A Victory for Italy
Pressure from Dr Ricardo Polosa has got the Italian government to see sense and allow vape shops to reopen
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by Dave Cross
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As a genuine expert in the area of chest infections, Dr Polosa has taken a keen interest in how Italy and the world has responded to the coronovirus (COVID-19) pandemic. He was quick to respond to the Mayor of New York City’s announcement that vaping could increase the risk of contracting the disease: “Where is the evidence? Stop placing smoking and vaping on the same level. Get your facts straight Mayor!”
Shortly afterwards, Italy ordered all vape shops to close. “Open vape shops now! I think it is wrong to deprive smokers of the possibility of switching to less harmful and even more unfair products to let thousands of vapers move to smoke. We must guarantee access to alternative tools to quit smoking,” Polosa reacted.
Italy has suffered the most as COVID-19 swept around the globe. The government’s response in shutting down access to harm reduction products to the country’s million vapers and 16 million smokers left Polosa feeling “a little bit cross.”
“Hundreds of thousands of vapers would have been at risk of gatewaying back to smoking,” Polosa told Filtermag’s Helen Redmond. “It was an issue of public health in my opinion.”
Thanks to the pressure Dr Polosa brought to bear, the Italian government performed a voltafaccia and reversed the decision.
“I was very glad to see that the government was extremely receptive. In a matter of days they responded and said vape shops can remain open.”
Polosa believes that this sets a worldwide precedent, especially as Italy has been exceptionally inconsistent in its approach to alternative nicotine products.
Related:
- Riccardo Polosa on Twitter – [link]
- A Scientist Persuaded Italy to Exempt Vape Shops From COVID-19 Lockdown – [link]
Photo Credit:
Flag image by DavidRockDesign from Pixabay
Mona Lisa image by Sumanley xulx from Pixabay
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.
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