Tag: World Vape Day

  • WVA Raises Alarm About Misperceptions of Vaping

    WVA Raises Alarm About Misperceptions of Vaping

    Photo: WVA

    The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) marked World Vape Day with a protest in front of the World Health Organization’s in Geneva today. Participants in the event urged the global health body to listen to consumers and acknowledge the scientific evidence supporting vaping, nicotine pouches and similar products as valid harm reduction tools.

    The consumper group says it is concerned about the rampant “misperception epidemic” surrounding tobacco harm reduction. Recent research by Ipsos for the think tank We Are Innovation shows that 74 percent of smokers worldwide wrongly believe that vaping is as harmful or more harmful than smoking. This misconception, fueled by misinformation, is preventing millions from switching to a scientifically proven less harmful alternative, according to the WVA.

    “The WHO [World Health Organization] has turned World No Tobacco Day into a propaganda day,” said WVA Director Michael Landl in a statement. “Sweden is about to become smoke-free thanks to alternative nicotine products.

    “The WHO needs to stop fighting alternative nicotine products and start backing them as keys to a smoke-free future. The WHO’s false claims are fueling a deadly misperception epidemic. Smokers deserve the truth: Vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking. Accurate knowledge could save millions of lives.”

  • James Murphy Makes a Case for Consensus

    James Murphy Makes a Case for Consensus

    Photo: pavelkant

    A global alignment on health policy is necessary to make a smokeless world a reality.

    By James Murphy

    With renewed attention on smoking and vaping regulation around the world, now is the time for action that will realize global smoke-free ambitions and ensure cigarettes become a thing of the past.

    Achieving this vision requires a global consensus on the most effective approach to create sustained and lasting changes to consumer behavior—tobacco harm reduction (THR).

    THR is one the greatest public health opportunities today, representing a pathway for hundreds of millions of smokers who would not otherwise quit to transition from combustible tobacco products to smokeless alternatives.

    Countries that have recognized the opportunity THR presents, and which have adopted supportive policies, have seen striking success in reducing their smoking rates. The U.S., U.K. and Japan are all currently witnessing their lowest smoking rates on record while Sweden is on track to declare themselves smoke-free this year—defined as having less than 5 percent daily smokers in the population—16 years ahead of the 2040 EU target.

    These remarkable transformations have been driven by widespread THR acceptance from policymakers, regulators, health officials and consumers in these markets, enabling and encouraging smokers to migrate from combustible tobacco products such as cigarettes to vapor, oral nicotine pouches, snus and heated-tobacco or herbal products.

    The widespread accessibility of smokeless products is essential for the success of THR. However, at present, this is being hamstrung by many countries limiting access to these alternative tobacco and nicotine products. For example, 60 percent of the world’s population live in just 15 countries. Of these, only about 40 percent permit the sale of smokeless products, leaving millions who would otherwise continue to smoke without the option to switch to such alternatives.

    In order to fully realize the public health potential of THR and significantly reduce the more than 8 million deaths attributed to smoking cigarettes each year, regulators around the world should embrace evidence-based science to drive positive public health outcomes. This means implementing a supportive regulatory framework that encourages adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke to switch while also protecting consumers with stringent safety standards and preventing underage use.

    In addition, the global success of THR depends on governments and regulators correcting persistent misperceptions of smokeless products compared to cigarettes.

    A University College London-led study published earlier this year highlighted that most smokers in England wrongly believe vaping is at “least as harmful as smoking,” with 57 percent of respondents saying they thought vaping was “equally” or “more harmful.” This echoes trends reported in the U.S., with research showing that perceptions of e-cigarettes as more harmful than cigarettes doubled year on year between 2018 and 2020. Not only are these misperceptions flawed, but they also have significant implications for public health by actively discouraging smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke from making the switch to smokeless products.

    Greater efforts are needed to counter these misperceptions—something that BAT is trying to tackle. As the world’s largest vapor company and a leader in smokeless products, BAT is committed to producing innovative products backed by world-class science and industry-leading product safety and quality standards. BAT’s THR approach is based on the growing body of research and weight of evidence approach that substantiates its belief of the reduced-risk profile of these products compared to cigarettes, which have been accepted by many international public health bodies. BAT publishes its science research to increase understanding of THR and raise awareness with stakeholders.

