World Medical Association Reaffirms WHO Warning, Calls for Lawful Regulation of E-cigarettes

The World Medical Association has reinforced the World Health Organization’s warning about the risks of electronic cigarettes and is calling for stronger global regulation of e-cigarettes to protect the health of children and adolescents.

According to a report by Helsinkitimes, the World Medical Association (WMA) has once again emphasized the World Health Organization’s (WHO) warning about the risks of e-cigarette products. This warning comes in response to the worldwide rise in e-cigarette use, especially among young people, as well as inadequate regulation in many countries.

According to the latest reports, the World Medical Association (WMA), echoing the concerns of the World Health Organization (WHO), has issued a serious warning about the dangers of e-cigarettes. Notably, this warning comes against the backdrop of the growing global popularity of e-cigarettes—particularly among young people—and the serious lack of effective oversight in many countries.

WMA President Professor Lujain Alqodmani stressed the urgent need for governments to take action to protect children and adolescents. She pointed to alarming findings reported by the WHO: 88 countries have no minimum age requirement for purchasing e-cigarettes, and 74 countries do not have effective regulatory measures in place for these harmful products.

As one of the few countries actively monitoring youth e-cigarette use, the United States recently released troubling data from a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The survey found that 27.9% of high school students (grades 9–13) use tobacco products, with e-cigarettes being the most popular choice at 22.6%. This trend may reflect the situation in many other countries as well.

Earlier this year, the World Medical Association issued a revised statement on e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems, calling for stronger protections for children and adolescents. Professor Alqodmani stated: “These products must be treated as harmful, not safe. We must prohibit the sale, marketing, distribution, and provision of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products to children and adolescents.”

The World Medical Association has called for e-cigarettes to be regulated in accordance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and to be made subject to smoke-free laws. This action is intended to curb the growing trend of youth e-cigarette use and address the public health challenges posed by these products. The association’s position further strengthens the global consensus in favor of stricter regulation of e-cigarettes to protect public health, especially the health of younger generations.