Vapeboss – A number of scientific studies prove that alternative tobacco products such as e-cigarettes (vape), heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches have a much lower risk profile than conventional cigarettes.

From these findings, products that are the result of innovation and technological development can be used as an alternative for adult smokers who want to quit smoking.

Toxicologist and Lecturer at the Faculty of Public Health, Airlangga University (UNAIR), Shoim Hidayat, explained that based on a systematic literature review conducted by UNAIR, alternative tobacco products are able to reduce health risks compared to cigarettes due to significant differences related to harmful chemical compounds and the potential harm from differences in their usage methods.

The application of a heating system with controlled temperature in e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products only produces vapor or aerosol and does not contain solid particles. This is different from cigarette combustion which produces smoke.

"Thanks to this heating system, alternative tobacco products can reduce risks by 90% - 95% lower for adult smokers. So, if there are still those who consider this product as dangerous as cigarettes, that is a mistake," said Shoim in his statement on Sunday (29/1/2023).

Furthermore, smoke from the combustion process of cigarettes consists of 31 percent water, while the rest is nicotine, glycerol, and harmful or potentially harmful substances including carcinogenic TAR.

According to data from the National Cancer Institute of the United States, TAR from cigarette combustion contains various carcinogenic compounds that can trigger cancer.

"As a precaution, active smokers can reduce harm by switching to alternative tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products. These products do not undergo a combustion process, so there is no smoke containing TAR. Alternative tobacco products only undergo a heating process and produce water vapor (aerosol)," said Shoim.

Shoim said that the government plays an important role in disseminating information about alternative tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to the public. This is because, essentially, these products were developed based on scientific research and technological development and have lower health risks than cigarettes.

"This information must reach the wider community. But before that, this information must first reach the government because this information is the result of scientific studies," he concluded.

Source: Tribun Kesehatan