Vapeboss – The global community celebrates May 30th as World Vape Day. This momentum is usually commemorated to highlight the importance of the Tobacco Harm Reduction approach through alternative products like vapes. Despite frequently facing misinformation, many researchers still offer objective views based on scientific research.

The most debated information is health risks. According to Professor of Pharmacy at the Bandung Institute of Technology, Rahmana Emran (6/22), heated tobacco products such as vapes and heated tobacco have a lower risk. He simply states that heated products contain fewer harmful substances than burned cigarettes.

The diversity of tobacco products carries different risk levels. Member of Commission IX of the House of Representatives, Yahya Zaini, believes that these risks should be considered when creating separate regulations (5/14). He conveyed this when discussing e-cigarettes during a discussion on the Omnibus Health Bill.

Not only that, here is some additional information regarding why people choose vape as an alternative option to switch from conventional cigarette products.

Vape Exhaled Vapor is Relatively Safe

Cigarette smoke is indeed dangerous for those around, especially non-smokers. However, this does not apply to e-cigarette vapor. E-cigarette liquid typically consists of nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin, and flavorings. Unlike cigarettes, no smoke is released by e-cigarettes into the atmosphere, only exhaled aerosols. This is supported by research from a researcher at Padjadjaran University.

"The aerosol/vapor produced by vapes or e-cigarettes contains very few (harmful and carcinogenic substances); it can be said that the levels are insignificant," said Amaliya, a lecturer at the Faculty of Dentistry, UNPAD, during the online event "Wednesday about Research & Innovation in the Graduate School Universitas Padajajaran" (5/17).

Successfully Reduced Smokers in Europe

The fact that alternative products can reduce the number of smokers has occurred in several countries, such as the Netherlands and Sweden. In Sweden, the number of smokers is almost at 5 percent, even though the country had 13 percent adult smokers in 2010. According to former World Medical Association (WMA) chairman Anders Milton, this decline is supported by a government that backs alternative tobacco products such as vapes and nicotine pouches.

"Smokers smoke because they like it, so it's not that easy to quit. Therefore, alternative products are needed. With the use of alternative products, Sweden's lung cancer incidence is the lowest in Europe," Milton said at the Pan American Harm Reduction Association (PAHRA) forum (5/11).

Similar events were also found in the Netherlands. Laifa Annisa, a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, State Islamic University of Jakarta, stated that the Dutch government has a structured program to reduce the number of adult smokers with alternative tobacco products.

"I know that in the Netherlands, they have clinics to address addiction, including for smoking. So, there are indeed special, programmed smoking cessation clinics. Some use alternative products (as instruments)," Laifa said (5/22).

Vape Helps Smokers Switch

Researcher Amelia Lorensia from Surabaya University revealed in 2017 that smokers who switch to vaping can reduce their cigarette consumption and completely quit smoking. The research conducted in Surabaya showed that 75 percent of respondents surveyed claimed to have completely quit smoking, while 25 percent admitted to still smoking but with reduced consumption due to vaping.

Looking at other countries, the approach of making vape an alternative for smokers began in the Philippines in 2022, through the vape law. This regulation recognizes and standardizes low-risk alternative products. Senior Filipino doctor Lorenzo Mata said that this regulation is aimed at helping smokers switch.

"With this law, we regulate the products, we regulate the flavors, we regulate product restrictions for the younger generation. This is purely for those who want to quit," Mata said (8/22).

Although many studies from abroad have proven that vapes and other alternative tobacco products are lower risk, domestic studies are still needed to provide more accurate information to all parties, including the government, users, health practitioners, and the general public.

Source: Warta Ekonomi

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