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The NRTI urges physicians to endorse the use of safer tobacco alternatives

The National Tobacco Reform Initiative (NTRI), is urging US health care professionals who normally are the first line of support for smokers seeking to quit, to embrace the concept of relative risk and promote the use of safer alternatives.

Diane Caruana

February 21, 2018

The NTRI who amongst its members boasts renowned anti-smoking advocate Derek Yach and the Attorney General of Iowa, Tom Miller, pointed out that a recent report by the US’ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), indicates that switching from smoking to vaping, carries significant health benefits.

“We urge these professionals, within and outside government, to embrace the concept of relative risk.” Press note, NRTI

“We urge these professionals, within and outside government, to embrace the concept of relative risk,” said a press note by the NRTI. “The science base clearly demonstrates that e-cigarettes represent less of a risk for smokers than continuing to smoke.”

Finally we have effective smoking cessation aids

NRTI team member, John Seffrin, PhD, added that we should take advantage of the fact that finally we have cessation aids that work. “After fighting the tobacco epidemic for over five decades, we now have proven harm reduction methods to help us avoid a carnage in otherwise-preventable deaths.”

“Smokers should have a variety of potentially less harmful nicotine-containing products if they want or need to continue using nicotine, is the keystone of FDA’s approach.”Press note, NRTI

The NTRI added that the NASEM report on e-cigarettes supports the FDA’s vision which includes having reduced risk nicotine products available for cigarette addicts. “The fundamental truth, that smoking – not nicotine – is responsible for most of the harm, and that smokers should have a variety of potentially less harmful nicotine-containing products if they want or need to continue using nicotine, is the keystone of FDA’s approach.”

Time to take action

Based on the Nasem report results, the NTRI is presenting the following action points:

Approach regulation of tobacco and nicotine products according to their relative risk;
Educate smokers that nicotine delivered without smoke is a less harmful choice and that there are massive differences in risk across the products;
Pursue regulations that work to enable smokers to switch completely to the much less hazardous non-combustible products such as snus, and e-cigarettes.

The NRTI concluded its press release by pointing out that thanks to resources such as the NASEM report and the FDA’s new comprehensive nicotine strategy, it believes that presently there are enough reliable resources to be able to point smokers in the right direction. Those addicts who are unable to stop consuming nicotine, should be directed to at least do so via proven safer methods such as vaping.

Read Further: Tobacco Reporter