WHY MOST SMOKERS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF SAFER ALTERNATIVES

As the rest of the world continues to reap the benefits of safer alternatives , most smokers in developing countries haven’t got the slightest idea of what these products are or if they even exist. A continent that has well over 60 Million smokers , 500,000 of them dying every year from tobacco-related diseases needs urgent solutions.

One of the challenges we face are the media. Conflicting reports on vaping and heat-not-burn products is playing a ,major role in discouraging smokers from switching . Tobacco control advocates are opposed to harm reduction (with instructions from the F.C.T.C of course) . Governments make decisions based on advice they receive from the W.H.O , F.C.T.C , and tobacco control advocates. This in turn makes it illegal to advertise vaping. Speaking to smokers about vaping is deemed as advertising . Quite unbelievable that there are life-saving products that can help smokers now, but we are not allowed to tell the about it. We can tell them about nicotine gum & patches , but not about e cigarettes . Did you know you African governments allow cigarette imports but strictly do not allow e-juice containing Nicotine to be imported into the country. Stems from a lack of knowledge about Nicotine and misinformation , thanks to the WHO again (and tobacco control of course) . Campaign For Tobacco Free Kids orchestrate most tobacco control efforts in the developing world , whatever they say goes .

Conflicting media reports on e-cigarettes , snus and heat not burn products are confusing for any smoker who is seeking solutions . From blatant lies about harm reduction to false claims about Big Tobacco being behind this disruptive technology , it almost seems like a lost battle . The bottom line,I think, is that there is a lot of money at stake here , and what we are seeing now is not even about the smoker, but simply about protecting profits .

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