Anti-smoking battle under threat from ‘cancel culture’ and misinformation

Ramallah - Ma'an - In recent years, the world has witnessed a remarkable development in the spread of alternative products to traditional cigarettes, such as electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches. These products have proven effective in helping adult smokers who want to quit traditional smoking. Despite the growing scientific evidence on the superiority of these alternatives, the information spread on social media about smoking alternatives needs comprehensive scrutiny, as it is marred by many errors and fallacies that lead to misleading the public. At the same time, 'cancel culture' is hampering public health gains in the fight against smoking. Tobacco harm reduction experts say this culture, promoted by opponents of modern technology, is hampering progress in efforts to combat traditional smoking. Instead of adopting scientific, evidence-based strategies, publishers have a responsibility to ensure that the information they publish is based on scientific evidence and reliable studies. I n the face of these misleading campaigns, a group of experts has been keen to respond, debunk these misinformation and correct misconceptions. These experts, who include public health researchers and physicians specializing in tobacco control, and a group of experts who participated in the World Nicotine Forum, held in Warsaw, Poland, where they discussed the challenges to tobacco harm reduction principles, including the spread of misinformation targeting alternative tobacco products. Dr. Mariwa Glover, a leading public health researcher from New Zealand and a forum participant, said there was a 'culture war' being waged against tobacco harm reduction efforts, with groups seeking to impose their beliefs on others through misinformation and division. She explained that these campaigns create fear and doubt, discouraging smokers from switching to less risky alternatives. Glover pointed out that one of the methods of 'culture warfare' is to create polarization and fear among people about alternative products, which hinders efforts to improve public health. These products, such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches, promote the use of smoke-free alternatives, which reduce the risk of disease and health problems. Although these products contain nicotine, they do not cause cancer. There is no doubt that nicotine is addictive, but smoke is what kills. Therefore, it is very important to adopt the most effective methods to encourage smokers to quit, even gradually, with the help of innovative alternatives. Dr. Rohan Andrade de Sequeira, a cardiologist, pointed out that the ban on e-cigarettes in India has led to increased use of these products among young people. He explained that a complete ban creates a black market and removes regulatory oversight, exposing users to the risks of using unsafe devices. He also stressed that the ban is counterproductive, as it has increased use among young people, rather than reducing it. Sequeira stressed that misinformation exists even within the medical community, a s a large proportion of doctors in India do not have adequate knowledge about tobacco harm reduction products, leading to misconceptions about them. He highlighted the importance of education and awareness to combat misinformation and enable medical professionals to make informed decisions. In the same context, Jessica Harding, Conference Director, pointed out that more than 100 million people around the world have switched to smoke-free alternatives and quit smoking. In conclusion, the experts participating in the World Nicotine Forum stressed the importance of addressing misinformation and raising awareness about the benefits of alternative products to traditional cigarettes. It is worth noting that tobacco harm reduction products encourage the use of smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes, such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, while studies show that the absence of burning and smoke, which contain harmful chemicals, reduces the risk of diseases and health problems. There is a great opportunity to significantly reduce smoking numbers if we take into account the successful experiences of countries such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Sweden. These countries have made great strides in reducing smoking rates by implementing effective population-level risk reduction strategies. By using comprehensive policies that include promoting less-risky alternatives, these countries have been able to reduce smoking numbers to historic levels, highlighting the importance of adopting similar strategies to improve public health and reduce the risks associated with smoking. Source: Maan News Agency