Knowing more about Tobacco Harm Reduction

In general, I have few smokers friends and even my family members who used to smoke at home quite frequently when I was a little girl. I still recall it and myself can't tolerate with the smoke and smell. The surroundings is polluted. Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause coronary heart disease and lung cancer in non-smokers, and increase the risk of: Respiratory diseases (such as asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia).

We do understand it is not easy to get rid of being a smokers in short period but we can get to know more on how  Tobacco Harm Reduction and some alternatives to reduce the risk for those smokers who unwilling to quit.

Let me share with you some interesting facts on Tobacco Harm Reduction

What is Harm Reduction?

The guiding principle of Harm Reduction believes in opening up avenues to alternatives that can help prevent or eradicate harm-inducing habits or activities that are essentials in order to build a better and healthier Malaysia.

What is Tobacco Harm Reduction?

Tobacco harm reduction (THR) believes that reducing the levels of harm from tobacco use among smokers is the priority because eliminating exposure to nicotine is not always achievable. Thus, the main objective of THR is to help smokers switch to less harmful alternatives.

1.E-Cigarettes

Examples: Vape, vape pens, e-hookah, e-pipe, e-cigars and many more. 

What is it: A battery-operated device that does not contain tobacco. Instead, it works by heating an e-liquid to emit a vaporized solution upon inhalation to simulate tobacco smoking (but with relatively less harmful vapor!). The e-liquid typically contains a mixture of chemicals, artificial flavourings, and nicotine. However, options for non-nicotine e-cigarettes are also available.

2. Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs)

Examples: IQOS, Ploom TECH, PAX, Glo and many more. 

What is it: HTPs are devices that employ battery-powered heating systems to heat tobacco to produce nicotine. Unlike cigarettes, HTPs do not burn tobacco, but as its name implies, heats it before allowing it to reach its combustion point.

3. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)

Examples: Nicotine infused products such as gum, patches, lozenges, inhalers and more. 

What is it: A commonly used, medically approved method that administers nicotine to a user without the harmful chemicals found in tobacco. NRT comes in many sizes, shapes, and forms, designed to help those who quit smoking - especially those who suffer from severe nicotine withdrawal symptoms. NRTs are widely available at pharmacies. 

4. Smokeless Tobacco

Examples: Snus, snuff tobacco or chewing tobacco.

What is it: Smokeless tobacco supplies nicotine without the combustion of tobacco and is administered either orally or nasally. As it does not involve the combustion of tobacco, therefore presenting no risks without smoke inhalation, smokeless tobacco is generally considered less harmful than smoking cigarettes - albeit, addictive.

In a nutshell, Tobacco smoking is a leading cause of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For smokers who want to quit, nicotine replacement therapy and bupropion are frequently recommended. 

Why you should Quit smoking? Improves health status and enhances quality of life, reduces the risk for many adverse health effects, including poor reproductive health outcomes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cancer.

While quitting earlier in life yields greater health benefits, quitting smoking is beneficial to health at any age. Even people who have smoked for many years or have smoked heavily will benefit from quitting.

Check out more full coverage and details at 

https://www.haahub.com.my/harm-reduction

Article source and credit photos to this website :

https://esgclarity.com/little-progress-made-by-tobacco-firms-in-harm-reduction/

https://www.rstreet.org/2019/08/07/tobacco-harm-reduction-evidence-update/

https://twitter.com/THRKenya

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/benefits/index.htm