HR/June 19/7: Safer nicotine products

·           E-cigarettes are estimated to be 95% safer than smoking cigarettes

·           Snus is not inhaled, so there is no risk of respiratory disease which accounts for nearly half of all smoking-related deaths; and no risk to bystanders. There is no significant association with premature deaths, diabetes, pancreatic and oral cancers, heart disease or strokes

·           It is estimated that by 2021, over 55 million people will be using e-cigarettes or heat-not-burn tobacco products and that the global market will be worth USD $35 billion

·           Use of heat-not-burn products in Japan has seen cigarette sales fall by 27% in two years, an unprecedented national decrease in smoking

·           In Sweden snus has been instrumental in reducing smoking related mortality to the lowest in the EU

·           If the EU ban on snus is lifted, then around 320,000 premature deaths a year could be prevented in the EU

·           As Norwegian smokers switch to snus, the smoking rate among young Norwegian women has dropped to a world record of 1%

·           Over 50% of the UK’s 3 million e-cigarette users are ex-smokers

·           39 countries have inappropriately banned SNP including countries whose smoking prevalence is predicted to rise

·           62 countries regulate e-cigarettes under tobacco legislation.

(Source: No Fire, No Smoke Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction, 2018 (2018). London: Knowledge-Action-Change)

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania   (CMAAO)

Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Past National President IMA