Geneva, 10.11.2021. The voices of vapers, and their personal stories about how vaping helped them quit smoking and change their lives for the better, were broadcast all through the streets of Geneva today to coincide with the meeting of COP 9, the global tobacco control conference.

Driving through Geneva in the iconic electric pink ‘Vape Bus’, the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA), representing vapers worldwide, displayed a powerful selection of quit stories from all over the world. (Hier the full video can be found) The audience for the demonstration was the delegates to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control’s (FCTC) COP 9 meeting, taking place in Geneva and virtually. The WHO FCTC has excluded vapers from participating in the COP 9 discussions, and the WVA’s demonstration was quickly ejected from outside of the WHO building.

Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, said:

“We came here today to make sure that vapers’ voices are heard, and that vaping is at the forefront of smoking cessation policies worldwide. Vaping can save 200 million lives globally, and it is imperative that COP9 delegates understand the real-life stories of people who have been able to quit smoking thanks to vaping. 

We have brought our message to the WHO’s front door and asked them to listen to our voice. COP9 delegates have the opportunity to make history and save lives IF they back vaping as a tool to beat smoking. Our message to them is clear: choose science and save lives,” he added.

Nearly 200 million smokers worldwide could switch to vaping, an alternative that is 95% less harmful, if governments adopted regulations that facilitate and encourage vaping as a means to quit smoking. The governments and health authorities of the UK, France, Canada and New Zealand have already done this. Yet the WHO has waged a “war on vaping”, refusing to listen to the science. The World Vapers’ Alliance is calling this week for the WHO and global leaders to start taking tobacco harm reduction seriously.

“There is a risk that global leaders at COP 9 – under pressure from anti-vaping activists – will push for the introduction of laws that would treat vaping the exact same as smoking. This would spell disaster for vapers, for smokers and for global public health. The best way we can beat smoking is to promote vaping as part of public health policies,” Michael Landl concluded.

ENDS

Notes to editor:

• The Back Vaping. Beat Smoking campaign hub is available hier.
• More information on the Vape Bus can be found hier.
• More detail on how 200 million lives can be saved is available hier.
• The FCTC COP9 meeting was held 8–13 November 2021 in Geneva. Recommendations for further vaping regulations were discussed and despite not being binding, many countries will implement them.
• The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) amplifies the voice of vapers around the world and empowers them to make a difference for their communities. Our members are 26 vapers associations as well as over 15,000 individual vapers from all over the world. More information on www.worldvapersalliance.nl

Press contact: 

Michael Landl

Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance

michael@worldvapersalliance.com