July 2021 Newsletter

The July 2021 issue focuses on World No Tobacco Day and the growing debate around tobacco harm reduction. The lead article argues that the old message of “quit or die” is not enough for many adult smokers. It says new technologies, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, may help reduce health risks for smokers who cannot quit combustible tobacco immediately.

The newsletter says the world must move toward policies based on science, risk difference, and real-world needs of smokers. It argues that nicotine is addictive, but the major danger of smoking comes from burning tobacco and inhaling smoke. For this reason, lower-risk alternatives should be considered as part of modern tobacco control.

The issue also reports on a UK trial offering free e-cigarette starter kits to homeless people, a group with very high smoking rates. It also announces the Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum 2021 in London as a platform for dialogue among public health, government, finance, and nicotine stakeholders.

Other sections focus on Japan’s sharp decline in cigarette sales, increased e-cigarette use among adults in Great Britain, and personal stories showing both the harms of smoking and the possible role of vaping in quitting. The newsletter also highlights cigarette butts as a serious source of environmental pollution.