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David Sweanor - Smoking, vaping and public health: Time to be creative
Smoking, vaping and public health: Time to be creative | Sweanor | Can J Public Health
Excellent article in the Canadian Journal of Public Health
Some excerpts
"We can start with a look at the science on the risks from second-hand vapor, which are decidedly minor.8–11 There are credible organizations that have studied the available evidence and formulated informed public positions. These include the Royal College of Physicians,12 Public Health England4 and Action on Smoking and Health (UK).13 For reasons perhaps best explained by cultural anthropologists, US bodies adhere much more to a ‘war on drugs’ orientation to nicotine, focusing on risks rather than public health benefits and promoting a moral panic eerily reminiscent of the ...... Madness14 approach to marijuana and the Anti-Saloon League approach to alcohol.15"
"Treating non-combustion product use in public areas as the same as cigarettes will reassure smokers that the restrictions on smoking are not based on health concerns; that smoking is no more hazardous than vaping."
"Would we really want to convey the misleading message that health care institutions think that smoking cigarettes is no more dangerous than the use of noncombustion products?"
"But it gets worse. Some want vapers to have to completely forgo use of their vaporizers while on HCO property, even outdoors. This not only lacks compassion and an understanding of the contents of vapor, but also an understanding of the basic human rights espoused by John Stuart Mill."
"The cigarette trade has for too long had too many advantages in Canada, things that have slowed progress in reducing smoking and caused huge loss of life. We should not offer them protection from health-focused technological innovations that constitute a viable endgame for cigarette smoking."
Unfortunately, the journal also published an editorial demonizing vaping and calling for a vaping ban at all healthcare facilities in Canada
Victimless vapour? Health care organizations should restrict the use of e-cigarettes | Bean | Can J Public Health
Smoking, vaping and public health: Time to be creative | Sweanor | Can J Public Health
Excellent article in the Canadian Journal of Public Health
Some excerpts
"We can start with a look at the science on the risks from second-hand vapor, which are decidedly minor.8–11 There are credible organizations that have studied the available evidence and formulated informed public positions. These include the Royal College of Physicians,12 Public Health England4 and Action on Smoking and Health (UK).13 For reasons perhaps best explained by cultural anthropologists, US bodies adhere much more to a ‘war on drugs’ orientation to nicotine, focusing on risks rather than public health benefits and promoting a moral panic eerily reminiscent of the ...... Madness14 approach to marijuana and the Anti-Saloon League approach to alcohol.15"
"Treating non-combustion product use in public areas as the same as cigarettes will reassure smokers that the restrictions on smoking are not based on health concerns; that smoking is no more hazardous than vaping."
"Would we really want to convey the misleading message that health care institutions think that smoking cigarettes is no more dangerous than the use of noncombustion products?"
"But it gets worse. Some want vapers to have to completely forgo use of their vaporizers while on HCO property, even outdoors. This not only lacks compassion and an understanding of the contents of vapor, but also an understanding of the basic human rights espoused by John Stuart Mill."
"The cigarette trade has for too long had too many advantages in Canada, things that have slowed progress in reducing smoking and caused huge loss of life. We should not offer them protection from health-focused technological innovations that constitute a viable endgame for cigarette smoking."
Unfortunately, the journal also published an editorial demonizing vaping and calling for a vaping ban at all healthcare facilities in Canada
Victimless vapour? Health care organizations should restrict the use of e-cigarettes | Bean | Can J Public Health
