Povaddo has officially published the results from its latest study, which reveals strong global support for smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes and growing worries regarding how public health decisions are made.
Commissioned by Philip Morris International Inc, the survey in question basically found how an estimated 78% of all surveyed respondents agree that adult smokers in all countries should have access to better alternatives to continued smoking. More on same would reveal that roughly three-quarters (74%) believe encouraging people who smoke to switch to these products can significantly help improve public health.
Despite there being a strong demand for such alternatives, though, around three-quarters of respondents (76%) expressed concern that decisions are being made based on ideology rather than science and facts. Almost 8 in 10 (78%) were also found wanting their governments to first consider the science behind smoke-free alternatives, as well as how these products have reduced smoking rates in other countries before imposing restrictions.
Markedly enough, this sentiment was deemed as particularly strong in countries where all or some of these products are banned, including Argentina (83%), Brazil (82%), and India (94%).
Talk about the published results on a slightly deeper level, we begin from the fact that an estimated 9 in 10 (87%) said it is very or somewhat important for governments to make public health decisions based on science instead of ideology.
Next up, six in every 10 respondents (58%) agreed it is wrong for governments to ban or severely restrict the sale of less harmful alternatives while cigarette sales remain legal. As for agreement for this in countries that have banned all or some smoke-free products stands at, they covered Argentina (61%), Brazil (61%), and India (73%).
Another detail worth a mention relates to how six out of 10 (61%) also agreed it is a public health failure that 29% of the global adult population lives in a country where all or some smoke-free alternatives are banned.
Hold on, we still have a couple of bits left to unpack, considering we haven’t yet touched upon those four in five (80%) respondents who believe public health organizations have a responsibility to share all available evidence on smoke-free alternatives rather than selectively citing data.
We also haven’t touched upon those 82% legal-age smokers, in countries where all or some smoke-free products are banned, who would like the opportunity to buy them legally.
To understand the significance of such a development, we must take into account that more than 190 million smokers in more than 20 countries, translating to nearly one in five globally, have no legal access to a range of smoke-free products.
“Progress matters. Countries that embrace smoke-free products have seen declines in cigarette sales and smoking rates,” said Jacek Olczak, Chief Executive Officer of Philip Morris International. “There is strong demand globally for governments to adopt fact-based policies that keep pace with innovation and deliver better outcomes for society.”