WHO Report Confirms Switching from Cigarettes to E-Cigarettes Can Reduce Harm

Can electronic cigarettes help with quitting smoking? Whether switching from traditional cigarettes to electronic cigarettes can reduce harm has been a focal point of attention and controversy in society. The World Health Organization (WHO) provided answers to these debates in its 2020 report on electronic cigarettes: there is solid evidence that switching from cigarettes to electronic cigarettes can reduce harm.
 
In the report, WHO cited the assessment of electronic cigarettes by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). The solid evidence states: "Completely replacing cigarettes with electronic cigarettes can reduce users' exposure to various toxic and carcinogenic substances produced by burning cigarettes." There is substantial evidence that: "Using electronic cigarettes can lead to nicotine dependence, but the level of dependence is lower than that of cigarettes; long-term exposure to electronic cigarette vapor may increase the risk of some diseases, but the risk is lower than that of cigarettes; completely switching from cigarettes to electronic cigarettes can improve the health of multiple organs in the body."

WHO specifically pointed out that recent studies show that simultaneous use of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes leads to higher levels of oxidative stress and increased risks to cardiovascular and pulmonary health, thus dual use is not recommended.

The report concludes that WHO, NASEM, and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) have all recognized the potential of electronic cigarettes to improve public health. Additionally, WHO has made several recommendations for countries planning to regulate electronic cigarettes: including requiring electronic cigarette companies to standardize sales channels (including online sales), strictly enforce laws regarding minimum purchase age; through standardized regulations, minimize health risks for electronic cigarette users; and prohibit the addition of carcinogens, mutagens, and other harmful substances.

Taking the UK as an example, the UK has been pursuing a smoke-free plan: to eliminate combustible cigarettes by 2030, allowing smokers to completely quit or switch to lower-risk nicotine delivery systems, such as electronic cigarettes. Although the smoking rate among the Chinese population is currently on a downward trend, it remains at a high level.

Ma Liang, a researcher at the National Development and Strategic Research Institute of Renmin University of China, has commented that while absolute harmlessness from smoking is the best choice, in the short term, rather than advocating for an unrealistic smoke-free ideal, it is more pragmatic to promote harm reduction through smoking cessation and switching to reduce the health hazards of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure.