A press release from the World Vapers' Alliance (WVA) has emphasized that a recent report from the European Union's Health, Environment and New Risks Scientific Committee (SCHEER) on e-cigarettes is a setback for public health in Europe. This is because the report ignores all scientific evidence that shows e-cigarettes can reduce the harm caused by tobacco, as well as ignoring successful cases of smokers quitting and expert opinions received during the consultation period.
Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers' Alliance (WVA), commented on the report, stating that the misinformation presented will have negative consequences: “This report is a tragedy for public health and will have terrible consequences for smokers and vapers. SCHEER has ignored a wealth of scientific evidence on e-cigarettes, all of which was provided by experts and consumers during consultations earlier this year. They have chosen to ignore it, showing disregard for vapers and common sense.”
Patterns of Inaccurate Reporting in the Scheer Report
Earlier this year, a renowned expert on reducing the harm caused by tobacco, Dr. Riccardo Polosa, published a paper stating that SCHEER's conclusions lacked sufficient scientific evidence and did not address the health benefits of using electronic cigarettes as a substitute for traditional cigarettes.
The SCHEER report on cardiovascular risk assessment contradicts many studies and references data that does not represent current usage patterns. It does not include a report on non-nicotine use. The report makes inaccurate statements about the trend of e-cigarette use and places too much emphasis on the role of flavors in youth initiation without sufficient long-term data.
Dr. Riccardo Polosa added that the report did not take into account well-known UK public health data that show e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than smoking and have recently become the most commonly used tool for quitting smoking.
Countries such as the UK and France are actively encouraging smokers to switch to e-cigarettes, a less harmful alternative. If the EU genuinely wants to address smoking-related illnesses, it needs to carefully examine all the evidence. Unfortunately, the SCHEER report is biased against e-cigarettes, and if its recommendations were translated into legislation, it would harm public health.
Recommendations on accurate reporting
In order to provide accurate reporting, Dr. Riccardo Polosa and his team have drafted some recommendations for SCHEER.
(1) The potential health benefits of electronic cigarettes as a replacement for traditional cigarettes.
Research on the behavior of switching and substitution between the two.
(3) Assessment of cardiovascular risk.
Measurement of frequency of use.
Non-nicotine usage.
The Function of Spices.
Conduct thorough research on the effectiveness of quitting smoking.
Source: VapingPost
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