Harm reduction or added harm? Reviewing the danger and impact of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products
Introduction Smoking is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and being gradually aware of this, the world has united to gradually control this scourge. However, in the face of this awareness, the tobacco industries have promoted new consumer products to continue selling an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
European Publishing
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Tobacco Prevention and Cessation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tobaccopreventioncessation.com/Harm-reduction-or-added-harm-Reviewing-the-danger-and-impact-of-e-cigarettes-and,162534,0,2.html |
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| author | Alejo Valero Tarin Joan Antoni Ribera-Osca Francisco Carrion-Valero Natalia Ruiz Segovia Adelaida Lozano-Polo Rodrigo Cordoba-Garcia Noa Rey-Torres Francisco Rodríguez Lozano Andrés Zamorano José M. Martin-Moreno |
| author_facet | Alejo Valero Tarin Joan Antoni Ribera-Osca Francisco Carrion-Valero Natalia Ruiz Segovia Adelaida Lozano-Polo Rodrigo Cordoba-Garcia Noa Rey-Torres Francisco Rodríguez Lozano Andrés Zamorano José M. Martin-Moreno |
| author_sort | Alejo Valero Tarin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction
Smoking is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and being gradually aware of this, the world has united to gradually control this scourge. However, in the face of this awareness, the tobacco industries have promoted new consumer products to continue selling and producing nicotine addiction. These include electronic cigarettes (e-cigs, also known as Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)), heated tobacco products (HTPs) and oral nicotine products. Some types of ENDS appear to potentially help some smokers to quit in certain circumstances, but the evidence is insufficient to issue a blanket recommendation to use any type of the above ENDS or HTPs as a cessation aid for all smokers, especially given the high level of addiction that nicotine continues to generate.
Objective
To review the applicability of e-cigarettes and HTPs in our context and the existing evidence regarding the harms associated with their use, the possibility of their use as a smoking cessation method and their use for harm reduction purposes, as well as the most appropriate measures to take in this regard.
Material and Methods
Comprehensive review of national and international studies of the last 5 years on e-cigarettes and HTPs in the main scientific journals and databases. This review is in the process to be complemented by a qualitative study consisting of structured, focused interviews to field experts.
Results
Despite e-cigs and HTPs may not be comparatively as toxic as conventional cigarettes, they still have toxic and addictive components. There is evidence that compounds in these products can cause respiratory, cardiovascular, dermatological, immune and other diseases. While e-cigs and HTPs have been marketed as alternatives for smoking cessation, there is no evidence that they are an adequate alternative for smoking cessation. Accordingly, WHO does not recommend them, being more useful the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy potentially combined with the approved pharmacological treatments.
Conclusions
The use of e-cigarettes or HTPs are harmful to health. Therefore, they are not appropriate methods for smoking cessation and should not be considered as tool for harm reduction compared to available proven interventions. Stricter taxation and regulatory policies are required, and devices need to be regulated according to a consistent approach for ‘tobacco,’ with proper taxation, mandating the addition of health warnings for these devices, point-of-sale restrictions, and banning advertising and marketing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:25:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-756418955a0b4d85939bc2a42cf31778 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2459-3087 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:25:00Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | European Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tobacco Prevention and Cessation |
