FG, ban heat-not-burn tobacco, e-cigarettes now

AS heat-not-burn tobacco products and e-cigarettes make their way into Nigeria, the people of this country must be advised in view of the fact that the these products may be no less harmful than regular tobacco products. In June this year, it was reported that an e-cigarette exploded in a teenager’s mouth, breaking his jaw, and blowing out his teeth. With their attendant health hazards and possibility of such explosions re-occuring, Nigerians should be advised as these heat-not-burn tobacco products begin to enter the country. Heat-not-burn tobacco products are about the latest innovation developed by international tobacco companies. One of such products has the brand name iQOS. The IQOS is a heat-not-burn tobacco product. It heats tobacco at a lower temperature than traditional cigarettes. The tobacco sticks reach a temperature up to 350 °C. The product, according to Philip Morris, is supposed to avoid exposing its users to the same amount of cancer-causing chemicals found in a regular cigarette. The tobacco giant has published its scientific findings, having spent billions of dollars developing this kind of device. In May this year, Filter Magazine reported that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved iQOS, paving way for its sale to commence in the United States.

Quoting FDA: “Following a rigorous science-based review through the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway, the agency determined that authorizing these products for the US market is appropriate for the protection of the public health because, among several key considerations, the products produce fewer or lower levels of some toxins than combustible cigarettes.” The agency added that “While today’s action permits the tobacco products to be sold in the US, it does not mean these products are safe or ‘FDA approved.’” According to Reuters, a report has it that “heat-not-burn” cigarette may lead to just as much lung damage as traditional cigarettes. The Reuters report said that researchers analysed data submitted by PMI to the FDA when the company was trying to get approval for iQOS to be marketed in the US. When smokers switched from traditional cigarettes to “heat-not-burn” devices, researchers didn’t find any evidence of improvements in lung function or reductions in inflammation that can signal tobacco-related blood vessel damage. “Even if a patient could switch completely from regular cigarettes to heat-not-burn products, Philip Morris International’s own data shows that there will continue to be significant health risks associated with these products,” said lead study author Dr. Farzad Moazed of the University of California, San Francisco.

Another study on heat-not-burn products was titled, “Second-hand smoke exposure generated by new electronic devices (IQOS and e-cigs) and traditional cigarettes: Submicron particle behaviour in human respiratory system.” Researchers involved include: Carmela Protano of Sapienza University of Rome; Maurizio Manigrasso and Pasquale Avino of Department of Technological Innovations, INAIL, Rome, Italy; and Sabina Sernia of Sapienza University of Rome. The researchers concluded that,  “even if our experiments were carried out on a limited number of products, and the tests were performed in a single enclosed environment, preliminary results showed that exposure to SMPs generated by electronic devices occurs only during the smoking period, and it becomes negligible when  the device is turned off. However, exposure to SMPs when electronic devices are used indoors does occur, and it is likely that a high proportion of the particles inhaled reach the alveolar region.” In June this year, a teenager in the United States broke his jaw and had his teeth blown out after an e-cigarette  heat-not-burn tobacco products begin.

Back to the incident about the teenager who had his teeth blown out: The explosion incident which happened in Utah, US, was considered a freak accident. However, there have been other reports of fatalities due to the use of these e-cigarettes. A man in Texas, US, was said to have died after a vape pen exploded and split a major artery in his neck. Another man in Florida, US, was also reported to have died while using an e-cigarette which exploded in his mouth. While not everyone who uses these have witnessed explosions, the accounts of those who have experienced it clearly show that the probability of an explosion exists. The World Health Organisatin makes a clarification between e-cigarettes, and heat-not-burn products which it refers to as HTPs meaning heated tobacco products, in its Heated tobacco products (HTPs) information sheet, under the Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI).  According to WHO, “HTPs are not e-cigarettes. HTPs heat tobacco to generate nicotine. E-cigarettes heat e-liquid, which may or may not contain nicotine and in most cases do not contain tobacco.”

The WHO publication answers the question, are HTPs safer than conventional tobacco? “Currently, there is no evidence to demonstrate that HTPs are less harmful than conventional tobacco products. Some tobacco industry-funded studies have claimed that there are significant reductions in the formation of and exposure to harmful and potentially harmful constituents relative to standard cigarettes. However, there is currently no evidence to suggest that reduced exposure to these chemicals translates to reduced risk in humans. Therefore, additional independent studies will be required to substantiate claims of reduced risk/harm.” Finally, WHO insists that, “All forms of tobacco use are harmful, including HTPs. Tobacco is inherently toxic and contains carcinogens even in its natural form. Therefore, HTPs should be subject to policy and regulatory measures applied to all other tobacco products, in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).”

The following countries have banned e-cigarettes: Egypt, Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore, Mexico, Jordan, among others. Canada, Hong Kong, Japan and India have restricted e-cigarettes. Nigeria will do well to follow suit, not only banning e-cigarettes but also heat-not-burn products. This will prevent unnecessary deaths especially among young people  who popularly use these devices.

• Omorogbe is on the staff of Nigerian Tribune