An article on the NewEurope website caught my eye last week.
It is titled “Scientific community focuses on Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) through alternative solutions – such as E-cigarettes and Heated Tobacco“.
The scientific community is afraid of being stigmatised for supporting [e-cigs & HTPs}
I’ve been publicly attacked in my own country by scientists working with anti-tobacco lobbies. My goal ~ is to have young oncologists have less patients die from cancer. https://t.co/OP0eflmRix— INNCOorg (@INNCOorg) June 29, 2022
Written by Nicholas Waller it covers an interview with Dr David Khayat – the former President of the National Cancer Institute of France and current head of Medical Oncology at the Clinique Bizet in Paris.
The article discusses how the scientific community have embraced THR as a concept and are focussing on finding solutions to minimise the damage smoking causes.
Sadly it appears a rift has occurred between the different schools of thought. On the one hand you have the Harm Reduction advocates who differ in opinion from those who want to see higher taxation and other methods of quitting smoking promoted.
Dr Khayat says one train of thought is the “stop smoking or die” opinion and it is proving harmful.
“As a doctor, I cannot accept ‘stop or die’ as the only choice offered to a patient who smokes”
“(the scientific community)… should “play a stronger role in convincing policymakers around the world to reconsider and be more innovative in their tobacco control strategies, including coming to a realization that some levels of our bad behavior by people are inevitable, but that limits on their freedom and dire warnings about the consequences of their actions is not a viable path”
He then continues to comment on the position the scientific community are in right now…
“… the scientific community is afraid of being stigmatized for supporting electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco. I’ve been publicly attacked in my own country by scientists who are working with the anti-tobacco lobbies. But for me, what my goal for the rest of my life is to have young oncologists have less patients die from cancer. That’s my objective.”
Read the article for the full interview, I like the sound of Dr Khayat and he makes some important points.
