Geneva, November 9, 2016 – During meetings held behind closed doors at the World Health Organization (‘WHO’) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control’s (‘FCTC’) seventh session of the Conference of Parties (‘COP7’), taking place this week in Greater Noida, India, Parties are discussing a WHO report recommending the excessive regulation of next generation products such as e-cigarettes with the hidden aim of prohibition still clearly in its sights.
A previous WHO ENDS/ENNDS[1] report[2], published at COP6 in Moscow (2014) pressed Parties to ban or, at minimum, regulate vaping devices. Having now backed down on the recommendation, the new report does, however, recommend to ban advertising – which could help inform consumers’ choice on products that have the potential to reduce risks – and severely restrict flavorings. This is a clear attempt to diminish consumer awareness and acceptability of this category and is verging on a de facto ban. [...]
[1] Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Electronic Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems
[2] http://www.who.int/fctc/cop/cop7/FCTC_COP_7_11_EN.pdf?ua=1