Reports

      Evidence-based policies benefit the men and women who smoke

      Baker, G.; Olson, J.; Gilchrist, M.
      Published on
      Jul 7, 2021
      DOI
      10.32388/BDEMYS
      Link to publication
      Summary

      The WHO study group on tobacco product regulation (TobReg) published their eighth report on the scientific basis of tobacco product regulation in May, 2021. The report makes recommendations aimed at addressing “a number of issues concerning novel and emerging nicotine and tobacco products, such as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), electronic non-nicotine delivery systems (ENNDS) and heated tobacco products (HTPs)”. The report concludes by making a number of policy recommendations on HTPs and ENDS that, if implemented, would severely restrict both the availability of these products, and accurate information about them for those adults would otherwise continue to use cigarettes. Whilst the report aims to “protect the health of […] populations, especially the younger generation”, it neglects to consider the potential negative consequences of these recommendations on the more than 1 billion people who smoke. We all agree that smoke-free products carry some risk compared to smoking abstinence or cessation. Nevertheless, the body of available scientific evidence indicates that these products are a better choice for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke. Rather than promoting regulation that would encourage these adults to switch to better alternatives such as e-cigarettes and HTPs, the policy recommendations put forward in the TobReg report will instead maintain the status quo—and support the continuation of smoking, the most harmful form of nicotine and tobacco consumption. The report omits or obscures key information that is vital for science-based policymaking, and there is a clear disconnect between the available body of scientific evidence and the policy recommendations put forth in the report. Here, we share our perspective on the TobReg report in order to contribute to an open, science- and evidence-based dialog.

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      Reduced Risk Products ("RRPs”) is the term we use to refer to products that present, are likely to present, or have the potential to present less risk of harm to smokers who switch to these products versus continuing smoking. PMI has a range of RRPs in various stages of development, scientific assessment and commercialization. All of our RRPs are smoke-free products that deliver nicotine with far lower quantities of harmful and potentially harmful constituents than found in cigarette smoke.