Former WHO Director Supports Ecigs
A former World Health Organisation Director of Policy Research and Cooperation has spoken out about the potential for vaping to help improve public health
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by Dave Cross
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Professor Tikki Pang is now a Visiting Professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore. He was previously Visiting Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy before becoming a WHO Director. Prior to this, he was Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the Institute of Postgraduate Studies & Research, University of Malaya.
During his 30 years in academia, Professor Pang has published over 250 scientific articles and 12 books on subjects covering epidemiology, pathogenesis, laboratory diagnosis and prevention of infectious diseases, biosecurity and dual-use research. He is widely recognised as a public health expert both nationally and internationally.
Tikki Pang said that his home country still has almost 70 million smokers and that this habit cost both the nation financially and places a huge socio-economic burden on individuals.
He said: “From the public health and socio-economic standpoints, this issue calls for both a strategy and an intervention as well as a policy that can bring down the smoking prevalence in Indonesia.
“Intervention through products that apply the harm reduction concept is more effective when compared to products such as nicotine replacement therapy for those looking to give up their smoking habits. This is a key strategy to address this highly intricate problem. Products that result from technological advancement and are innovative have massive potential.”
Citing facts and figures from independent studies from the United Kingdom, Professor Pang urged Indonesian legislators to embrace electric cigarettes, snus pouches, and heated tobacco products.
The journey to a healthier nation relies on the government ensuring that adult smokers have ease of access to reduced harm new nicotine products as well as making certain the information being given out is accurate and truthful.
Peter Harper, a British cancer specialist agreed. He commented: “You smoke to satiate a nicotine fix but die from the smoke. Ceasing immediately is the way to go. However, the current strategy is not working. Innovative products provide a solution for those who have difficulty quitting smoking while reducing the impact on the overall well-being.”
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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