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TOBACCO BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL
MARCH/APRIL 2016
SFATA SPEAKS
By cynthia cabrera
include: How much of a given chemical
is present in vapor and how much of that
same chemical is present in cigarette
smoke? Are comparable patterns of use
being considered? What is the efficacy
of the vapor product for adult smokers
interested in switching to vapor? Is
evidence that vapor products are only
intended for adults cited? The list goes
on and on.
Not all studies are one-sided, though
sadly, only a few compare to the large
number of clearly biased research being
presented. Incessant online coverage
and the 24-hour news cycle add fuel
to this fire as appetites for immediate
news continue to create problems for
understaffed newsrooms to get the story
out quickly.
Science is complicated, but lives
are literally at stake. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
estimates that 443,000 Americans die
each year from smoking. For the first
time in decades there are products on the
market that have dramatically reduced
the number of smokers in the U.S. and
around the world. Even FDA Center for
Tobacco Products Director Mitch Zeller
has said that vapor products can be an
effective replacement for smokers who
are unable or unwilling to stop smoking.
More than 40 million American
adults smoke combustible cigarettes,
contributing to more than $300 billion in
annual health care costs. Many of these
people want to stop smoking (70 percent
according to CDC) but haven’t yet found
a replacement or good enough reason to
do so.
Helping the media to better
understand vapor products is crucial
so that smokers and vapers can make
informed decisions when considering
alternatives to combustible cigarettes.
Yes, more science is needed, and
much more will certainly be published
in the coming months and years as
vapor products continue to replace
combustible cigarettes as less harmful
alternatives. It is imperative that the truth
about vapor products is communicated,
especially when it comes to science.
TBI
Cynthia Cabrera
is president of
the Smoke-Free
Alternatives Trade
Association.
“It is imperative that
the truth about vapor
products is
communicated, especially
when it comes to science.”