In recent days, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released their stance regarding Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), and proposed regulation and restrictions for them. We, the people, send a plea to maintain our right to choose a healthier alternative to smoking. Respectfully, through years of studying published, and peer reviewed scientific research, we disagree with their approach to the hard regulation and banning of such products, as they have improved our quality of life substantially. Understandably, yes, they need to be regulated to ensure that consumers are being provided with both safe delivery devices, and sanitary electronic cigarette liquids created under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and quality assured guidelines, however, enforcing a ban and over-regulating these products is counter-intuitive.

For the past few years, the Electronic Cigarette Trade Association (ECTA) has been building the framework for what we know to be the safest standards of manufacturing and retail of electronic nicotine delivery systems to date. The WHO may argue there is not enough evidence to back the safety and efficacy of these devices, yet we, the thousands of former tobacco users can attest to that statement to not be the case at all. For anyone to claim ENDS to be 100% safe would be false. However, relative to the heavy tar and carcinogen loaded analog cigarettes and other such tobacco products, ENDS have given smokers a chance to alternatively administer nicotine from natural sources as a replacement, or to wean themselves off nicotine altogether, without the 70+ known carcinogens found in cigarettes.

To deny published evidence on the effectiveness of these products, and to boldly attack the industry that is undeniably improving public health, is biased and unfounded. Yet this is the unfortunate case for the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the WHO. We hear their statements and counter by providing the evidence necessary to prove their claims incorrect, yet they deny all known facts. Thousands of former smokers who are now enjoying a new found sense of taste, smell, ease of breathing and overall dramatically increased quality of life, are being ignored and treated as “wild west” criminals. If every smoker in the world converted to using ENDS, and tobacco sales were at zero percent, the WHO would still deny their effectiveness as smoking cessation devices. This is a huge loss for world health.

So we ask you, to please consider the positive impact on public health that the Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems can offer. Please review the published scientific findings and facts that prove that the vapor created from electronic cigarettes are not harmful to public health, and consider that the very minute effects it may have is far less damaging that combusted tobacco use. Review the over-sensationalized statements that the sale of ENDS are targeted towards youth due to alleged “Child Friendly” flavors such as “Pina Colada” and “Tobacco Flavor”, and compare it to the precedence set by flavored alcohol. The industry thus far has self-governed to not sell to minors as a given that any future regulations will include this.

We wish to maintain our right to choose the healthier alternative, and will do whatever it takes to make sure that we are heard. To ignore our plea for an honest approach to public health will no doubt spark an uprising. Please consider our plea honestly, and investigate our arguments with eyes of compassion for the smokers damned with the burden of addiction. For it is not solely nicotine that they are addicted to, but the unnecessary, yet approved additives that keep them smoking more.

Thank you for hearing our cry. Public health is at stake by banning the life saving devices as claimed by those who use them.