E-cigarettes a burning issue

SEOUL: The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) or vaping has become an issue and has triggered polemics around the world, including in Malaysia.

One reason for this may be the report by United States authorities about 33 deaths and 1,479 confirmed and probable cases from a ‘mysterious' respiratory illness linked to vaping.

There is global concern that the use of e-cigarettes or vaping among youths, especially school children, can cause a decline in the morals of the younger generation and create more social problems.

As such, many people are urging governments to impose a total ban on vaping.

In Malaysia recently, 50 associations and NGOs around the country signed a memorandum urging the government to immediately impose a total ban on the use of electronic cigarettes.

Some people have called for stern action against those who sell e-cigarettes and other products to children under the age of 18.

Malaysia's neighbours Singapore and Thailand have banned vaping. South Korea has advised its citizens to stop using liquid e-cigarettes due to growing health concerns and has vowed to speed up an investigation into whether to ban sales, a move likely to hit major producers.

The Malaysian health ministry has said that it has not found any evidence or study indicating that the use e-cigarettes is safe to treat addiction to smoking.

It is in this scenario that Seoul recently hosted the 3rd Asia Harm Reduction Forum (AHRF).

Several experts shared their views on tobacco alternatives, such as e-cigarettes and heat-notburn devices, at the forum, noting that it is difficult for the majority of smokers to quit the habit.

It has been reported that over 1.1 billion people smoked tobacco in 2015 and eight million premature deaths are recorded annually due to smoking.

According to the World Bank, the smoking rate among males is high in Asian countries. Indonesian men rank the world's top smokers with 76 percent, next is Laos (57 percent), then South Korea (50 percent), China (48 percent), Vietnam (47 percent), Cambodia (44 percent) and Malaysia (43 percent).

Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos, a cardiologist and researcher at Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, University of Patras and National School of Public Health in Greece, said tobacco harm reduction was a necessity and should be considered in curbing the smoking habit.

“While drugs and alcohol are perceived as harmful and may affect an individual's health, even disturbing others' lives, a harm reduction initiative which involves treatment for cessation, intervention to reduce consumption, and psychological and social support may help to lower the risk and have benefits on a personal and population level.

“In fact, we apply the harmreduction approach in our daily life. For example, the consumption of medicine to treat diseases is a harm-reduction approach of reducing health consequences, symptoms and inability through the use of medications or medical procedures which are not riskfree.

“The use of a helmet while riding, buckling up the seat belt while driving, even the use of condoms are also among the many different harm-reduction approaches that we apply in our daily life to minimise risk.

“We don't simply jump to the conclusion that we should not ride, drive or have sex at all because of the risk that we may face. However, we are trying to figure out the feasible measures that we can take to solve these matters. Hence, this should be done for smoking too,” he told Bernama.