West Indian Tobacco - The health risks of our products
Why are certain tobacco and nicotine products a reduced risk alternative to conventional cigarettes?
We’ve long been clear about the fact that conventional cigarettes pose serious health risks and the only way to avoid those risks is not to use them.
It is now widely acknowledged that most of the harm associated with smoking is down to the toxicants in the smoke produced when the tobacco in the cigarette is burned.
So, products that don’t burn tobacco produce fewer and lower levels of toxicants compared with conventional cigarettes.
Tobacco harm reduction
Tobacco harm reduction is a public health strategy to minimise the negative health impact of conventional cigarettes. It recognises the important role that alternative sources of nicotine with lower health risks offer to smokers who may not otherwise want or choose to give up.
We’re clear that we are shifting towards a reduced-risk*† portfolio, built on outstanding products, informed consumer choice, and underpinned by world-class science.
Vapour products
There is growing consensus among many members of the public health community and academics about the role of Vapour products as a reduced-risk*† alternative to smoking. This is supported by a wealth of other evidence reviews, studies and reports throughout the world1. In the UK, for example, Public Health England has published a series of expert reviews of the latest evidence, drawing on peer-reviewed literature, surveys and other reports, concluding: “based on current knowledge, vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking”.
* Based on the weight of evidence and assuming a complete switch from cigarette smoking. These products are not risk free and are addictive.
† Vapour product Vuse (including Alto, Solo, Ciro and Vibe), which are sold in the U.S., are subject to FDA regulation and no reduced-risk claims will be made as to these products without agency clearance.