Misperception Epidemic on World No Tobacco Day

"World No Tobacco Day is a crucial opportunity to combat misinformation and promote effective harm reduction strategies," said Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers Alliance. "Instead of blindly fighting against safer nicotine alternatives, the WHO should be championing them as the key to a smoke-free future."

The WVA says Sweden has set a remarkable precedent by embracing harm reduction. The country is on the verge of becoming smoke-free, not by banning safer nicotine products but by endorsing them. 

The organisation believes Sweden's success should serve as a model for global tobacco harm reduction strategies, adding that the World Health Organization (WHO) should take note and adapt its current approach, which is failing.

Landl added, "The WHO is missing the mark by targeting vaping and other safer nicotine products instead of focusing on the real threat – smoking. By fighting those products, they are keeping smokers from making the switch. This is not just misguided, it's dangerous."

The misperception that vaping is equally harmful as smoking is a public health crisis in itself. Evidence from numerous studies, including comprehensive reviews by Public Health England, confirms that vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking. 

Landl continued: "We are facing a misperception epidemic and the WHO is part of the problem by spreading further misconceptions," Landl stated. "Accurate information is the cornerstone of effective public health policy. We must ensure that smokers have access to the truth about safer alternatives. Facts over lies!”

The World Vapers Alliance is calling on health authorities and the WHO to reevaluate their stance on harm reduction and to prioritize facts over fear. It is essential to support policies that promote safer alternatives to smoking rather than vilifying them.

In conjunction with these efforts, the WVA organized a protest in front of the WHO headquarters on World Vape Day, May 30th. 

The demonstration aimed to compel the WHO to finally listen to consumers and acknowledge the scientific evidence in support of vaping, nicotine pouches, and similar products as valid harm-reduction tools. It is high time the World Health Organization acknowledged reality, embraced science, and helped move the world toward a healthier future. It turns out it’s as easy as giving people more choices, not less. 

The World Vapers’ Alliance says it, “amplifies the voices of vapers worldwide and empowers them to make a difference in their communities. Our members are vapers associations and individual vapers from all over the world.”

Michael Landl is the director of the World Vapers’ Alliance. He is from Austria and is based in Vienna. He is an experienced policy professional and a passionate vaper. He studied at the University of St. Gallen and worked for several public policy outlets and the German Parliament.

References

• Opinion Poll «Innovation Under Fire: A Global Alert on the Misperception Epidemic in Vaping Views» - https://weareinnovation.global/opinion-poll-innovation-under-fire-a-global-alert-on-the-misperception-epidemic-in-vaping-views/
• The World Vapers’ Alliance - www.worldvapersalliance.com 

Photo Credit:

• Photo by Alessandro Crosato on Unsplash

Dave Cross

Journalist at POTV

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Dave 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.