San Salvador, August 25 (Latin American News) – Today, in an environment where science and technology go hand in hand to benefit mankind, thousands of smokers are trying to quit smoking because of the health risks of cigarettes.
In this context, quite a few experts advocate reducing the harms of smoking or reducing the risks of smoking and working “purely and exclusively” for a smoke-free world, as Andrea Costan, a doctor from Argentina and Prensa Latina expert As Andrea Costantini said. Thanks to Philip Morris for its work in bringing proven tobacco-not-burn products to market.
Recently, this new technology broke into El Salvador to provide an alternative and reduce harm to the smoker by eliminating 95% of the toxic substances and avoiding the smoke, because instead of burning the cigarette, it heats the tobacco to extract the flavors and ingredients. Nicotine, according to local media reports.
Together with technology, Philip Morris International (PMI), the world’s largest tobacco company, has launched the controllable tobacco heating device IQOS here.
But in addition to this, prominent research centers and universities are also bringing this effort to an economic level.
In this regard, a study showed that switching to e-cigarettes or other non-combustible devices would save health systems millions of dollars in countries such as the United Kingdom, saving almost £500 million per year (630.7 million Dollar).
Research by Brunel University London has shown that there will be savings in the costs of smoking and smoking-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
The study, published in the British Journal of Healthcare Management, was based on an analysis of data on smoking as a cause of death and the risk of developing five diseases due to smoking habits: cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
If 50% of smokers managed to switch to less risky alternatives, there would be significant savings in hospital bills and other health costs.
The savings in social security and social care spending due to smoking would also be huge, the study highlighted, with the combined costs equivalent to more than double the cost of smoking to the UK health system at more than $2.5 trillion a year.
One of the study participants, Professor Francesco Moscone, an expert in business economics at Brunel University London, said the transition from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes would provide a crucial opportunity, as eliminating smoke exposure could rule out 90% of the harmful effects for smokers. substance.
Along these lines, Deborah Arnott, executive director of the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), supports the University of London research because of its benefits to the national economy and health, which have yet to be overcome. Belief in scientifically proven harm: allegedly caused by vaping.
It should be noted that the new study’s conclusions are diametrically opposed to recommendations made in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, as they ignore evidence of reduced risk for smokers switching to less harmful smokers. Alternatives.
Perhaps the World Health Organization’s Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (COP10), to be held in Panama next November, could bring together positions in favor of policies that reduce risk or harm to tobacco users.
Meanwhile, in the country, the center of one of the world’s largest underground cigarette markets, where nine out of 10 cigarettes consumed come from the illicit market, controversy is growing as the event would represent a millionaire’s expense in the budget local health department.
Nonetheless, in El Salvador, new harm reduction technologies are flooding the market as alternatives.