Health experts and entities in the Netherlands are calling out the local ineffective tobacco policy. Almost four years following the launch of the government’s extensive “smoke-free generation” plan, the number of young people who smoke has actually increased, highlight these experts. “Structural price increases for cigarettes have been proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking,” said Wanda de Kanter, a pulmonologist and anti-smoking activist.
She added that lobbying by Big Tobacco has led to the removal of structural price increases for cigarettes. To this effect, a ban on the tobacco lobby would be essential for any progress in tobacco control, said De Kanter. “This is the only way to keep the tobacco industry under control. Manufacturers are always trying to introduce something new, such as a vapor or vaping.”
The Tobacco and Smoking Products Act
Meanwhile the NL government is proposing a ban on nicotine pouches by bringing the products under the local Tobacco and Smoking Products Act. “This bill proposes to also bring nicotine products that do not contain tobacco and devices used to use such nicotine products (nicotine devices) under the Tobacco and Smoking Products Act. Non-tobacco nicotine products for oral use (such as nicotine pouches) will be banned.”
Countless studies to date have indicated the relative safety of nicotine pouches and their potential to help smokers quit cigarettes or at least reduce harm. Commissioned by BAT, the study titled, “Assessment of biomarkers of exposure and potential harm, and physiological and subjective health measures in exclusive users of nicotine pouches and current, former and never smokers,” tested this finding.
A research team consisting of a number of BAT employees, conducted a cross-sectional study in Sweden/Denmark, testing several recognised biomarkers of potential harm (BoPHs) linked to smoking among exclusive adult users of Velo and current/former/never smokers. The results indicated that as compared with smokers, exclusive users of Velo NPs have significantly less exposure to tobacco toxicants and more favourable BoPHs.
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