WHO urges stiff regulatory curbs on e-cigarettes

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WHO urges stiff regulatory curbs on e-cigarettes

By Stephanie Nebehay and Ben Hirschler GENEVA/LONDON (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) called for stiff regulation of electronic cigarettes as well as bans on indoor use, advertising and sales to minors, in the latest bid to control the booming new market. In a long-awaited report that will be debated by member states at a meeting in October in Moscow, the United Nations health agency on Tuesday also voiced concern about the concentration of the $3 billion market in the hands of big tobacco companies. "In a nutshell, the WHO report shows that e-cigarettes and similar devices pose threats to public health," Douglas Bettcher, director of the agency's department on non-communicable diseases, told a news briefing in Geneva. Because they are so new, there is a lack of long-term scientific evidence to support their safety, and some fear they could lead to nicotine addiction and tobacco smoking.

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