Tobacco controllers have turned from attacking tobacco to focus on all forms of nicotine use, two organisations, the Consumer Choice Centre and the World Vapers’ Alliance, have published a paper calling for the end to the war on nicotine – arguing for evidence-based approaches in Europe and globally.

The Consumer Choice Centre and the World Vapers’ Alliance say that vaping and other alternative nicotine products such as nicotine pouches have been recognised as far less harmful than smoking, “yet their lifesaving qualities continuously come under fire for a variety of reasons.”

They argue that prohibitionists have decided that vaping needs to be attacked because it looks like smoking and there is nicotine contained within e-liquid.

The organisations state that there are six main reasons why the attacks on nicotine use needs to end:

1. Ljudi konzumiraju nikotin, ali umiru od pušenja
2. Nicotine in NRT patches & gums is not a problem — so why should it be an issue when vaped or in a tobacco-free pouch
3. Ovisnost je složena i ne rješava se ratom protiv nikotina
4. Nicotine has scientifically proven therapeutical benefits for some people
5. Zablude o nikotinu koče napredak javnog zdravstva
6. Prohibicija nikad ne funkcionira

Commenting on the findings, Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance and a co-author of the paper, said: “Diskurs protiv vapinga prožet je dvostrukim standardima o nikotinu. Ako želimo biti dosljedni u vezi s nikotinom, moramo se prema vapingu odnositi s istom otvorenošću i ohrabrenjem kao i prema nikotinskoj nadomjesnoj terapiji, poput flastera. Zahvaljujući inovacijama, konzumacija nikotina konačno se može odvojiti od opasnih učinaka pušenja i time pomoći milijunima pušača da poboljšaju svoje zdravlje. Pa ipak, nikotin se neopravdano demonizira. Tome se mora stati na kraj..”

The organisations argue that reducing the number of smokers and allowing them to rapidly and efficiently switch to a less harmful alternative should be a major priority for governments and public health agencies worldwide. To achieve that, they say, the stigma around nicotine should stop.

“Naš novi rad želimo upotrijebiti kao informativni list kako bismo razotkrili mnoge mitove koji okružuju zabranu nikotina. Potencijalne koristi nikotina moraju se istražiti i moraju se osigurati nepristrani znanstveni napori.,” added Maria Chaplia, Research Manager at the Consumer Choice Centre.

Debunking is urgently needed as “more than 57% of respondents in a survey falsely agreed with the statement that ‘Nicotine in cigarettes is the substance that causes most of the cancer caused by smoking’ and even 80% of physicians falsely believe that nicotine causes cancer. These wrongfully held beliefs by the public and experts have negative effects.”

Vaping in the United Kingdom has led to a remarkable 25% drop in smoking since 2013, other nations need to value electronic cigarettes and alternative nicotine products as much as we do.

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