Tobacco.org

LETTER: BASHAM: Tobacco substitute  

Sir, President Obama's long-term failure to quit smoking ("Smoking gun shows Obama has failed to kick habit", Mar 2) is a timely reminder that, as smoking isn't going to vanish, the development of less hazardous products is an imperative. Yet, the Government appears to favour nicotine replacement products over cigarettes, with a preference heavily advocated by the pharmaceutical industry. Given how unattractive these are to smokers, as well as their high failure rate, it's not clear that promoting such alternatives is in either smokers' interests or the public interest. Further, the Government's bias against safer cigarettes may not serve the public's interest either.

There are still several million British adults who continue to smoke and it's to this group that harm-reduction products should be directed. Such reduction is, therefore, a legitimate extension of earlier initiatives to reduce the health burden of smoking.

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