There's nothing more harmful than a cigarette. And in a bid to quit smoking, e-cigarettes have often been seen as the answer to wean away people from smoking. But in a statement that will raise eyebrows, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that e-cigarettes are addictive and can be even more harmful than normal cigarettes at times.

The report, accessible on the WHO website, is currently the subject of discussion among government delegates representing 180 countries at the ongoing WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in Greater Noida. The conference, which began on November 7, and will conclude on Saturday, has ramifications for the tobacco industry, as many major players have invested heavily in e-cigarettes.

The report claims tobacco majors have circulated studies among the public that e-cigarettes can actually help people quit smoking. "In a review of 105 studies analysing the composition of liquids and emissions, 30 per cent had authors that had received funding from vested interests, including the tobacco industry, to give a favourable opinion of (Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Electronic Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems) ENDS/ENNDS," it says.

The report debunks such studies, calling them myths. "The scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of ENDS/ENNDS as a smoking cessation aid is scant and of low certainty, making it difficult to draw credible inferences," it says. "Given the scarcity and low quality of scientific evidence, it cannot be determined whether ENDS may help most smokers to quit or prevent them from doing so."

The e-cigarette market is huge. The report estimates that the global market for e-cigarettes, and water pipes, or hookahs, which are known as ENDS/ENNDS is around almost $10 billion annually. Also, many major tobacco companies have ventured into the e-cigarette market both in India and abroad.

Currently, 89% of e-cigarette market is dominated by the US, the UK, Poland, China, France, Germany and Italy. On the other hand, Brazil, Singapore, Seychelles, Uruguay and Norway have banned e-cigarettes.

Though the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued guidelines on regulating e-cigarettes, India has not banned it. Similarly, hookah bars are not banned in India either. "Punjab, Maharashtra and Karnataka in their own capacity have banned e-cigarettes. A consensus will have to be achieved by countries to adopt WHO recommendations of a ban at the nation level," said Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, a delegate at WHO-FCTC, who is representing the Indian government.

The recommendation of an expert committee headed by health secretary CK Mishra to ban e-cigarettes has been lying with Union Health Ministry for over a year now. Despite repeated attempts, Mishra was not available for comment.

India, specifically, has four major vendors — ITC, Godfrey Phillips India, VST Industries and Golden Tobacco — that sell e-cigarettes. Most of the sales are online. Other 19 vendors, including British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco Group, currently market e-cigarettes as an "effective tool" to wean one away from smoking.

The report says it is the other way around. It says e-cigarettes are more likely to be smoked by minors, and it adds that it doubles the chance of non-smokers smoking. Due to this addiction, many people switch from e-cigarettes to normal cigarettes.

It's not just the smokers who are at risk. The report also states that those passively inhaling the vapour released are at a higher risk than though previously. "Increased concentration of toxicants from second-hand smoke over background levels poses an increased risk for the health of all bystanders," it says.

Guide to e-cigarettes

Global market for e-cigarettes estimated at $10 billion annually89% of e-cigarette market is dominated by the US, the UK, Poland, China, France, Germany and Italy.E-cigarettes are battery powered devicesIt electronically heats nicotine that vapourises to simulate smoking experienceThe minimal lethal dose of nicotine is 30mgNicotine in e-cigarette cartridges is much more.Propylene glycol, main solvent in e-cigarettes, used as industrial poisonIngesting orally or intravenously 50-60mg of nicotine in e-cigarette is akin to a person weighing 70 kg being exposed to 30-40mg per cubic metre of smoke.

(Source: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, US)