The Sunday Mail
Business Reporter
Experts believe there is a marked decline in smoking around the world that coincides with the progressive implementation of tobacco harm reduction (THR) policies in some countries as well as the growing switch to alternative smoke-free products.
It raises hope there might be consensus between policymakers and the tobacco industry for the sustainable consumption of nicotine without necessarily prejudicing public health. It is estimated that there are more than 1,1 billion smokers around the world, of which 80 percent live in low-and middle-income countries.
About eight million people die of smoking-related diseases every year. Cigarettes are understood to be the most dangerous form of nicotine delivery, while alternative products can have substantial harm reduction.
Vapers, for example, are considered 95 percent less harmful than cigarettes.
Professor David Levy from US-based Georgetown University told the Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum (GTNF) held between September 21-23 in London, UK, that there was a demonstrable shift by consumers from cigarettes to smokeless tobacco products such as nicotine vaping products (NVPs).
He said the market has become broader as new platforms such as the Internet and vaping shops have emerged to market and sell the products.
The cigarette market has been declining as a result.
“There has been a fairly declining market for cigarettes, but what stands out most importantly, which I documented and others have documented, is the exceptionally decline in use, even much more important young adult smokers. It’s actually fallen by 60 percent (in the US since 2013,” said Prof Levy, who is currently one of the principal investigators of the US Food and Drug Administration Tobacco Centres of Regulatory Science, and has developed a new simplified model to consider e-cigarette and smoking trends and implications.
NVPs, he claimed, were increasingly being used by people who would have been smokers, and so, essentially, they became “a way out of smoking rather than into smoking”.
Experts say while some policymakers might not necessarily believe in tobacco harm reduction policies, a much more pragmatic approach would allow them to embrace it as was viable and practical.
According to Prof Levy, there was likely to be stricter policies towards cigarettes such as raising the minimum age, greater enforcement and a potential for a menthol or mint ban used to make cigarettes flavourful.
“I expect that distrust of harm reduction will abate as it is recognised that NVPs use is likely to be responsible for a substantial part of the decline in cigarette use, particularly among vulnerable groups (youths and people with mental health issues). Further, I expect it will be recognised that the nicotine delivery world is less controllable, due to Internet, etcetera, and subject to substantial ongoing certainty. They will learn to live with it and see harm reduction approaches as more viable,” he said.
Studies indicate that the US has shown a more dramatic reduction in smoking in the US than the Australian despite the latter having more policies on cigarette control.
After substantial scientific assessment, on July 7, 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued decisions on Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) applications for IQOS — PMI’s heated tobacco product.
The FDA found that “the IQOS system heats tobacco but does not burn it,” “this significantly reduces the production of harmful and potentially harmful chemicals,” and that “scientific studies have shown that switching completely from conventional cigarettes to the IQOS system significantly reduces your body’s exposure to harmful or potentially harmful chemicals”.
The agency decided that the available scientific evidence demonstrates that the issuance of an exposure modification order for IQOS would be appropriate to promote the public health and is expected to benefit the health of the population as a whole.
But tobacco harm reduction products are not readily accepted by some global health bodies such as the WHO and policymakers as they are perceived to be ostensibly promoting tobacco consumption.
The GTNF is a forum for the global exchange of views and ideas between public health experts, Government representatives, industry and investors. Last year’s forum was held virtually.
