Washington. – New products and misleading information from the tobacco industry, aimed particularly at young people, are jeopardizing the achievements in the fight against smoking in America over the past two decades, PAHO said.
Data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) shows that the proportion of the population using tobacco in the region fell from 28 percent in 2000 to 16.3 percent in 2020.
However, today the tobacco industry and its allies are “spreading a lot of misleading information that encourages the use of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products, particularly among young people,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, director of the organization.
The manager expressed concern that although eight countries in America have banned the sale of e-cigarettes and four of heated tobacco products, another 14 countries have not taken any regulatory action on the matter, he said.
According to experts, electronic cigarettes are the most common form of nicotine delivery system.
Its emissions contain nicotine and other toxic substances that are harmful to both users and those exposed to them.
In order to address the growing threat these products pose to health, Barbosa considered it essential that countries take action to prevent their use, especially among young people, as they can become the gateway for tobacco use that affects everyone Kills a million people in America every year.