False Claims on E-Cigarettes in Recent NHMRC Statement

Jul.12.2022
False Claims on E-Cigarettes in Recent NHMRC Statement
The NHMRC recently made false claims about e-cigarettes, while CAPHRA advocates for a more progressive approach to nicotine products.

The recent NHMRC statement contains multiple false claims about electronic cigarettes, including that they are not an effective tool for quitting smoking and that they serve as a gateway to smoking. Nancy Loucas, the executive coordinator of the Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), said, "This latest government document on electronic cigarettes makes outrageous false claims that will only result in the deaths of more Australian smokers.


Loucas added with a tone of sadness that the claims in the document were easily debunked. "It's ridiculous that the Chief Medical Officer of Australia is considering e-cigarettes to be the next biggest health issue after COVID-19. Has he heard about smoking killing over 20,000 Australians annually? This 18-page document is a complete joke. It's filled with statements that can easily be refuted by international scientific and human evidence.


She explained that tobacco harm reduction experts throughout the country are hoping that the new government will ultimately take a progressive stance. "We have high hopes that the new Labor government may take a more progressive approach to safer nicotine products. The former Liberal government spent nearly a decade effectively banning the best smoking cessation tools, making it more difficult for Australian smokers to quit. Sadly, it seems that nothing will change, which means Australia's stubborn smoking rates won't budge anytime soon.


Quitting Smoking by Switching to Vaping: The Truth About the Health Effects of E-Cigarettes.


Meanwhile, renowned Australian general practitioner and anti-smoking researcher Dr. Colin Mendelsohn has reiterated that switching from smoking to electronic cigarettes is the most effective method of quitting smoking, given the relative safety of e-cigarettes.


Mendelsohn has even authored a book on the topic titled "Stop Smoking Start Vaping: The Truth about E-cigarettes and Health" and is currently in discussion with an Australian committee about it.


Over the past 15 years, one hundred million people worldwide have died from smoking. According to Mendelsohn, switching from traditional cigarettes to electronic vaporizers can significantly reduce the risk of developing cancer and is a viable harm reduction alternative.


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