Experts Urge Global Ban on E‑Cigarettes to Protect Children’s Developing Brains and Hearts

Leading cardiologists and public health researchers at the world’s largest heart conference called for a worldwide ban on electronic cigarettes, saying accumulated evidence shows vaping is not harmless and poses a particular threat to children and young people.

Speakers cited studies that associate vaping with a roughly one‑third higher risk of stroke and about a 25% increased risk of asthma and cardiovascular disease. They warned that those population‑level findings may understate the harm to developing brains and hearts in the fetus, children and young adults.

"There is an additional risk of vaping in children [compared to adults] when it comes to effects on the body," said Professor Maja‑Lisa Løchen, a senior cardiologist at University Hospital of North Norway. "Because we know that the nicotine and other elements in e‑cigarettes have a very harmful effect on developing brains. Not only in the foetus, but during childhood and into your 20s. So that is something we are extremely concerned about."

Researchers and clinicians at the meeting emphasized two strands of evidence driving the call for prohibition: epidemiological analyses linking e‑cigarette use to cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes in adults, and experimental and developmental research indicating heightened vulnerability among younger people. They said nicotine exposure during brain development increases the risk of dependence and can act as a gateway to combustible tobacco use for adolescents who begin vaping.

Organizers of the session said the proposal for a global ban is intended to stem what some presenters described as a growing uptake of vaping among youths and to prevent long‑term damage that may not yet be fully visible in population data. Several speakers argued that regulatory measures short of prohibition have not sufficiently limited access and appeal to children.

Previous public health debates around e‑cigarettes have often focused on their potential role in harm reduction for adult smokers. Conference speakers acknowledged that context but said the balance of harms has shifted as youth vaping has expanded and as longer‑term observational studies accumulate.

Campaigners and some public health authorities have for years expressed concern about marketing and product design that may attract younger users. At the conference, experts reiterated that protecting developing brains and cardiovascular systems requires decisive policy action and called for coordination among national regulators and international health bodies.

Panelists cautioned that further research is needed to refine estimates of risk, to clarify the mechanisms by which e‑cigarette aerosols affect vascular and neurological development, and to monitor long‑term outcomes among adolescents who vape. Nevertheless, they argued that existing data provide a sufficient basis for preventive measures aimed at children and pregnant people.

The call for a global ban was presented as a public‑health intervention aimed at preventing irreversible harm. Presenters urged governments to consider immediate steps to reduce availability and attractiveness of e‑cigarette products to young people, including restrictions on flavors, marketing, and retail access, while continuing to evaluate the role of e‑cigarettes in adult smoking cessation within tightly controlled frameworks.

The experts’ appeal adds to an ongoing international discussion about how best to regulate e‑cigarettes to protect public health, particularly among the youngest and most vulnerable populations. Conference organizers said their recommendations will be shared with health agencies and professional societies for consideration in forthcoming policy deliberations.