This is the most significant independent investigation we have seen since India banned smoking in 2019. It shows an overwhelming demand for the government to lift the ban and regulate access to safer nicotine products," said Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA).
She made her comments after the release of the "Smoke-Free Product User Survey," which was conducted by a research organization specializing in global public opinion research.
A recent survey found that a majority of people believe in using safer alternatives, with approximately 86% of respondents stating that electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products are better substitutes for traditional cigarettes. Furthermore, 87% of the individuals believe that these products should be offered to adult smokers. Nevertheless, due to the enforcement of smoking bans, most former e-cigarette users are now forced to either resume smoking or turn to illegal means to purchase these products.
This clearly won't work. The Indian government must urgently reconsider its smoking ban. Indians are seeking alternatives to smoking, but they are forced to return to smoking or enter the unregulated black market of electronic cigarette products. For the populous people of this continent, this is a terrible public health crisis," said Loucas.
Hong Kong is moving in the same direction of development.
Similarly, a group of medical and scientific professionals from the Asia Pacific Advocates for Tobacco Harm Reduction Alliance (CAPHRA) have written a letter to local authorities explaining why Hong Kong's gradual move towards a complete ban on alternative nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, could have unintended consequences.
In a letter addressed to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, a group of experts cautioned against recent concerns over a potential ban on media coverage. The group commended Hong Kong's goal to reduce smoking rates from the current 10.2% to 7.8% by 2025. "We believe that by appropriately regulating heated tobacco products, and supplementing Hong Kong’s existing strong tobacco control policies with harm reduction approaches, a significant reduction in smoking rates and improvements in public health outcomes can be achieved," they wrote.
They continue to reference peer-reviewed studies in the global scientific community and emphasize the growing consensus among the international scientific community that electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), also known as vaping devices, are safer than traditional cigarettes and serve as a means to reduce harm caused by tobacco use. They mention Japan's significant success in reducing smoking rates through regulation of heated tobacco products.
Other countries and regions should take note.
In addition, a recent article in the South China Morning Post pointed out that, given Australia's lack of success in reducing smoking rates with its e-cigarette ban, Hong Kong should carefully reconsider implementing its own ban.
During the period from 2013 to 2016, smoking rates in Australia increased by over 21,000, reaching 2.4 million. "For the first time ever, smoking rates in Australia did not statistically decrease, while the number of smokers has actually increased," said renowned public health expert Colin Mendelsohn as early as 2017.
A public health expert advocating for the use of electronic cigarettes as a harm-reducing tool has pointed out that punitive and coercive measures taken by the country are clearly not effective. This argument is supported by data from the United Kingdom, which has adopted a different approach from Australia and has achieved historically low smoking rates.
Source: Vapingpost
India's ban on vaping has been deemed a complete failure.
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