Is Choosing E-Cigarettes to Quit Smoking Right or Wrong?

Introduction: Why do you choose e-cigarettes? Because they can help quit smoking. Currently, more and more smokers are choosing electronic cigarettes, mainly due to the perceived "lower harm of e-cigarettes" and "aids for quitting smoking". However, a report from the World Health Organization (WHO) may disappoint many smokers who believe that the technological era is beneficial. Recently, the WHO drafted a report titled "Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems" (hereinafter referred to as the "report").
According to news from Chinese electronic cigarette sources: Currently, more and more smokers are choosing electronic cigarettes, mainly due to the perceived "lower harm of e-cigarettes" and "aids for quitting smoking". However, a report from the World Health Organization (WHO) may disappoint many smokers who believe that the technological era is beneficial. Recently, the WHO drafted a report titled "Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems" (hereinafter referred to as the "report") and plans to submit it to the upcoming "Framework Convention on Tobacco Control" meeting to urge countries to strictly regulate the e-cigarette market.

"In short, the WHO report indicates that e-cigarette devices are posing a threat to public health," said Douglas Bettcher, Director of the WHO's Department of Noncommunicable Diseases. E-cigarettes primarily use electricity to drive the device's cartridge, vaporizing the solvent inside into nicotine-containing vapor. These devices have seen a surge in sales worldwide over the past two years, but they lack long-term and robust safety data.

The report shows that smokers choose e-cigarettes for two main reasons: on one hand, to quit smoking, and on the other hand, to escape the restrictions of smoking bans in public places. Previously, some doctors suggested that the WHO reduce regulations on e-cigarettes, and related data in the report also indicates that e-cigarettes have indeed achieved some success in helping users quit smoking.

However, the report also points out that certain brands of e-cigarette products release carcinogenic elements such as formaldehyde and heavy metals, which can be more harmful to health than traditional cigarettes. Additionally, the inhalation method of e-cigarettes facilitates the widespread dissemination of nicotine in the air, posing a threat to the health of children and pregnant women in public areas. On the other hand, the advertising and sales channels for e-cigarettes in various countries are still not well established, increasing the likelihood of minors purchasing them. Therefore, the WHO calls on countries to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes in public places and to strictly regulate the sales channels and functional advertising of e-cigarette products.