    Indeed, the industry developing and producing these products has a critical role to play. But to achieve the conditions required to make a success of THR, an inclusive, open and honest dialogue with all stakeholders is required. That includes policymakers, regulators and the healthcare and medical communities. Unfortunately, this is not yet the case, with the industry all too often excluded.

    We have an opportunity to usher in a new smokeless world, grounded in scientific research and a firm commitment to public health. The solutions are available today. All that is required is for the relevant stakeholders to actively work together to prioritize THR and the well-being of millions of people worldwide.

    James Murphy is the director of research and science at BAT.
  • CAPHRA: World Vape Day 2021 Largest Event Ever

    CAPHRA: World Vape Day 2021 Largest Event Ever

    A vaping group announced World Vape Day 2021 was an unprecedented success with social media engagement about the annual global celebration up considerably. The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) estimates report a 125 percent increase in Twitter traffic about World Vape Day from 29 May to 2 June compared to the same period last year.

    This year’s World Vape Day, on 30 May, highlighted smoke-free products as ‘the better choice’ to combustible cigarettes which are linked to more than eight million premature deaths each year. “The social media analytics for World Vape Day are impressive. It enjoyed huge growth in the number of postings, followers, and positive comments. Without doubt, #WVD21 gained much more traction than 2020’s event,” says Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator of CAPHRA.

    CAPHRA executive coordinator Nancy Loucas

    CAPHRA and consumer advocacy groups in the Asia Pacific region called on the World Health Organization (WHO) and governments to provide smokers with better access to innovative, safer nicotine products. Loucas says the #WVD21 hashtag achieved significant public use for a number of reasons.

    “The WHO and many in the media seemed to have rebooted their campaign against vaping lately which only energizes the 68 million people globally who have switched from smoking to vaping, saving millions of lives every year. Their success and personal stories are the most powerful evidence we have, highlighting vaping as the world’s most effective smoking cessation tool,” she says.

    Peter Paul Dator, President of the Philippines consumer group Vapers PH and CAPHRA member, says excitement is building ahead of the Senate’s approval given the country’s stubbornly high smoking rates.

    Peter Paul Dator of Vapers PH

    “If you judge it on information, views, and support exchanged across our social media platforms, World Vape Day this year was undoubtedly the biggest we’ve seen in the Philippines. It was boosted by the fact it’s a really positive time as we await the Senate’s formal support for vaping,” says Dator.

    World Vape Day is a celebration of vapers making the choice to make the switch to a healthier, smoke-free lifestyle.

  • Harm Reduction Advocates Ready for World Vape Day

    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.”

  • Consumers to Celebrate ‘Safer Choice’ on World Vape Day

    Consumers to Celebrate ‘Safer Choice’ on World Vape Day

    Photo: Aliaksandr Barouski

    Consumer advocacy groups in the Asia-Pacific region under the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) are joining the celebration of World Vape Day on May 30, with a call on the World Health Organization (WHO) and governments around the world to provide smokers with a better choice and spare them from almost 50 percent mortality rate linked to smoking.

    “The World Vape Day is a celebration of personal stories of smokers who have found a humane way out of smoking thanks to the advent of innovative smoke-free products such as e-cigarettes, heated-tobacco products and Swedish snus,” said Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator of the CAPHRA, in a statement.

    This year’s World Vape Day highlights smoke-free products as “the better choice” to combustible cigarettes, which are linked to more than 8 million premature deaths each year among 1.1 billion smokers globally.

    “We celebrate World Vape Day because it symbolizes hope for millions of smokers in Asia-Pacific and around the world who now have access to innovative nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and heated-tobacco products that were not available in the previous decades,” said Loucas.

    “Vaping is the safer choice based on our experience and on the numerous independent studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Along with heated-tobacco products, e-cigarettes are considered a part of tobacco harm reduction—a public health strategy which aims to provide alternatives to reduce risks caused by smoking cigarettes,” she said.

    Loucas said these smoke-free nicotine products provide countries an opportunity to end the global problem of smoking. “We have an opportunity to save millions of lives by making the switch to better alternatives. It is also a reminder to governments and health authorities that smokers should be given the freedom of choice for their health and for their future,” she said.

