Moral Psychology Expert on Tobacco Control
An American academic explains the bias that drives people to oppose vaping as a harm reduction tool.
-
by Dave Cross
Share on:
Kozlowski believes that the zealotry of the anti-harm reduction brigade is down to their personal biases. This includes a desire “to focus more on the protection of ‘good’ kids from harm versus the protection of ‘bad’ kids from greater harm.”
“After decades of work in this area, I thought the perspective of moral psychology helped inform why these debates are often so vitriolic and yet so often based on limited science,” says Lynn T. Kozlowski, professor of community health and health behaviour in UB’s School of Public Health and Health Professions. Kozlowski’s paper will be.
Kozlowski explains: “‘Good’ kids are those who are not using any tobacco/nicotine products and are at low risk of ever doing so. ‘Bad’ kids are already involved with using tobacco/nicotine products and engaging in other risky activities such as drinking alcohol and using other drugs. Neither position should be viewed as bizarre or immoral. Each is a position that is supported by strong moral intuitions. It is a call to try to better understand where the ‘opposition’ is coming from, so to speak.”
“It has been found that comprehensive sex education programs can encompass both an abstinence-only focus and a safer sex approach, with an ability to help those who can benefit from one or the other approach,” he says.
“Trying to maximize abstinence from tobacco products or maximize the use of less harmful tobacco products have become opposing options in part due to the emotional reactions that influence views of these approaches,” Kozlowski adds. “I think there is room for trying to do both and benefit public health, if there is an appreciation of the diverse group of youth who can benefit from a variety of tobacco control efforts.”
“It is as if scientists were thinking of their own teenager and, if the teenager had not been engaging in any risky behaviour, the priority would be to prevent that from ever happening,” Kozlowski says. “But if the son or daughter had already started smoking, the parent might be hoping at least to be able to move the teenager to using a much less risky product.”
“Advocates for either position may have already decided on their preferred policy on the basis of their initial, rapid moral psychological response to what is the more important course of action.”
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
Join the discussion
Parliament Fears Two
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs faced questions from a Conservative MP and, oddly, a member of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
-
by Dave Cross
Harm Reduction For The Rich
The United Kingdom risks becoming a harm reduction country only for the wealthy, according to Michael Landl of the World Vapers’ Alliance
-
by Dave Cross
Sacrificing Health For 2p Cut
Tory Government alienates vaping voters with its mission to cut tax by an unaffordable 2p to attract voters by placing a tax on vape products in the forthcoming budget
-
by Dave Cross
Scotland Announces Single-Use Vape Action
A ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes in Scotland is due to come into effect on 1 April 2025, under proposed legislation published today
-
by Dave Cross
