Tobacco Harm Reduction

Worldwide, cigarette smoking results in 7.2 Million deaths every year.To curb this menace and bring an end to unnecessary deaths,there is urgent need to quickly adopt and promote reduced-risk alternatives aimed at accelerating the transition out of harmful tar-based cigarettes. We should (including tobacco companies)embrace technology and innovations to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 on good health and well-being by offering practical smoke-free alternatives to smokers.

Alternatives to cigarette smoking can create a big impact on health in society. Given the undisputed harm caused by cigarettes on human health, the potential negative impacts of e-cigarettes are certainly pale by comparison as there is no tar in e-cigarettes. Stakeholders in the industry must offer alternative products as an important smoking cessation tool.I believe we can have a big impact on public health by promoting alternatives to smoking cigarettes.

Millions of men and women who smoke cigarettes regularly are looking for less harmful, yet satisfying, alternatives to smoking. Having been a smoker myself for over 16 years,I understand fully why these alternative products are so vital if we are to save smokers’ lives .A new generation of alternative tobacco products could offer a breakthrough for harm reduction, appealing to smokers, in a time where current anti-smoking campaigns are considerably not cutting through.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over a billion people currently smoke cigarettes, and this number is projected to remain largely unchanged by 2025. Globally 7 Million people die from tobacco annually despite the efforts of the anti- tobacco agencies and world-wide anti-smoking campaigns.

I believe if we embrace these life saving alternatives we can begin to save lives NOW.