Is this how science is communicated now? Really? Evidence just doesn't matter anymore, does it?
- Juhani Orelma
Rest of this post is the translation of a piece under "news" that was published at thl.fi in finnish only.
Electronic
cigarettes are not solving the smoking problem
The
international health community was recently shocked by the health agency of
Englands’ (Public Health England) report on electronic cigarettes. The report
says, that electronic cigarettes are much more harmless than cigarettes and a
good way to quit smoking. According to the report, the availability of
electronic cigarettes should not be restricted.
The report
immediately stirred confusion and strict criticism from many organizations and
experts. Criticism has been submitted by for instance the English doctors
association and English public health agency and internationally the US public
health agency and World Health Organization.
So what is
it all about? There’s no doubt that an electronic cigarette or snus would not
be less unhealthy than a cigarette. However, since cigarettes are highly
dangerous, this doesn’t mean that electronic cigarette or snus would be safe by
any means. A lot of study is needed on the health harms of electronic cigarettes.
The report
proposes that electronic cigarettes are a good way to quit for smokers.
Evidence on this is also flimsy, especially compared to the carefully studied
smoking cessation products already on the market.
However,
the core of the problem is elsewhere. The report examines current smokers and
their switch from cigarettes to electronic tobacco. If this was the only
viewpoint, the situation would be different.
Youth often
starts experimentation with electronic cigarettes or snus. Using them can
quickly lead to long-term nicotine dependence.
In turn,
nicotine dependence leads to mixed use of nicotine products in many cases –
also cigarette smoking that is. Evidence for this is rather strong. Therefore
electronic cigarettes will not lead to the end of smoking cigarettes.
“In this
situation it is understandable, that also the background of this startling
report is investigated. As is noted by the recent editorial in the journal
Lancet, the report appears to trace back to industry funding. The previously described
progress, widespread marketing of electronic cigarettes and the continuation of
smoking cigarettes are all in the interest of the tobacco industry” chairman of
the expert team evaluating the WHO FCTC Pekka Puska notes.
“It is
desirable, that this English report is received against this background also in
Finland. I think it is important, like is planned in Finland, that electronic
cigarettes are equated with cigarettes in tobacco legislation. This also
matches the strict line regarding electronic cigarettes in the EU
tobaccodirective” – Puska continues.
Read more
More
information
Pekka Puska
THL
(National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland)
firstname.lastname@thl.fi
