E-cigarettes help smokers quit: prof calls for science-based policies in SA
Prof Riccardo Polosa, who leads the Centre of Excellence for Harm Reduction at the University of Catania and has more than two decades of experience in smoking cessation, told the parliamentary portfolio committee on health on Friday that policymakers should seriously consider 'evidence-based tobacco harm reduction strategies'.
'Triangulation of systematic reviews and real-world evidence shows that e-cigarettes help smokers quit. The Cochrane Library, the highest level of evidence, concludes that people are more likely to stop smoking using nicotine e-cigarettes than with nicotine replacement therapy such as patches and gums.'
In his presentation, Polosa pointed to real-world data from nearly a million people in the US, explaining that the smoking trend line has decreased sharply while vaping has increased.
He said this suggested that the more vaping uptake there is, the more smoking is replaced.
This, he said, had contributed to the 'near eradication' of smoking among US high school and college students.
'Quitting smoking is not easy, but combustion-free nicotine products reduce toxic emissions and exposure, making it very likely that they lead to reduced harm.'
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The Herald
5 days ago
- The Herald
E-cigarettes help smokers quit: prof calls for science-based policies in SA
He cited what he called a large international replication study. 'Smoking cigarettes kills about 75% of the cells in cultures, but tobacco harm reduction devices show little effect. In some cases, cells are even growing. These products are about 80% less toxic than tobacco cigarettes and about 99% less genotoxic.' Polosa used Sweden as an example to further his support for harm reduction. 'Sweden, where snus, a non-combustible nicotine product, is widely used, has the lowest long-term mortality and cardiovascular disease rates in Europe. This shows the potential of combustion-free nicotine to reduce health risks at population level,' he said. Polosa said clinical data also revealed rapid health improvements after switching. 'Just 48 to 72 hours after quitting smoking, people report getting their sense of taste and smell back. In studies, former smokers who switched to e-cigarettes showed restored mucociliary clearance times equal to never-smokers.' 'Among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 85% reported improvement of respiratory symptoms after switching to e-cigarettes. Our five-year follow-up showed reduced cigarette consumption, better lung function, fewer respiratory infections, and improved quality of life,' said Polosa. Addressing concerns about vaping in never-smokers, Polosa assured the committee: 'In a 3.5-year study of people who vape but have never smoked, we observed no long-term health concerns.' He offered to support South Africa with science-driven guidance for effective tobacco policy reforms. 'Prevention alone is not enough. Changing tobacco harm reduction tools could help people quit smoking. Non-combustible products are unlikely to create significant health concerns under normal use. People deserve accurate information on their risks and benefits to make informed choices. The government should integrate harm reduction into its public health strategy to save lives.' South African adjunct professor and independent healthcare consultant Prof Praneet Valodia told the committee that the combustion of tobacco produces between 6,000 and 7,000 chemicals. 'Among these, about 100 are harmful or potentially harmful. Non-combustible nicotine-containing products produce no combustion and 60% to 99% fewer harmful chemicals. This is based on an independent evaluation by the US Food and Drug Administration, a leading authority in tobacco and medicines regulation. Nicotine levels are the same but nicotine is not the harmful substance. It's the other chemicals, nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which cause disease.' 'The science is clear: combustible cigarettes and non-combustible nicotine products are not the same, and pretending they are undermines public health. 'Switching to non-combustible alternatives significantly reduces harm — we're talking about 60%-99% fewer harmful chemicals. I've independently assessed the evidence using the same rigorous standards applied to clinical trials, and the data is overwhelming. 'We need a smarter regulatory framework, one that differentiates based on risk, supports smokers with safer options, and stops ignoring the science. Continuing down the current path is not just flawed, it's dangerous.' TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- TimesLIVE
E-cigarettes help smokers quit: prof calls for science-based policies in SA
A leading Italian physician has weighed in on South Africa's Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, calling on parliament to adopt science-based tobacco harm reduction policies. Prof Riccardo Polosa, who leads the Centre of Excellence for Harm Reduction at the University of Catania and has more than two decades of experience in smoking cessation, told the parliamentary portfolio committee on health on Friday that policymakers should seriously consider 'evidence-based tobacco harm reduction strategies'. 'Triangulation of systematic reviews and real-world evidence shows that e-cigarettes help smokers quit. The Cochrane Library, the highest level of evidence, concludes that people are more likely to stop smoking using nicotine e-cigarettes than with nicotine replacement therapy such as patches and gums.' In his presentation, Polosa pointed to real-world data from nearly a million people in the US, explaining that the smoking trend line has decreased sharply while vaping has increased. He said this suggested that the more vaping uptake there is, the more smoking is replaced. This, he said, had contributed to the 'near eradication' of smoking among US high school and college students. 'Quitting smoking is not easy, but combustion-free nicotine products reduce toxic emissions and exposure, making it very likely that they lead to reduced harm.'