    Asa Saligupta, representative of Ends Cigarette Smoke Thailand, said that while World Vape Day is being celebrated in many countries, some nations like Thailand still prohibit the use of e-cigarettes and heated-tobacco products (HTPs).

    “In several Asian countries, vapers continue to face imprisonment and fines for making the switch to e-cigarettes, which were found to be at least 95 percent less harmful than traditional cigarettes. It is a violation of consumer rights for safer alternative products and accurate information about e-cigarettes,” he said.

    I believe that vaping can achieve what existing tobacco control policies failed to accomplish in many years—end smoking.

    Peter Paul Dator, president, Vapers Philippines

    “But we remain hopeful that authorities will listen to science and give tobacco harm reduction a chance to make a difference in the lives of smokers who represent a fifth of the population in Thailand,” he said.

    Saligupta noted that Public Health England, in its 2018 independent evidence review, concluded that “e-cigarettes are around 95 percent safer than combustible cigarettes.”

    Peter Paul Dator, president of Vapers Philippines, said more than 50 million smokers around the world have already switched to vaping, which means they have significantly reduced their exposure to toxins and carcinogens found in tobacco smoke.

    “This is because unlike cigarettes, vapor products and HTPs do not burn organic matter at very high temperatures and therefore do not produce toxic fumes. I believe that vaping can achieve what existing tobacco control policies failed to accomplish in many years—end smoking,” Dator said.

    Dator pointed to the dismal smoking cessation rate of 4 percent in the Philippines, which he said reflects the ineffectiveness of existing smoking cessation strategies such as the “quit-or-die” approach. “Smoke-free products can help 16 million Filipino smokers quit smoking or switch to these less harmful alternatives,” he said.

    Mirza Abeer, the founder of the Association for Smoking Alternatives in Pakistan (ASAP), said he could attest to the effectiveness of vaping as a part of tobacco harm reduction.

    We advocate the adoption of scientifically substantiated smoking alternatives among adult consumers and policymakers.

    Mirza Abeer, founder, ASAP

    “Quitting smoking is a tough challenge to surmount, but e-cigarettes helped me and other smokers quit. Switching to vaping after smoking for 13 years resulted in my improved health. This also saved me from asthma attacks, and now I feel much better. I hope to share this personal experience to more than 15 million smokers in Pakistan so that they, too, will have a choice,” he said.

    “As head of ASAP, we advocate the adoption of scientifically substantiated smoking alternatives among adult consumers and policymakers to help significantly reduce smoking rates in Pakistan and positively impact public health as soon as possible,” said Abeer.

    World Vape Day is celebrated a day before World No Tobacco Day on May 31. CAPHRA said that with more than 50 million vapers worldwide and growing, the campaign is expected to gain ground in more countries in the coming years.

  • World Vape Day to be Celebrated on May 30

    World Vape Day to be Celebrated on May 30

    Yurenia85 | Dreamstime.com

    Millions of e-cigarette users, or vapers, across the globe are celebrating World Vape Day on May 30, 2020,  a day before World No Tobacco Day.

    World Vape Day aims to raise awareness on e-cigarettes or vapes and encourage smokers who are unable to quit on their own or with currently available smoking cessation tools to switch to safer nicotine products.

    “Safer nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, are the most disruptive influence on smoking in decades.These are the innovations that have the potential to save millions of lives in the Asia Pacific region as well as globally,” said Nancy Loucas, executive director of the Coalition of Asia-Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates, or CAPHRA, one of the lead organizers of World Vape Day 2020, according to an article in the Manilla Standard.

    “These products have disrupted the standard of harm reduction in tobacco by giving the power back to the smokers to choose the option that works for them and allows them to have agency over their own and their loved one’s health and wellbeing,” she said.
    The number of vapers globally has been increasing rapidly from about seven million in 2011 to 41 million in 2018, according to Euromonitor International. The market research group estimates that the number of adult vapers worldwide will reach almost 55 million by 2021.

    In its 2018 independent evidence review, Public Health England concluded that “e-cigarettes are around 95% safer than combustible cigarettes.”

    Published in March 2020, the agency’s latest report said “Despite reductions in smoking prevalence, smoking remains the biggest single cause of preventable death and disease and a leading cause of health inequalities. So, alternative nicotine delivery devices that are less harmful could play a crucial role in reducing this health burden.”