Egyptian Parliament Considers Banning e-Cigarettes
Two days ago in Illinois, United States, the first death related to vaping was reported. Officials pointed out that the patient developed a severe respiratory disease. According to CNN, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said there were 193 “potential cases” in 22 US states.
For years now, many vaping and e-cigarettes have been marketing it as a healthier alternative to traditional smoking; however, medical researchers have often pointed out that not enough studies were carried out on their adverse effect.
Following this report, Amal Rizkallah, an Egyptian member of parliament, has submitted a motion yesterday, calling for a ban on importing and trading e-cigarettes in the Egyptian market.
According to Egypt Independent, it is not the first time MP Rizkallah warned against the hazardous consequences of vaping and smoking e-cigarettes. She has pointed out before that multiple studies have suggested the risk associated with this type of smoking, and that the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that e-cigarettes are as dangerous as regular cigarettes.
Rizkallah went further and attacked the manufacturers, who claim that this type of smoking is healthier. Some here in Egypt have marketed for it as a means for those looking to quit smoking. Vaping can be more dangerous than regular cigarettes, as exploding e-cigarettes have been reported several times.
Until February, these devices were banned in the UAE, but now, it is gaining more popularity with the Arab youth, and MP Rizkallah sees the danger here. E-cigarettes increase blood lipids, resulting in atherosclerosis and could negatively affect the brain.
According to Mordor Intelligence, Middle East & Africa E-cigarettes Market is forecasted to reach USD 485m by 2024 growing at a rate of 9.74 percent during the forecast period. Egypt has the largest number of vaping individuals.
According to ‘The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine’, in 2016, a study was conducted in Egypt, and the results of the study showed that 57.5 percent of the respondents were aware of e-cigarettes. Among those who know about e-cigarettes, 41.6 percent believed that e-cigarettes help smoking cessation and 31.9 percent believed that it is less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
Now that lives are on the line, do you agree with MP Rizkallah?
