Vejpare challenges WHO with their own quit-smoking stories
"Vaping is the biggest threat to smoking in the world and e-cigarettes give smokers the opportunity to voluntarily quit"
Under this slogan, World Vape Day 2020 will be held the day before WHO No Tobacco Day - to protest against misleading campaigns and to inform smokers about the possibility of quitting on their own terms.
On Saturday, May 30th, vejpers around the world will draw attention to e-cigarettes as a tool to quit smoking. Behind the action "World Vape Day 2020" is made up of some 40 independent consumer associations from 34 countries. Through a range of social media, members encourage smokers to switch to less harmful alternatives: e-cigarettes.
"We have all experienced and endured coordinated campaigns against harm reduction products over the past year. We want to use World Vape Day to send a positive message to smokers around the world" writes the non-profit umbrella organization INNCO which organizes the associations behind World Vape Day 2020 globally.
WHO is wrong about e-cigarettes
World Vape Day takes place the day before WHO's No Tobacco Day - as the WHO plans to draw attention to smoking, but also e-cigarettes, as a threat to public health. The WHO says e-cigarettes are just a new tactic by tobacco companies to attract a new generation of smokers. And according to the WHO, vejping works poorly for smoking cessation.
But as Vejpkollen previously reported the WHO has been strongly criticized by several independent scientists for its position. And the organizations behind World Vape Day want to show the world, through their actions, that the WHO is simply wrong.
"Safer nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes, have given smokers the power and tools to opt out of cigarettes themselves. This is the biggest threat to smoking in decades. These products have the potential to save millions of lives." Says Nancy Loucas from the Coalition of Asia-Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates to Manila Times newspaper.
Politics and economics behind bans
Several countries have chosen to ban e-cigarettes and vejp products in recent years. However, in most cases, countries allow cigarette sales to continue as usual. One example is India, which banned e-cigarettes last fall. And in India, there are 260 000 vejp users who are now at risk of taking up smoking again. On paper, the ban is a way to keep young people away from nicotine. But according to Association of Vapers India, AVI smoking and tobacco use are important to the Indian state. The 108 million Indians who smoke today pay high tobacco taxes and contribute significantly to the profits of state-owned tobacco companies, according to AVI. E-cigarettes, however, threaten both tax revenues and profits.
"Banning a less harmful alternative to smoking only protects the tobacco industry. And there the Indian state has big vested interests. How can we claim economic progress when we still depend on taxes and profits from tobacco products? At the expense of people's health? Access to harm reduction products is a right that all Indians should have." Says Samrat Chowdhery, Chairman of the AVI in a press release.
People give the true picture of e-cigarettes
AVI is planning several events on Saturday. These include a live stream where former smokers, now e-cigarette users, share their journey to becoming smoke-free.
"Vaping is portrayed and treated solely as an industry. But the true picture of the people around them, the smokers helped to quit with the help of a vejp, is never described. And these are thousands of people who have made huge improvements to their lives and health. We want to tell our stories, about our struggle to quit smoking and how we succeeded with the help of e-cigarettes. By denying people a safer alternative to cigarettes, the authorities are paying a high price" says Samrat Chowdery.
#Worldvapeday
Due to Covid-19, there will be no physical demonstrations during World Vape Day. However, according to INNCO, it is up to local groups to organize their activities at their own discretion.
You can follow the activities through most social media, including on Facebook and Twitter via the hashtag #worldvapeday.
Källor:
INNCO (International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organizations) campaign page "World Vape Day"
WHO campaign against e-cigarettes
And:
