In a recent forum of the Belgian Foundation against Cancer, Suzanne Gabriels, Tobacco Prevention Expert brings his conclusions on the electronic cigarette declaring "that showing more flexibility with regard to the e-cigarette is a trap, because the new heated tobacco products of the tobacco industry will benefit from it".
CANCER FOUNDATION SUPPORTS STRICT E-CIGARETTE REGULATIONS
A few days ago in Belgium, the Foundation against cancer to published a communicated on his official website by the voice of Suzanne Gabriels, Expert Prevention Tobacco.
“Our legislation is very strict when it comes to electronic cigarettes. It is even one of the strictest in the European Union. In addition to taxes, the provisions which apply to conventional cigarettes also apply to e-cigarettes. The sale of e-cigarettes is therefore prohibited to young people under the age of 16. Promotion, advertising and sponsorship are subject to restrictions. The packages must be provided with protection for children and must include a health warning. The rate of nicotine, communication, use (we do not vape in public spaces) and sale (prohibited on the internet) are regulated.
Our points of sale are subject to many rules. And this is to the credit of our authorities, because the policy on electronic cigarettes influences the marketing and the arguments justifying its use. The ban on vaping in public places, for example, makes it possible to prevent the e-cigarette from being used, in these places, as a substitute for the conventional cigarette. A rule that has trouble passing in the "vapers": " this kind of policy goes against risk reduction! », They cry. And yet, the Foundation against Cancer supports the severity of our regulations on e-cigarettes. "
A COMPROMISE TO BELGIUM?
If we talk about compromise to Belgian in this article, we seem a long way from promoting the electronic cigarette as a risk reduction tool.
Here are the tips the Cancer Foundation gives to smoking patients, in order of preference :
- 1: do not (start to) smoke.
- 2: Quit smoking by using standard weaning methods that have been proven.
- 3: quit smoking by choosing electronic cigarette as the method of quitting. The e-cigarette gradually reduces the dose of nicotine, unlike “heat-not-burn” devices like IQOS.
- 4: Vapot, maybe for the rest of his life, and stop smoking cigarettes. .
- 5: (the worst solution for a smoker): continue to smoke.
Keeping this simple list in mind, doctors will avoid the exacerbated alarmism associated with electronic cigarettes, even if it is worth asking, at the level of the population, the evolution of the e-cigarette.
According to the Foundation against cancer, we must therefore highlight the classic weaning methods (patches, gums ...) which have "proven themselves" ... As if the electronic cigarette had not already proven its worth since the explosion of the market in 2013-2014 ...
In conclusion, Foundation against the creditr goes even further by stating: Above all, stay strict in our legislation! Being more flexible with the e-cigarette is a trap, as the new tobacco-industry heat-not-burn products will benefit. As long as we do not know the risks in the long run, our Belgian compromise on the e-cigarette is not so bad - except on one point. Belgium is one of the last EU countries to allow the sale of cigarettes and e-cigarettes to young people from 16". Suffice to say that there is still a lot of work to be done for the vape to be accepted as a real tool for reducing the risks of smoking.
