.
"Smoking is unique when it comes to the deadly consequences and for some people it is very difficult to quit. E-cigarettes are not risk-free and former non-smokers should not start using them. But from a public health perspective, the message to smokers should be clear: Nicotine is addictive, but it is not the cause of the harm that smoking causes," says Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, physician and head of research at the Institute of Health Behaviour at University of Oxford.
Evidence suggests e-cigarettes work
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce leader Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group - Part of the Cochrane Librarywhich evaluates treatment methods based on evidence and quality studies from around the world. The group recently published an updated overview of randomised controlled trials evaluating e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation method. The researchers analysed a total of 56 studies with 12,800 participants. The studies compared e-cigarettes with other nicotine products over a period of at least six months.
"The evidence shows that nicotine e-cigarettes can actually help smokers quit. At the same time, data shows that vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking," says Jamie Hartmann-Boyce.
Side effects of e-cigarettes
According to the report, which has been in preparation since 2014, e-cigarettes double the chance of quitting smoking compared to traditional nicotine products. In addition, e-cigarette users report fewer problems associated with quitting smoking. Coughing, headaches, dry mouth and dizziness are the most common side effects, but they typically disappear after a short time.
"We couldn't find many reports documenting serious harm from e-cigarette use. But the studies that looked into this only went back two years. It's important that we continue to monitor this area." Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and her colleagues write in the report.
Criticism of the WHO
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce reacts strongly to the WHO's recent statements on e-cigarettes. The organisation proposes drastic restrictions or even bans on e-cigarettes because the products are considered harmful.
"The WHO choosing to label e-cigarettes as 'harmful' may scare smokers away from trying vaping as an alternative, and it may also affect those who have already switched to e-cigarettes to quit smoking. The report should not deter smokers from choosing a less harmful alternative. There is a broad scientific consensus that vaping is less harmful than smoking - both for smokers and their environment," says Jamie Hartmann-Boyce.
"As safe as nicotine products - but better"
She is supported by John Britton, Professor Emeritus of Epidemiology at University of Nottingham and tobacco prevention counsellor at Royal College of Physicians (According to him, the WHO's stance shows that the organisation hasn't understood the research: e-cigarettes are a crucial tool in the fight against smoking and the technology is more effective than previous methods.
"The WHO continues to recommend methods based on nicotine replacement therapy. But at the same time, they propose banning consumer products that are just as safe - and in fact work much better," John Britton says to Science Media Centre.
