Solutions 4 Health were pleased to attend the 2019 E-Cigarette Summit in London on the 14th November.
Smoking is the biggest single cause of preventable death in the developed world with almost 1 billion users worldwide. The devastating effect of long-term smoking cannot be underestimated, with approximately half of all lifetime smokers dying from smoking related diseases and many more suffering a compromised quality of life. Despite decades of tobacco control efforts and public health education on the harms of smoking, the decline in smoking rates has been frustratingly slow.
The growth of e-cigarette over the last 6-7 years can best be viewed as an unfolding phenomenon. The public health response has ranged from enthusiastic support to vigorous opposition as scientists and regulators grapple to find the most appropriate response. Their verdicts will probably feature among the key public health decisions of our time.
The E-Cigarette Summit included high level briefings from experts and encouraged interaction through panel debates and open floor discussions. Questions were explored in a balanced and objective environment allowing attendees to build their knowledge and share their viewpoints. The E-Cigarette Summit explored the latest research and evidence on the following areas:
- The US lung injuries crisis and what could this mean for THR and vaping in the US and global ramifications
- The scientific underpinning of UK policy on THR in context of an evolving evidence base
- International tobacco control policies and the global impact on different country approaches to THR
- Global challenges for Tobacco Control and THR. Why are LMIC countries typically favouring restrictive policies toward e-cigarettes?
- Improving the quality of e-cigarette research – identifying the problems and solutions
- Scientific evidence on vaping, lipoid pneumonia and lung health – What are the causes and likely relevance for policy and regulation
- E-cigarette use and cardio vascular disease, understanding population studies and the associations.
- Do e-cigarettes and “dual use” undermine quitting
- E-cigarettes, smoking cessation and smoking initiation – current evidence.
- Do e-cigarettes reduce harm in smokers?
- The future direction of e-cigarette policy and regulation in England
- Regulation and product standards – current controversies for the vape industry
- The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World – An independent two year analysis
- The precautionary principle and e-cigarette regulation – how are we doing?
- Children and adolescents’’ perception and use of e-cigarettes – recent trends for youth in the UK
- Long term smoking relapse prevention – understanding trajectories of e-cigarette use
- Widening access to e-cigarettes for people with mental health and/or substance use problems
- Science, compassion, health and human rights – could this be a 21st Century drug war in the making?
You can find out more about the event here.
