Launching a vaping campaign always generates mixed feelings for me. The days before the launch are full of excitement and anticipation. It is a joy to create and execute an effort to give vapers a voice and ensure they are heard during policy discussions that shape vaping’s future. But it always also makes me sad that we even need such campaigns. It is proven that vaping is less harmful and a great smoking cessation tool. And yet, we still have to be activists to make sure more people have the same chance to quit smoking as we did. It is absurd.

Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable disease, with seven million deaths worldwide every year. Cigarettes are taxed at record levels, yet more than 1.1 billion people still smoke. So it is pretty obvious that politicians and public health activists should embrace ALL harm reduction alternatives out there. Yet they don’t.

Vaping could help 200 million smokers quit forever if governments adopted more progressive vaping regulations. Global leaders need to support vaping policies to beat smoking.

This is why the World Vapers’ Alliance launched a major global campaign – ‘Back Vaping. Beat Smoking’. We want to make sure we do everything to save those 200 million lives.

We have chosen to start now because 2021 is a critical year for public health policies globally. Two major milestones will determine if Governments seize the opportunity to save millions of lives, or deny smokers’  access to life-changing quit tools. The global ‘COP 9’ conference, taking place this November and the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive will set the direction for anti-smoking and vaping policies worldwide.

We want to make this year the year that the world embraces one of the greatest public health inventions of the century – vaping. To achieve this, it is vital that the voices of vapers are heard. We will be mobilising vapers around the world to deliver a clear message – the best way to beat smoking is to back vaping. Stay tuned for more announcements on our upcoming activities.

Now two days after the campaign launch the existing and enthusiastic responses from our partners and members are making me very optimistic for what is to come. Together we can ensure that vaping has a future –   #BACKVAPINGBEATSMOKING

Best,
Michael