WORLD No Tobacco Day is upon us again, seeking to advise, inspire and support smokers to quit their deadly habit.
For more than 30 years, the campaign has helped to draw global attention to the dangers of tobacco use.
It will once again ignite the spark in many smokers to abandon the deadly grip of cigarettes that lead to a variety of health problems, including cancer and heart disease. Without question, any life saved as a result should be celebrated.
Regrettably, about 70% of those trying to quit this week will find themselves ensnared by the addictive chains of cigarettes by WNTD 2024.
Giving up ‘cold turkey’ is unimaginably difficult. It’s therefore essential that the WNTD campaign offers realistic and achievable routes away from cigarettes.
The good news is that these routes do exist. Many people, myself included, have been able to quit smoking by using modern alternative nicotine products, such as vapes or oral pouches.
Vapes and pouches are much less harmful than cigarettes. They don’t contain any tobacco and do not involve burning, so they don’t produce tar or other harmful chemicals. They also don’t produce second-hand smoke, which is a major health hazard for non-smokers.
Vapes and pouches are also much more effective than traditional methods of quitting smoking, like nicotine gum or patches. Studies have shown that people who use modern alternatives are more likely to quit smoking for good than people who use other methods.
There will be plenty of naysayers at work today demanding even more evidence before endorsing alternative nicotine products as viable solutions for quitting smoking. But what better evidence is there than the real-life example unfolding in Sweden?
In the past 15 years, the Swedes have cut their smoking rate from 15 to 5.6%. In the next few months, they’re in line to become the first country to achieve ‘smoke-free’ status when that rate drops below 5%. That’s the level at which a country is officially classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as smoke-free.
The Swedes have achieved this historic milestone 17 years ahead of schedule. And they’ve done it by making alternative nicotine products accessible, acceptable and affordable for adult smokers.
This remarkable success at reducing cigarette consumption has resulted in a significant reduction in smoking-related diseases and deaths in the country.
In fact, Sweden now boasts the lowest incidence of smoking-related diseases and the fewest premature deaths due to tobacco-related causes in Europe.
Furthermore, lung cancer fatalities in the country are less than half the EU average, and overall cancer deaths are 38 percent lower.
With cancer rates being 41 percent lower than the rest of the EU, these striking figures highlight the substantial beneficial impact that alternative nicotine products can have on public health and individuals’ well-being.
Alternative nicotine products help smokers to quit and thereby they save lives.
This is the compelling conclusion that should be included in every message that seeks to encourage smokers to give up cigarettes.
Without acknowledging the life-saving potential of alternative nicotine products, World No Tobacco Day risks being a hollow pledge, leaving smokers shackled to their deadly habit. It’s time to face the facts and arm smokers with the best tools to break free.
Joe is the Chairman – Campaign for Safer Alternatives (CASA)
