The Institute for Tobacco Studies (ITS) in Täby, Sweden has released a topical paper urging the World Health Organization (WHO) to look at the successful Swedish experiences of transitioning from cigarettes to smokeless alternatives to reduce smoking-related deaths globally. The paper was published on Qeios, and can be downloaded from the platform.
Dr. Lars M. Ramström, the principal investigator of ITS, is an internationally-renowned researcher in tobacco control and has served as a WHO expert and as secretary general of the 4th World Conference on Smoking and Health. He commented that “the best example of how products that don’t burn tobacco can benefit public health comes from Sweden, which has the lowest smoking prevalence among men in the European Union and consequently the lowest tobacco-related mortality.”
The paper urges the WHO to apply all science-based strategies to reduce tobacco-related deaths, including the ‘third pillar of tobacco control’: harm reduction. Dr. Ramström pointed out that “most ‘tobacco-related’ deaths are in fact ‘smoking-related’ deaths caused by repeated inhalation of smoke emitted when tobacco is lit on fire”, and that “when burning is taken out of the equation, the harm can be dramatically reduced.”
It is suggested that the COP10 meeting in Panama this November is an ideal opportunity to take a fresh look at the most recent evidence with an open mind. The paper calls on the delegates to look at the experiences of Sweden, Norway, Japan and New Zealand, all of which have seen a decline in smoking rates due to the use of smokeless alternatives.
The paper also calls for the delegates to look at the “real-world scientific evidence” in making decisions during the meeting, and encourages the WHO to “follow the science (and Sweden) this time, for the sake of one billion smokers who aren’t lucky enough to live in Sweden.”
The Institute for Tobacco Studies in Täby, Sweden has published a topical paper calling on the World Health Organization (WHO) to consider the successful Swedish experience of transitioning from cigarettes to smokeless alternatives to reduce smoking-related deaths globally. The paper, authored by Dr. Lars M. Ramström, a renowned researcher in tobacco control, highlights the fact that Sweden has the lowest smoking prevalence in the European Union and the lowest tobacco-related mortality.
The paper encourages the WHO to apply science-based strategies to reduce tobacco-related deaths, including “harm reduction”, and calls on the delegates of the COP10 meeting in Panama this November to look at the experiences of Sweden, Norway, Japan and New Zealand, all of which have seen a decline in smoking rates due to the use of smokeless alternatives. It also calls for the delegates to make decisions based on the “real-world scientific evidence”, and urges the WHO to “follow the science (and Sweden) this time, for the sake of one billion smokers who aren’t lucky enough to live in Sweden.”
Dr. Lars M. Ramström, the principal investigator of the Institute for Tobacco Studies in Täby, Sweden, has released a topical paper urging the World Health Organization (WHO) to look to Sweden as an example for reducing smoking-related deaths globally. The paper, published on Qeios, highlights the fact that Sweden has the lowest smoking prevalence among men in the European Union and consequently the lowest tobacco-related mortality.
The paper encourages the WHO to apply science-based strategies to reduce tobacco-related deaths, including ‘harm reduction’, and suggests that the COP10 meeting in Panama in November is an ideal opportunity to take a fresh look at the most recent evidence. It calls on the delegates to consider the experiences of Sweden, Norway, Japan and New Zealand, all of which have seen a decline in smoking rates due to the use of smokeless alternatives.
Dr. Ramström pointed out that “most ‘tobacco-related’ deaths are in fact ‘smoking-related’ deaths caused by repeated inhalation of smoke emitted when tobacco is lit on fire”, and that “when burning is taken out of the equation, the harm can be dramatically reduced.” The paper urges the WHO to “follow the science (and Sweden) this time, for the sake of one billion smokers who aren’t lucky enough to live in Sweden.”
The Institute for Tobacco Studies in Täby, Sweden has published a topical paper calling on the World Health Organization (WHO) to consider the successful Swedish experience of transitioning from cigarettes to smokeless alternatives to reduce smoking-related deaths globally. The paper, authored by Dr. Lars M.
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