TSFA Rebuts Misleading Claims in California Advisory « TN Smoke Free Association
Tennessee is home to over 1.2 million adult smokers and currently ranks 5th in the nation for smoking prevalence. According to CDC data, from 2008 to 2013 Tennessees adult smoking rate stagnated or maybe even increased (23.2% to 24.3%). The failure to bring down the smoking rate not only leaves Tennessee footing millions of dollars in health care costs, but also with nearly one fourth of the population opening themselves up to early-disease and death.
Tennessees smoking rate represents a public health crisis that will require new and innovative methods if we hope to solve it. Regrettably, that opinion isnt shared by our government health officials. The California Department of Public Health recommends smokers use the same old methods and confuses these technology products with tobacco in the recently released advisory.
What they leave out of their campaigning is the fact that in any given year, over 95% of smokers who try to quit with products like the nicotine gum and patch will fail. Users of bupropion or varenicline better known as Zyban and Chantix can look forward to mildly approved success rates, but also FDA-mandated black box warnings due to the devastating effects of these drugs. In 2013, Pfizer entered into settlement for a class action suit involving more than 600 suicides linked to Chantix.
Enter vaping preliminary studies indicate that vapor products and electronic cigarettes are linked both to increased quit smoking attempts as well as successful quit attempts. One recent study indicated a more than 50% increase in successful quit attempts using e-cigarettes versus nicotine patches or gum. Professor Robert West, one of the authors of that study, said E-cigarettes could substantially improve public health because of their widespread appeal and the huge health gains associated with stopping smoking.
Currently, only two states currently tax e-cigarettes, but there are proposals being rushed to state legislatures nationwide. Some tax hikes are even being floated by Big tobacco companies like RJ Reynolds, the makers of Camel cigarettes. Indeed, Tennessee is a prime target for one of these bills in 2015. We sincerely hope that the state will live up and recognize that out-of-state cigarette companies should have no say in Tennessee taxation policy.
With nearly a quarter of adults in the state smoking, Health Departments and mainstream media should be embracing vaping with open arms and empowering Tennesseans to seek harm reduction, not spreading misinformation. By incorrectly asserting that vaping may be as hazardous as smoking, public health officials create confusion in the public. Even worse, smokers who cannot or will not quit using traditional methods will just keep smoking.
Some believe that truthfully informing adults that vaping presents much less risk than smoking will somehow lead children to begin smoking. As of this writing, there are dozens of studies related to youth use of vapor products. Not one has shown that vapor products are acting as a gateway to traditional cigarettes for youth.
So far, vaping has proven to be a gateway to exactly one thing: creating ex-smokers.
Dimitris Agrafiotis
Exec Director Tennessee Smoke Free Association
http://tnsmokefree.org
Direct: 4239032023
Email: dimi@tnsmokefree.org
Tennessee is home to over 1.2 million adult smokers and currently ranks 5th in the nation for smoking prevalence. According to CDC data, from 2008 to 2013 Tennessees adult smoking rate stagnated or maybe even increased (23.2% to 24.3%). The failure to bring down the smoking rate not only leaves Tennessee footing millions of dollars in health care costs, but also with nearly one fourth of the population opening themselves up to early-disease and death.
Tennessees smoking rate represents a public health crisis that will require new and innovative methods if we hope to solve it. Regrettably, that opinion isnt shared by our government health officials. The California Department of Public Health recommends smokers use the same old methods and confuses these technology products with tobacco in the recently released advisory.
What they leave out of their campaigning is the fact that in any given year, over 95% of smokers who try to quit with products like the nicotine gum and patch will fail. Users of bupropion or varenicline better known as Zyban and Chantix can look forward to mildly approved success rates, but also FDA-mandated black box warnings due to the devastating effects of these drugs. In 2013, Pfizer entered into settlement for a class action suit involving more than 600 suicides linked to Chantix.
Enter vaping preliminary studies indicate that vapor products and electronic cigarettes are linked both to increased quit smoking attempts as well as successful quit attempts. One recent study indicated a more than 50% increase in successful quit attempts using e-cigarettes versus nicotine patches or gum. Professor Robert West, one of the authors of that study, said E-cigarettes could substantially improve public health because of their widespread appeal and the huge health gains associated with stopping smoking.
Currently, only two states currently tax e-cigarettes, but there are proposals being rushed to state legislatures nationwide. Some tax hikes are even being floated by Big tobacco companies like RJ Reynolds, the makers of Camel cigarettes. Indeed, Tennessee is a prime target for one of these bills in 2015. We sincerely hope that the state will live up and recognize that out-of-state cigarette companies should have no say in Tennessee taxation policy.
With nearly a quarter of adults in the state smoking, Health Departments and mainstream media should be embracing vaping with open arms and empowering Tennesseans to seek harm reduction, not spreading misinformation. By incorrectly asserting that vaping may be as hazardous as smoking, public health officials create confusion in the public. Even worse, smokers who cannot or will not quit using traditional methods will just keep smoking.
Some believe that truthfully informing adults that vaping presents much less risk than smoking will somehow lead children to begin smoking. As of this writing, there are dozens of studies related to youth use of vapor products. Not one has shown that vapor products are acting as a gateway to traditional cigarettes for youth.
So far, vaping has proven to be a gateway to exactly one thing: creating ex-smokers.
Dimitris Agrafiotis
Exec Director Tennessee Smoke Free Association
http://tnsmokefree.org
Direct: 4239032023
Email: dimi@tnsmokefree.org
