ERS and tobacco harm reduction

Abstract

ERSpublications ERS supports the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which also provides regulation to novel products, and cannot recommend tobacco harm reduction as a population-based strategy http://bit.ly/2rxTZ5b

Cigarette, shisha, and electronic smoking and respiratory symptoms in Swiss children: The LUIS study

“…Use of ESDs by adolescents is not safe and can have adverse consequences for personal and public health. 37 With or without nicotine, ESDs expose the respiratory airways to toxic and irritating agents such as propylene glycol, glycerol, and flavorings. ESDs smoking affects nasal and bronchial epithelia by impairing ciliary function and altering gene expression.…”

A rational approach to e-cigarettes: challenging ERS policy on tobacco harm reduction

“…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 smokingbut that is of little relevance for a general harm reduction strategy.…”

A rational approach to e-cigarettes: challenging ERS policy on tobacco harm reduction

“…The stated policy of the European Respiratory Society is to strive "constantly to promote strong and evidence-based policies to reduce the burden of tobacco related diseases". In our view, the recent ERS Tobacco Control Committee statement on tobacco harm reduction [1], though well-intentioned, appears to be based on a number of false premises and draws its conclusions from a partial account of available data. It also presents a false dichotomy between the provision of "conventional" tobacco control and harm reduction approaches.…”