New statement on e-cigarettes and other tobacco “harm reduction” products

A growing number of new tobacco and nicotine products have emerged in recent years, including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches. These products often contain high levels of nicotine. The use of flavourings has made these products particularly appealing to young people however, the long-term health effects are not fully understood. More research is emerging, shedding light on the potential health risks associated with them.

The tobacco industry has developed the concept of ‘harm reduction’, which suggests that it is beneficial to use other products to reduce the harm caused by smoking. Harm reduction originated as a way to help people with drug addiction. It recognises that complete abstinence is not always possible.

What does the statement provide?

In this statement members of the ERS Tobacco Control Committee investigated the new tobacco and nicotine products and their role in tobacco “harm reduction”. The statement lays out the following positions:

• Quitting smoking entirely is the best option. ERS does not support the use of these devices as a tool to help current smokers quit. It also does not support the tobacco industry’s claim of tobacco “harm reduction”.
• There is a lack of robust evidence that these new products are less harmful than traditional cigarettes. Despite this, the tobacco industry has pushed this claim for commercial gain and is ignoring the growing evidence of the problems that these products cause for heart and lung health.
• We must also be aware of the possibility that these new tobacco and nicotine products could become a gateway to smoking traditional cigarettes. Recent studies have supported this idea.
• Recent research has highlighted the effectiveness of existing tobacco control policies worldwide, without using these new tobacco and nicotine products.

What does it recommend?

The statement highlights important information and research that is still missing. It also lays out the position of ERS on these novel products.

• The statement recommends independent research into these new tobacco and nicotine products. It highlights that a lot of the current research has been funded by the tobacco industry, who have a long history of manipulating research to suit their commercial interests.
• The statement recommends a cautious approach to the new products. There needs to be more consideration of the potential risks and their long-term impact on public health.

Read the original research paper

European Respiratory Society statement on novel nicotine and tobacco products, their role in tobacco control and “harm reduction”

Check out our resource on novel tobacco and nicotine products