Recently, one of the world's most influential e-cigarette public health conferences-the "2021 e-cigarette summit" was held in the United States. Over 30 experts discussed the latest global evidence of e-cigarette harm reduction and smoking cessation. Many experts pointed out that public health institutions should actively popularize these scientific research results, immediately stop stigmatizing e-cigarettes, and regain public trust. .

The theme of this summit is "Exploring the impact of e-cigarettes on smoking rates." Participants included senior executives from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and well-known experts in various fields such as global public health, medicine, tobacco control, and drug reform.

However, shortly after the meeting began, experts expressed their dissatisfaction with the stigmatization of e-cigarettes by public health institutions and the media, and the theme of the meeting changed to "how to regain trust in the issue of e-cigarettes." Some experts suggest that timely dissemination of correct e-cigarette information, and some experts said that there is no conflict between protecting young people and helping smokers to quit smoking, and a balance "bridge" should be sought between the two.

How serious are the consequences of stigmatizing e-cigarettes as smokers use re-cigarettes, public health agencies break their trust?

Prof Kenneth Warner, Honorary Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan, was the first expert to speak at this summit. In his view, for e-cigarettes, most U.S. policymakers, public health agencies, and the media are concerned about issues related to young people, "this is not wrong." However, it is absolutely wrong to exaggerate the harm of e-cigarettes.

A number of studies around the world have confirmed the harm reduction and cessation effects of e-cigarettes. Cochrane, an international authoritative medical organization known as the "gold standard" in the industry, once pointed out that e-cigarettes have smoking cessation effects and are more effective than nicotine replacement therapy. At this summit, Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, a senior researcher at the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group, reiterated this conclusion.

"We see from scientific evidence that e-cigarettes can help smokers quit smoking, and have the potential to reduce smoking rates and even mortality." Prof Kenneth Warner said: "But because of the stigma of e-cigarettes, including smokers Many members of the public in China mistakenly believe that e-cigarettes are as harmful as cigarettes. This has caused a lot of worrying phenomena."

The most intuitive consequence is the increase in smoking rates in the United States. Professor Abigail Friedman of the Yale School of Public Health pointed out at the meeting that the ban on e-cigarette flavors (such as fruit flavors) has caused many smokers to use cigarettes. "Data shows that after the implementation of the e-cigarette flavor ban in San Francisco, the smoking rate of local youth cigarettes has doubled, which will greatly increase our subsequent tobacco control costs.

"Not only that, the continued transmission of misinformation will also cause public health institutions and the media to lose the basic trust of the public.

"Building and maintaining public trust in public health institutions is a core element of the success of a public health campaign. But because some public health institutions distort the truth, public trust in them is declining." Medical University of South Carolina Psychiatry and Behavior Professor Mike Cummings said. The title of his speech was "Do we have to risk losing public trust".

To regain public trust, clarify rumors and balance the needs of smokers is the key

In the discussion session of "Nicotine, Policies and Regulations" at the summit, Cliff Douglas, former vice president of tobacco control of the American Cancer Society, emphasized the need to find common ground between "harm reductionists" and "prohibitionists": "Protect youth and support adult smokers to quit smoking It can and must be achieved at the same time. At the same time, we cannot ignore the demands of e-cigarette users."

Cliff Douglas' views have been recognized by many experts. Ethan Nadelmann, the founder of the "Drug Policy Alliance" and an internationally renowned expert on drug policy, said that public health agencies cannot just focus on the "potential harm" of e-cigarettes and ignore the voices of current smokers and consumers. Professor Cheryl Healton of the School of Global Public Health of New York University directly pointed out that smokers have the right to choose a harm reduction plan that suits them and should "seeking new social justice" for them.

Some countries have clearly officially supported the use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool. At this summit, Ann McNeill, a tobacco addiction expert from King's College London, explained in detail the British e-cigarette policy, saying that the Public Health Department of the United Kingdom has promoted e-cigarettes as part of the "2030 smoke-free goal" strategy.

"The UK's support for e-cigarettes is backed by a large amount of scientific evidence. Public health agencies should focus on disseminating these e-cigarette harm reduction evidence, which is very critical." Ann McNeill said. She introduced that as early as 2015, the Department of Public Health of the United Kingdom issued a research report on e-cigarettes, pointing out that e-cigarettes can reduce the harm of cigarettes by 95%, and the content of harmful chemicals is almost negligible.

"We also need to clarify some rumors to reduce public misunderstandings about e-cigarettes." said Matthew Holman, director of the Science Department of the FDA's Tobacco Products Center. For example, the rumors of "e-cigarette lung disease" ("popcorn lung") in the United States have been clarified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): the culprit is vitamin E acetate in illegal THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) products, regular nicotine electronics The smoke does not contain this substance.

Matthew Holman also revealed that the FDA "will help adult smokers obtain e-cigarettes and switch to e-cigarettes." According to reports from the foreign media Filter’s summit, if e-cigarette products pass the US Tobacco Pre-market Application (PMTA), their products will remain on the market in the name of “good for public health”. This will mean that the U.S. government officially recognizes the harm reduction effects of e-cigarettes.

Prev : Vape And COVID-19

Next : Juvenile smoking e-cigarette lawsuit

Email:sales@mlifevapor.com

WhatsApp:+86 13871529372

Email:sales@mlifevapor.com

WhatsApp:+86 13871529372

Tel：+86 13871529372

Add：6 / F, block B, building 2, Fuyong Tongtai times center, Bao'an District, Shenzhen

Language：简体中文 | >

Tel：+86 13871529372

Add：6 / F, block B, building 2, Fuyong Tongtai times center, Bao'an District, Shenzhen Website