Should Italy consider prohibiting disposable e-cigarettes?
In the midst of the ongoing debate surrounding the potential risks associated with disposable e-cigarettes, Italy finds itself at a crossroads, with pediatricians and health authorities contemplating the possibility of implementing a ban on these devices. The concerns stem from a significant uptick in the usage of disposable e-cigarettes among young people in Italy, as highlighted by data from the 2022 Global Tobacco Youth Survey (GYTS). The survey revealed that nearly 20% of Italians between the ages of 13 and 15 are using disposable e-cigarettes, marking a sharp increase from 8.4% in 2014 and 17.5% in 2018.
Despite regulations prohibiting the sale of these devices to minors, the survey also indicated that almost 34% of Italian youths in this age group have experimented with disposable e-cigarettes at least once. This trend is not unique to Italy, as similar patterns have been observed in other European countries. However, a study found that Italy's usage rates were notably higher than the European average between 2014 and 2019.
Originally marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes and a tool for smoking cessation, concerns have been mounting over the potential gateway effect of e-cigarettes, particularly for youth. The World Health Organization (WHO) released a call to action in December, questioning the efficacy of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids and warning about their potential to lead young people to conventional cigarette use. This concern is exacerbated by aggressive marketing tactics targeting adolescents and the wide array of enticing e-liquid flavors available on the market.
Research conducted by Silvano Gallus and his team at the Mario Negri Institute in Milan explored the gateway hypothesis by tracking the smoking habits of Italian adults who used e-cigarettes. Their findings suggested a causal relationship between e-cigarette use and subsequent cigarette smoking initiation, with a significantly higher percentage of e-cigarette users transitioning to conventional cigarettes. Similar results were reported in the United States among adolescents and young adults, reinforcing the notion that e-cigarettes may fuel nicotine addiction and serve as a pathway to traditional smoking.
Even the United Kingdom, which once endorsed e-cigarettes as a less harmful alternative to tobacco with potential benefits for smoking cessation, recently prohibited the sale of disposable e-cigarettes due to child health concerns. In Italy, the Italian Society of Pediatrics, along with other pediatric scientific societies and patient organizations, has urged the health minister to introduce stricter regulations on e-cigarette flavors and marketing strategies. Beyond the risk of smoking initiation, concerns have been raised about the respiratory impact of e-cigarettes on both users and secondhand exposure, with reports of symptoms such as chronic cough, wheezing, and asthma.
Toxicologist Emanuela Testai from the Italian Institute of Health and chair of the EU's Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) highlighted the challenge of assessing the toxicity of the various chemicals present in e-cigarettes due to the multitude of liquids and devices available. While many e-liquid flavors have been approved as food additives, their safety when inhaled remains uncertain.
As stakeholders in Italy continue to push for stricter regulations on disposable e-cigarettes, the Italian health ministry has yet to announce any concrete plans regarding potential policy changes in response to these mounting concerns. The debate surrounding the ban on disposable e-cigarettes in Italy underscores the complex interplay between public health, regulatory measures, and the evolving landscape of smoking cessation strategies in the face of emerging tobacco products.
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/d43978-024-00046-x
Despite regulations prohibiting the sale of these devices to minors, the survey also indicated that almost 34% of Italian youths in this age group have experimented with disposable e-cigarettes at least once. This trend is not unique to Italy, as similar patterns have been observed in other European countries. However, a study found that Italy's usage rates were notably higher than the European average between 2014 and 2019.
Originally marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes and a tool for smoking cessation, concerns have been mounting over the potential gateway effect of e-cigarettes, particularly for youth. The World Health Organization (WHO) released a call to action in December, questioning the efficacy of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids and warning about their potential to lead young people to conventional cigarette use. This concern is exacerbated by aggressive marketing tactics targeting adolescents and the wide array of enticing e-liquid flavors available on the market.
Research conducted by Silvano Gallus and his team at the Mario Negri Institute in Milan explored the gateway hypothesis by tracking the smoking habits of Italian adults who used e-cigarettes. Their findings suggested a causal relationship between e-cigarette use and subsequent cigarette smoking initiation, with a significantly higher percentage of e-cigarette users transitioning to conventional cigarettes. Similar results were reported in the United States among adolescents and young adults, reinforcing the notion that e-cigarettes may fuel nicotine addiction and serve as a pathway to traditional smoking.
Even the United Kingdom, which once endorsed e-cigarettes as a less harmful alternative to tobacco with potential benefits for smoking cessation, recently prohibited the sale of disposable e-cigarettes due to child health concerns. In Italy, the Italian Society of Pediatrics, along with other pediatric scientific societies and patient organizations, has urged the health minister to introduce stricter regulations on e-cigarette flavors and marketing strategies. Beyond the risk of smoking initiation, concerns have been raised about the respiratory impact of e-cigarettes on both users and secondhand exposure, with reports of symptoms such as chronic cough, wheezing, and asthma.
Toxicologist Emanuela Testai from the Italian Institute of Health and chair of the EU's Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) highlighted the challenge of assessing the toxicity of the various chemicals present in e-cigarettes due to the multitude of liquids and devices available. While many e-liquid flavors have been approved as food additives, their safety when inhaled remains uncertain.
As stakeholders in Italy continue to push for stricter regulations on disposable e-cigarettes, the Italian health ministry has yet to announce any concrete plans regarding potential policy changes in response to these mounting concerns. The debate surrounding the ban on disposable e-cigarettes in Italy underscores the complex interplay between public health, regulatory measures, and the evolving landscape of smoking cessation strategies in the face of emerging tobacco products.
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/d43978-024-00046-x
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