Harm Reduction Advocates Ready for World Vape Day

May 30 is World Vape Day. The theme for 2021 is “Go The Extra Mile” which is meant to encourage vapers to go just a little bit further to support and promote vaping. World Vape Day is a celebration of vapers making the choice to make the switch to a healthier, smoke-free lifestyle.

“On World Vape day we’re gathering vapers from around the world to celebrate this amazing innovation that changed our lives for the better,” said Michael Landl, the director of the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA). “We’re doing it under the motto ‘Go The Extra Mile’ because I can’t think of a single person who took up vaping who didn’t benefit from it, go further and improve their lives in the process.”

The World Vape Day website is operated by the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO)—an alliance of dozens of vaping and tobacco harm reduction (THR) organizations around the world. The site is packed with THR information, resources, testimonials from vapers and other nicotine users, as well as a list of events vapers can take part in on May 30. Samrat Chowdhery, president of INNCO and founder-director of Association of Vapers India (AVI) said World Vape Day is important to promote the harm reduction offered by reduced risk products.

“Smoking disproportionately affects the disadvantaged. Vaping helps address these inequalities by giving those who can least afford medical treatment a means to prevent harm. In India where access to public healthcare is low, a 100 million people smoke, of whom a million die from smoking-related causes every year, harm reduction is vital,” he said. “And yet, sale of vaping products was banned last year. On World Vape Day, about a million of us vapers in India will celebrate our win over smoking and also demand our and smokers’ rights to health and choice.”