We delve into the key insights and discussions from the Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN). Our expert speakers share their experiences and reflections on the evolution of tobacco harm reduction, exploring the intersection of science, economics, and politics. Learn about the challenges faced, the progress made, and the future of tobacco harm reduction in public health. Featuring Clive Bates, Gerry Stimson, Stefan Mathisson and Analucia Saraiva.
Transcription:
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Joanna Junak: What insights from sessions you participated can you share with us?
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Clive Bates: Well, I've been to every GFN since they started, and I would say we are seeing in the audiences a deeper understanding of the science, a better facility with the economics and more insight into the politics. I mean, I think when we started with GFN all those years ago, Most of us naively thought people would follow the science, the science would confirm that tobacco harm reduction was a massive public health win and therefore everyone would adopt it and it was just a matter of working out how to regulate to get the effects as quickly and as beneficially as possible. That is not how it has turned out and we are now acutely aware of a large amount of misleading science incredibly poor policymaking that doesn't take account of how markets actually work, you know, illicit trade, behavior change, workarounds and so on. And then a better insight into the politics, the rather grisly background politics to this, in which there are very well-funded, powerful interest groups, philanthropists and so on, who are pushing an ideological agenda, who want tough regulation regardless of the consequences for the people who are most at risk. And it's all about weaponizing children as a sort of campaigning tool. So I think we're much more realistic now, but I think that just tells us that the situation is much worse than we realized it was.
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Joanna Junak: Thank you so much.
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Gerry Stimson: Oh, well, it's another fantastic event. I think my insight is it's just great to meet everybody every year and to realize that there are so many wonderful people doing so many wonderful things in tobacco harm reduction.
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Stefan Mathisson: I realized that there's a bit more hope, I'd say, when it comes to harm reduction coming from the participants in the panels. There's a lot of talk about prohibition and flavor bans when it comes to e-cigarettes. I sense a bit more hopeful augmentation going on. They realize there is a way through this and maybe some people have seen some progress. This is me being optimistic, maybe, but I do believe that things are on the right course and I can kind of feel it in the panels.
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Analucia Saraiva: Okay, so I'm Analucia Saraiva. I'm responsible for scientific affairs in Europe and Americas and I'm a Brazilian So I was really impressed by the ones where we discussed the precautionary principle because it's the key thing used by the regulatory agency to keep the ban of, you know, reduced risk products. And to me, that was the best session ever. And I hope all my colleagues from Latin America took them and all the message home and to engage with consumers, with regulators, with parliamentarians to make those products available in Latin America.