From June 5 – 6, "The Global Forum on Nicotine," an international gathering of researchers, professionals and activists who fight against the harmful effects of tobacco by offering alternatives to tobacco consumers while they continue ingesting nicotine, took place in Warsaw, Poland.
A tobacco epidemic is evolving in Africa. The first cigarette now falls into the hands of young Africans earlier. Studies unfortunately show that the earlier young people start smoking the harder it is for them to stop. Diseases related to this scourge keep spreading and mortality rate keeps rising. Governments are trying to implement restrictive policies such as banning the promotion and the sale of cigarettes in public spaces and there are places where the sale and consumption are prohibited. But what should be done to reduce consumer risks? This was one of the questions discussed at the forum.
It is a common idea to think of nicotine in the same way as tobacco as the cause of disease. Dr. Derek Yach highlights this amalgam from the beginning of the meeting, explaining that it is the tobacco that is harmful. It is its burned components which kill the consumer and not the nicotine. Nicotine, according to the researchers, is not as destructive; even though, like caffeine, it can be a very addictive product. The use of nicotine is therefore not lethal, unlike tobacco.
At the Forum, researchers and doctors have proposed alternatives such as products labeled "reduced-harmfulness".
The e-cigarette
Since the beginning of 2013, it is estimated that there are about 7 million users of e-cigarettes in Europe. E-cigarettes is considered a “reduced-harmfulness” product. This cigarette is less dangerous because it does not contain tobacco – it is the vapor which is sucked. Analysis of components of the electronic cigarette has shown that it is 20 times less harmful than traditional cigarettes. The short-term effects are called "weak and temporary" by health professionals. However, it is still too early to talk about its long-term effects.
Snus and patches
Chewing tobacco and patches are also alternatives that reduce the risks. However they are less popular with smokers because what they value is the act of smoking and the penetration of nicotine into their lungs. These two products don’t fully cover those needs.
The forum offers alternatives to traditional cigarettes based on scientific research. The goal of the research is to find a way to continue consuming nicotine but in a safer manner.
Yach, who led the initial development of the Framework Convention onTobacco Control (FCTC) at the World Health Organization (WHO), explained that a study was conducted in England on smokers who wanted to stop and who chose to replace real cigarettes with electronic ones combined with nicotine patches. This method turned out to be very encouraging and increases considerably the chances of success.
Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos a cardiologist who attended the Forum also thinks that for someone who wanted to get rid of nicotine it is best to go through the E-cigarette. In his April 2014 study, he said it the health of smokers who chose the "vaping" method had improved very significantly.
Doctor Kantantinos denounces misinformation about e-cigarette which prevented smokers from knowing its benefits, which could greatly improve their health. A third of smokers are unaware that the e-cig is less dangerous than the original cigarette. Kantantinos also fears that this misinformation leaves room for a total ban of the product as it is the case in Australia. If we forbid the electronic cigarette, the risk is no longer being able to control the quality of the product, which is made according to standards aimed at protecting the consumer. Product quality and consumer safety are guaranteed in this free but well regulated market. Furthermore there will be no control of market or tax, which would be a real loss of income for the states that make a lot profit from taxes on tobacco. There is also a risk of exposing the product to smuggling and counterfeiting, which would be regrettable. The number of people choosing vaping is skyrocketing, so it would be a big mistake if the markets did not convert. It would be a shame to relinquish this innovation to the black market.
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Political and health officials will have to start a dialogue with scientists; they will need to commission reports and fund new research. If the effectiveness of e-cig is confirmed, public health measures should be put in place to protect consumers. As for businesses, Rupert Murdock, an American businessman, said on this matter that "regulation by laws will have to protect the competition and create the necessary conditions so that the star-ups can develop and prosper." It is clear that this revolution will have repercussions on the tobacco industry. Progressive tobacco companies have already started to diversify and offer products labeled “reduced harmfulness”.
