Khaberni - Amid the continuous rise in the number of smokers globally, and the increasing accompanying health and economic burdens, many major countries have begun to revisit their traditional strategies for tobacco control. The "harm reduction" approach is gaining increasing momentum, reflecting a strategic shift from prohibition policies to providing less harmful alternatives for adult smokers. This orientation is supported by recent study results issued by Brunel and Oxford Universities, in collaboration with international experts in health economics and public policy.
For decades, governments have focused on traditional tools such as imposing high taxes, pictorial warnings, and strict prohibition campaigns to reduce smoking rates. Despite some positive outcomes, these policies have not succeeded in making a radical change in the behavior of adult smokers. In contrast, recent evidence suggests that providing realistic and less harmful alternatives - like electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco devices, nicotine pouches, and chewable tobacco - may be more effective than punitive policies.
For example, in Italy, the risk reduction strategy has proven successful not only from a health perspective but also from an economic one. The shift from traditional cigarettes to lower-risk alternatives has led to a reduction in smoking rates, resulting in savings of more than one billion euros annually in healthcare expenses.
In the United Kingdom, economic models have shown that transitioning half of the adult smokers to innovative alternatives could save the National Health Service over 500 million pounds annually.
Across European countries, the share of users of low-risk alternatives increased from 2.2% to 5.9% in just three years, reflecting smokers' readiness to adopt healthier behaviors if provided with alternative options within smart regulatory frameworks. It is important to emphasize that these policies do not promote smoking but seek to offer realistic solutions for adult smokers who find it difficult to quit completely.
In Egypt, where chronic diseases such as heart and lung diseases and cancer record high rates due to passive smoking, adopting risk reduction policies represents a promising opportunity to alleviate the health and financial burden. Despite ongoing governmental efforts for awareness, integrating less harmful alternatives into the national strategy could help reduce the impacts of passive smoking and improve public health. Based on successful experiences in countries like Italy and the United Kingdom, Egypt could benefit from these models to develop balanced health policies that contribute to protecting public health and reducing economic burdens on its health system.
Research confirms that cigarette smoke contains over 6000 chemicals, including 100 toxic substances directly linked to smoking-related diseases. Moreover, the traditional cigarettes' tobacco combustion temperature (900-950 degrees Celsius) results in large amounts of carcinogenic substances, whereas alternatives like heated tobacco operate at lower temperatures (about 350 degrees Celsius), reducing the emission of toxic substances.
In light of these data, there is a growing conviction among health and economic experts that the shift towards less harmful alternatives could yield positive outcomes on both health and economic levels. This is confirmed by Brunel University's economic professor specializing in health economics, Francesco Mosconi, who said, "The successful models achieved by countries like Italy and the United Kingdom in transitioning to less risky alternatives provide strong evidence that smart policies can achieve great results on both health and economic levels. These countries have significantly reduced health burdens, helped lower government costs, and achieved substantial financial savings, which could serve as a model for other countries."
In conclusion, the challenge facing policymakers today is not only to combat smoking but also in how to provide realistic and less harmful solutions for smokers who have not been able to quit completely. Combining awareness, providing smoke-free alternatives, and effectively regulating the markets paves the way towards a better future.
