Health authorities and govts all over the world are working towards the target to help smokers, who want to quit, to do so, however, adults who continue to smoke regardless are usually left behind in the process. Realising that this can be quite a challenging task, many countries have adopted a more pragmatic approach to reduce smoking prevalence by introducing smoke-free policies that encourage the use of scientifically substantiated smoke-free products to reduce cigarette consumption.
These technologies are scientifically designed to eliminate burning of tobacco, which is the main cause of harm as burning releases lots of hazardous chemicals. and do not produce any smoke or ash. This category includes products such as e-cigarettes, vapes and heated tobacco products (HTPs), and also nicotine pouches.. As more and more smokers, who would otherwise continue smoking, completely switch from cigarettes to low-risk alternatives, the chances of eliminating cigarettes from the world increases. To achieve this, it is imperative that these products, along with correct information are made available and easily accessible for adult smokers around the world.
Smoke-free alternatives should be made accessible and available for smokers keeping in mind the broader purpose of accelerating the decline of smoking prevalence and phasing out cigarettes. Many countries like New Zealand, Japan, the UK, Philippines, the USA and many more have reformed and laid out new tobacco control policies, regulating the use of less harmful cigarette alternatives with the target of achieving smoke-free societies. Despite the impressive progress due to these policies in some corners of the world, there are several nations that have still not caught up with the idea of these novel tobacco alternatives and their potential to lower the health risks for smokers and non-smokers alike. The public health benefit of smoke-free products depends not only on their potential to reduce the risk of smoking-related diseases, but also on their actual use as alternatives to cigarettes by adult smokers. For consumers to use them, these alternatives must be made accessible. Public health authorities should first motivatesmokers to quit cigarettes completely or switch to reduced-risk smoke-free alternatives as a second option instead of continuing to smoke cigarettes, provide them with necessary information and support along the way and also encourage governments to prioritise the health of smokers and general public by adopting more practical smoke-free laws and regulations.