Daily Times

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged governments to treat e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, similarly to tobacco and ban all flavours. That could spell trouble for some big tobacco companies, which have bet on a shift to cigarette alternatives. British American Tobacco has said it wants 50% of its revenues to come from ‘non-combustible’ products by 2035. Vapes are banned in 34 countries, the WHO said in a report last year, including Brazil, India, Iran and Thailand. But many countries struggle to enforce e-cigarette rules, meaning they are often available on the black market. Seventy-four countries, mostly in Africa but also including Pakistan, Colombia and Mongolia, did not regulate e-cigarettes at all, according to the WHO report. In other nations, including key markets like the U.S. and China, governments allow vapes but regulate their use.