| spelling | doaj.art-756418955a0b4d85939bc2a42cf317782024-01-31T10:28:10ZengEuropean PublishingTobacco Prevention and Cessation2459-30872023-04-019Supplement10.18332/tpc/162534162534Harm reduction or added harm? Reviewing the danger and impact of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco productsAlejo Valero Tarin0Joan Antoni Ribera-Osca1Francisco Carrion-Valero2Natalia Ruiz Segovia3Adelaida Lozano-Polo4Rodrigo Cordoba-Garcia5Noa Rey-Torres6Francisco Rodríguez Lozano7Andrés Zamorano8José M. Martin-Moreno9Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Valencia, SpainTobacco Addiction Group of the Valencian Society of Family Medicine, Valencia, SpainService of Pneumology, Clinical University Hospital & Department of Medicine, University of Valencia, SpainPrevention Unit contra el cancer- AECC, Valencia, SpainMinistry of Health Region of Murcia & Department of Social and Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, SpainPrimary Care Physician. Associated professor School of Medicine. Aragonish Health Service, Zaragoza, SpainMember of the Spanish Boards of SEDET, EVICT, SEFAC & Community Pharmacist, Ferrol, SpainClinica Dental Tejina, Tenerife, SpainNational Committee for Smoking Prevention, SpainDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Valencia, SpainIntroduction Smoking is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and being gradually aware of this, the world has united to gradually control this scourge. However, in the face of this awareness, the tobacco industries have promoted new consumer products to continue selling and producing nicotine addiction. These include electronic cigarettes (e-cigs, also known as Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)), heated tobacco products (HTPs) and oral nicotine products. Some types of ENDS appear to potentially help some smokers to quit in certain circumstances, but the evidence is insufficient to issue a blanket recommendation to use any type of the above ENDS or HTPs as a cessation aid for all smokers, especially given the high level of addiction that nicotine continues to generate. Objective To review the applicability of e-cigarettes and HTPs in our context and the existing evidence regarding the harms associated with their use, the possibility of their use as a smoking cessation method and their use for harm reduction purposes, as well as the most appropriate measures to take in this regard. Material and Methods Comprehensive review of national and international studies of the last 5 years on e-cigarettes and HTPs in the main scientific journals and databases. This review is in the process to be complemented by a qualitative study consisting of structured, focused interviews to field experts. Results Despite e-cigs and HTPs may not be comparatively as toxic as conventional cigarettes, they still have toxic and addictive components. There is evidence that compounds in these products can cause respiratory, cardiovascular, dermatological, immune and other diseases. While e-cigs and HTPs have been marketed as alternatives for smoking cessation, there is no evidence that they are an adequate alternative for smoking cessation. Accordingly, WHO does not recommend them, being more useful the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy potentially combined with the approved pharmacological treatments. Conclusions The use of e-cigarettes or HTPs are harmful to health. Therefore, they are not appropriate methods for smoking cessation and should not be considered as tool for harm reduction compared to available proven interventions. Stricter taxation and regulatory policies are required, and devices need to be regulated according to a consistent approach for ‘tobacco,’ with proper taxation, mandating the addition of health warnings for these devices, point-of-sale restrictions, and banning advertising and marketing.https://www.tobaccopreventioncessation.com/Harm-reduction-or-added-harm-Reviewing-the-danger-and-impact-of-e-cigarettes-and,162534,0,2.htmle-cigaretteheated tobacco productstobaccosmoking cessationaddiction |
| spellingShingle | Alejo Valero Tarin Joan Antoni Ribera-Osca Francisco Carrion-Valero Natalia Ruiz Segovia Adelaida Lozano-Polo Rodrigo Cordoba-Garcia Noa Rey-Torres Francisco Rodríguez Lozano Andrés Zamorano José M. Martin-Moreno Harm reduction or added harm? Reviewing the danger and impact of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products Tobacco Prevention and Cessation e-cigarette heated tobacco products tobacco smoking cessation addiction |
| title | Harm reduction or added harm? Reviewing the danger and impact of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products |
| title_full | Harm reduction or added harm? Reviewing the danger and impact of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products |
| title_fullStr | Harm reduction or added harm? Reviewing the danger and impact of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products |
| title_full_unstemmed | Harm reduction or added harm? Reviewing the danger and impact of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products |
| title_short | Harm reduction or added harm? Reviewing the danger and impact of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products |
| title_sort | harm reduction or added harm reviewing the danger and impact of e cigarettes and heated tobacco products |
| topic | e-cigarette heated tobacco products tobacco smoking cessation addiction |
| url | https://www.tobaccopreventioncessation.com/Harm-reduction-or-added-harm-Reviewing-the-danger-and-impact-of-e-cigarettes-and,162534,0,2.html |
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