As Big Tobacco Moves Deeper into Vaping the World Health Organization Calls For a Government Boycott of the Smoke Free Foundation

Even if e-cigarettes were not as safe as we know they are 1.6 million American lives would be saved each year if vaping was accepted as a harm reduction tool.

And shockingly if the American Government was to accept e-cigarettes are up to 95% safer than regular smoking a staggering 6.6 million smoking-related deaths could be prevented in the country.

The sobering figures come from a new study by researchers at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Washington who say a switch to a ‘vaping strategy’ would see smoking rates in the US reduced to just 5% within a decade.

Meanwhile the FDA dithers and pushes deadlines back without actually making any firm decisions on just how to implement the by now overwhelming evidence that e-cigs are the best way for smokers to quit.

The same could be said for many other governments and health organizations across the world such as Australia and India.

Spokesman for the study – David Levy, PhD said:

Hopefully, this paper will lead to more agreement — not that e-cigarettes are the cure-all, but that they can have a role. Many people want to stop smoking, or they have tried many times and have not been successful.

In an interview with MedPageToday Levy also warned of allowing Big Tobacco too much of a foothold into the e-cig market:

The original deeming regulations were really quite harsh. In my view, this would have led to the cigarette industry controlling e-cigarettes, which is exactly what we don’t want. The potential gains from e-cigarettes [in terms of smoking cessation] depends on competition in the industry.

Wise words indeed because has we’ve seen over recent weeks Big Tobacco is stepping up its game in the heat not burn area of vaping.

WHO Are Anti the Smoke Free Foundation

Levy is joined in his Big Tobacco concerns by staunch anti vape organization the World Health organization [WHO] that this week called on governments to boycott the billion dollar anti-smoking Foundation created by those behind Marlboro cigarettes Phillip Morris Inc.

Last year the company – that manufactures the ‘heat not burn’ IQOS – said it was investing $80million into the foundation that’s aim is to create a ‘Smoke Free World’.

Now that got my alarms bells ringing as in effect the company was investing in its and other Big Tobacco company’s destruction!

The WHO believes there’s a real conflict of interest going on with this foundation and urge governments to try other methods to reduce smoking including higher taxes – warning labels and ad bans.

A spokesman said:

WHO will not partner with the Foundation. Governments should not partner with the Foundation and the public health community should follow this [tried and true approach to tackling smoking].

Derek Yach who used to work at WHO will be heading the The Smoke Free Foundation and he featured heavily – talking a lot of sense I might add – in the recent A Billion Lives documentary.

He was obviously a little perplexed at the WHO’s decision adding:

I am deeply disappointed, therefore, by WHO’s complete mischaracterisation of the nature, structure and intent of the Foundation in its recent statements – and especially by its admonition to others not to work together.

Millions Dying While They Argue

It would seem that WHO are hopelessly out of touch with the current scientific findings around e-cigs as harm reduction tools to say the least.

However I do smell something fishy about Big Tobacco and its bid for a smoke free world.

According to Fortune magazine Phillip Morris Inc recently saw its cigarette sales down by over 11% whilst sales of IQOS increased tenfold.

Things that make you go ummm.

And UK cancer prevention specialist Linda Bauld agrees we should be cautious:

Among the transnational companies, PMI has been the most positive about harm reduction but it’s not going to happen quickly and it’s focused in the developed world. I’d prefer research completely independent from industry.

Personally I wish WHO would get its head out of the sand and take a far more positive view of vaping as a way to quit smoking.

Whilst these huge ‘health’ organizations dither and bicker millions of people are dying.

Shame on them.