13. The Vape Debate with Gerry Stimson

The emergence of vaping and e-cigarettes is a relatively new and novel form of harm reduction. The UK has taken a scientific approach to the regulation of vaporisers and has been rewarded with great reductions of new and existing tobacco smokers. However, internationally vaporisers have been met with great distain and in some cases prohibition. In the past few years, we have seen a deliberate attempt to mislead the public over the harms of vaping nicotine and other cigarette substitute products.

Professor Gerry Stimson is a sociologist who has been promoting a harm reduction approach to public health since 1987. This began with harm reduction messaging for drug use to minimise HIV infection rates. This later expanded to other harm reduction tactics such as alcohol and tobacco control. In 2004, Gerry was appointed Emeritus Professor at Imperial College London. In 2017, he was appointed Honorary Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Together, Professor Nutt and Professor Stimson will unravel facts from fiction and answer:

Why are UK regulations so effective?

Should we fear ‘big tobacco’ involvement with vaporisers?

Abstinence vs harm reduction

Why is vaping stigmatised?

How does vaping change user’s relationship with nicotine?

Should we ban flavours?

Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction

Tobacco harm reduction and the right to health

GSHR twitter

Needle exchange

What is harm reduction?