Ignorance Is A Death Sentence
Smoke Free Sweden’s Dr Delon Human backs up Professor Marewa Glover’s statement last week that lives will be lost if countries fail to follow Sweden’s smokefree example
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by Dave Cross
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International health experts have warned that governments of the world are condemning millions to die if they continue to ignore the irrefutable benefits of tobacco harm reduction policies. Smoke Free Sweden’s Dr Delon Human backed up Professor Marewa Glover’s statement last week that ignoring Sweden’s smokefree example will be “a death sentence for millions”.
In an open letter to delegates at the United Nations General Assembly, Dr Delon Human of Smoke Free Sweden, along with other leading tobacco harm reduction specialists, called for tobacco harm reduction to be incorporated into standard tobacco control measures worldwide. By doing so, millions of lives could be saved from smoking-related diseases, they say.
The experts’ letter points to real-world evidence, particularly from Sweden, which proves the success of tobacco harm reduction policies. Through the promotion of safer alternatives like snus, nicotine pouches and vapes, Sweden has reduced its smoking rates by 55% over the past decade, resulting in a staggering 44% fewer tobacco-related deaths compared to the rest of the European Union.
Dr Human says: “Sweden's achievement underscores the effectiveness of harm reduction policies in not only saving lives but also reducing the strain on healthcare systems. Their success serves as a blueprint for other nations.”
The letter also highlights New Zealand's progress, where the Ministry of Health endorsed vaping as a cessation tool in 2019. Since then, New Zealand's smoking rates have nearly halved, positioning the country as another example of how tobacco harm reduction can drive down smoking-related deaths and diseases.
While countries like Sweden and New Zealand lead the way, many other nations continue to struggle with high smoking rates while rejecting harm reduction. Countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa could witness similarly dramatic reductions in smoking-related mortality by adopting tobacco harm reduction policies.
A recent study cited in the letter estimates that Czechia alone could save 280,000 lives over the next four decades if it adopts tobacco harm reduction strategies. Further studies report similar potential benefits in other nations including Brazil, Bangladesh, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.
“This is not about promoting nicotine use; it's about offering safer choices to individuals who would otherwise continue smoking harmful cigarettes. We are on the cusp of a public health revolution, and THR has the potential to be a game-changer in saving millions of lives," Dr Human continued.
The letter, which is also signed by Dr Derek Yach and Professor Marewa Glover, calls on global leaders and the United Nations to prioritise tobacco harm reduction as a crucial element of tobacco control, urging governments to act swiftly and decisively.
“The evidence is clear,” the letter concludes. “The time to act is now.”
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Photo by Joseph Two on Unsplash
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.