eNCA
26-07-2025
- eNCA
Belgian region grapples with forever chemical scandal
A water contamination scandal has gripped a leafy corner of southern Belgium, causing anxious residents to queue up for blood tests to confirm potential exposure to so-called forever chemicals. On an early summer afternoon about a dozen people waited to get their samples taken at a municipal building in Braine-le-Chateau, a picturesque town in the French-speaking Wallonia region. "Initially local authorities told us that measurements were reassuring, but in reality, they didn't have any and were simply trying to keep people calm as best they could," Douglas, a 35-year-old consultant who preferred only to give his first name, told AFP. "This kind of game has to stop," he said, adding he hoped the blood-sampling campaign launched in June would help shed light on the situation. Anger in the region first erupted in 2023 when an investigation by local broadcaster RTBF revealed the authorities had ignored longstanding warnings about high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called forever chemicals. It emerged that the US military, which has an airbase in the small city of Chievres, had warned the local water company in 2017 about high PFAS levels in drinking water, following an incident involving firefighting foam. The US base advised its personnel to drink bottled water -- but locals were left in the dark for years, even after the regional government was told of the issue in 2018. PFAS are a family of synthetic chemicals that take an extremely long time to break down. Chronic exposure to even low levels of the chemicals has been linked to liver damage, high cholesterol, reduced immune responses, low birth weights and several kinds of cancer. A group of more than 10,000 human-made chemicals that repel heat, water and oil, PFAS are used in nonstick pans, stain-proof carpets, and other products. But their use is increasingly being restricted across the world due to adverse health effects. In June an Italian court sentenced executives at a chemical plant to jail terms of up to 17 years for polluting water used by hundreds of thousands of people with the chemicals. - 'Putting out fires' - Water samples in Braine-le-Chateau last year revealed levels five to six times higher than a safety standard of 4 nanograms/litre (ng/L) for four PFAS recently agreed by Belgian authorities. The exact source of the pollution has not yet been confirmed and a judicial investigation is underway. AFP | Nicolas TUCAT Authorities have since ordered water distribution firms to install activated carbon filters -- a move they say has contained the issue. Large-scale blood testing was carried out in Chievres in early 2024 -- and later extended to nearby areas. Authorities said almost 1,300 people across about 10 municipalities had their blood samples taken to confirm exposure to the chemicals in recent weeks, as part of a fresh campaign launched in June. The results, which could lead to new health recommendations, are expected later this year. Wallonia's government, which took office last summer, has also decided to bring forward to 2025 new European Union rules requiring that drinking water must not exceed a total of 100 ng/L for 20 substances in the PFAS family. "We have taken radical measures and all our distributors are now complying with this standard," Yves Coppieters, the regional minister for health and the environment, told AFP. Nevertheless he acknowledged that "the population is very concerned", adding that without clarity on the source of the pollution, it might take decades to resolve the issue. "Telling people not to eat their home-grown eggs and vegetables, setting standards for sewage sludge... for now I'm just putting out fires," said Coppieters, who favours a ban on all products containing PFAS. Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have submitted a joint proposal for the EU to ban the production, sale, and use of almost all forever chemicals. And the European Commission has said it is looking to ban PFAS in everyday consumer products.
