If you smoke, the best choice you can make is to quit cigarettes and nicotine altogether. But many adult smokers don’t quit. Adults who don’t quit have the right to know about better alternatives to continued smoking and to base their decisions on facts, not misinformation.
Why information matters
Treating all tobacco and nicotine products the same ignores important, scientifically substantiated differences between cigarettes and smoke-free alternatives.
Adult smokers deserve clear and accurate information about these differences, including the role of burning, and how the levels of harmful chemicals may differ between cigarettes and smoke-free alternatives.
When smokers who don’t quit are denied access to information about smoke-free alternatives, they can be effectively left without another option if they don’t quit.
Tobacco harm reduction recognises that many adult smokers will continue to smoke unless they have acceptable smoke-free options and access to the facts they need to make an informed choice.
Quitting is best, but those that don’t quit should be able to access information about smoke-free alternatives that can be a better choice than continuing to smoke.