Scientists Tell WHO E-cigs Could Save ‘Hundreds of Millions of Lives’

The World Health Organization (WHO), an arm of the U.N. with an already long history of opposing electronic cigarettes — often with wildly nonsensical  claims, is being urged by a group of 53 scientists not to classify electronic cigarettes as tobacco products.

“These products could be among the most significant health innovations of the 21st century — perhaps saving hundreds of millions of lives. The urge to control and suppress them as tobacco products should be resisted.”

The agency is still trying to figure out what to say about e-cigarettes, but scientists have urged them not to overreact, saying e-cigarettes are not part of the tobacco problem, but “part of the solution.”

Considering past efforts from WHO against e-cigarettes, logical arguments for reason in future decisions may not be enough to sway the agency. In January of this year, for example, they issued a warning against e-cigarettes, claiming that they may contain toxins, following a claim in July of 2013 that electronic cigarettes were more dangerous than tobacco cigarettes because they are not filtered.

A formal position from WHO is not expected until after discussions scheduled from October 13 through 18 in Moscow.

E-cigs could save ‘hundreds of millions of lives’: scientists | New York Post.

Scientists Tell WHO E-cigs Could Save ‘Hundreds of Millions of Lives’