A rational approach to e-cigarettes: challenging ERS policy on tobacco harm reduction. Issue 5 (7th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pisinger, Charlotta; Vestbo, Jørgen
• Is Part Of: European respiratory journal. Volume 55:Issue 5(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-05-07
• Subjects: Respiratory organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Respiration -- Periodicals; 616.2
• DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00355-2020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0903-1936

Abstract

We wish to thank J. Britton and co-workers for responding to our editorial and giving us an opportunity to clarify our position as well as correct a few misunderstandings. We definitely share the same goal, which is to relieve Europe and the rest of the world from the terrible results of the tobacco epidemic. We also do not "blankly oppose e-cigarettes"; however, we strongly advocate against a harm reduction strategy including e-cigarettes as well as heated tobacco products [1]. As clinicians we all see reluctant smokers where e-cigarettes can be tried as a last resort for getting off cigarette smoking, but that is of little relevance for a general harm reduction strategy. We also agree that the UK has achieved a lot in the area of smoking cessation but would argue that this has been achieved by impressive tobacco control, not by the use of e-cigarettes, and that a country such as Australia, which has banned nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, has achieved similar results. Regarding the use of alternative nicotine delivery systems, ERS argues that including e-cigarettes in a harm reduction strategy is not evidence-based and may result in harm. Instead, we should support access to evidence-based smoking cessation methods. http://bit.ly/2TpUCYG