Warnings by the World Health Organization have been refuted by public health experts in the United Kingdom who accused the WHO of spreading “blatant misinformation” regarding risks and benefits of e-cigarettes, reports the Science Magazine.

The rebuttal comes after the value of e-cigarettes has been broadly discussed among experts worldwide, with UK public health officials generally voicing support for vaping stating it is a useful tool to quit traditional smoking. On the other side, US scientists from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claim there has not been enough research into potential hazards regarding vaping.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has now echoed the US scientists’ opinion in a document that says, “there is no doubt” that e-cigarettes “are harmful to health and are not safe, but it is too early to provide a clear answer on the long-term impact of using them or being exposed to them,” reported the Science Magazine.
Public health experts in the UK have hit back at these claims. “The WHO has a history of anti-vaping activism that is damaging their reputation. This document is particularly malign,” said Peter Hajek, who directs the Tobacco Dependence Research Unit at Queen Mary University in London. He continued to says, “There is no evidence that vaping is ‘highly addictive. Less than 1 per cent of non-smokers become regular vapers. There is clear evidence that e-cigarettes help smokers quit.”