As we all are aware, smoking is highly addictive. But while a lot is being done to help smokers overcome this habit, it appears that a majority of smokers are not aware of how exactly cigarettes cause harm. When a smoker lights a cigarette, it starts a high-temperature reaction known as burning, or combustion. Burning tobacco at high temperatures produces ash, tar, and smoke that contains high levels of harmful chemicals. Cigarette smoke is the main component that results in harm caused by cigarettes, which not only adversely affects the smokers but also other people around them and the environment.

The best thing to do to reduce the harm caused by smoking is to quit, but many adults who smoke are either unable to or unwilling to completely stamp off their habit. Keeping this in mind, scientific advancements and modern technology have found innovative ways to reduce the said harm for such persons in the population who would otherwise continue to smoke. There are various products available in the market now which are less harmful than cigarettes due to their non-combustible nature and can be used as effective substitutes to satisfy smokers’ cravings.Evidence suggests that since there is no combustion in these less harmful smoke-free or smokeless alternatives, such as e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs), switching to these alternatives can reduce harm otherwise caused by continued smoking.

Professor Fabio Lugoboni, Head of Addiction Medicine at the University of Verona, in regard to the health effects of smoke-free products, says, “Electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco devicesare decidedly less toxic than regular cigarettes. In fact, combustion plays a major role in creating health harm.”

Scientific evidence increasingly shows similar findings on how these non-combustible alternatives effectively reduce harm, making them a better choice for adults who intend to continue. With more than a billion smokers in the world, it is imperative that they are provided access to accurate information about less harmful alternatives to cigarettes.