Belgium Health Council supports e-cigarettes as safer smoking alternative

A new report released by the Belgian High Council of Health supports the use of e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to smoking or as an aid in quitting smoking with significantly reduced health risks.

According to current knowledge, the report concludes that smokers who use only electronic cigarettes, and not traditional tobacco, can significantly reduce their health risks.

The report also indicates that electronic cigarettes are not risk-free, and therefore it is not recommended for non-smokers to use them, especially young people, and further long-term monitoring data are needed.

The council has produced a scientific advisory report to guide Belgian political decision-makers and health professionals. It took two years to compile and is a consensus document written by a diverse group of experts with differing perspectives.

Although restrictions on e-cigarettes are cautious, the report warns that "restricting the use of e-cigarettes and other nicotine products will not affect the goal of reducing smoking prevalence.

Advocates for reducing tobacco harm have welcomed this report. Medical professionals, including Colin Mendelsohn, founding chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association, wrote on his website, "It is sensible that these guidelines suggest regulating electronic cigarettes in proportion to the risks they pose. The harm from using electronic cigarettes is much lower than smoking and should be regulated accordingly with lower risks.

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