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Drug Science

In My Professional Opinion - Vaping and Tobacco Harm Reduction



Clive Bates – Vaping and Tobacco Harm Reduction


Nicotine without smoke?


This discussion takes a brief tour through the science and policy controversies surrounding the concept of tobacco harm reduction: the idea of delivering the mild recreational drug without products of combustion of tobacco leaf.

The WHO reports that 8 million deaths are caused annually by tobacco, the overwhelming majority arise from cancers, cardiovascular disease and respiratory conditions caused by inhalation of tobacco smoke.


Could smoke-free products like e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, smokeless tobacco and new oral nicotine pouches ultimately render the cigarette obsolete and avoid millions of premature deaths in the next few decades?

Clive Bates shares his expert insights.


Clive Bates is Director of Counterfactual Consulting, a former UK and international senior civil servant, and previously the Director of Action on Smoking and Health UK (1997-2003).  Until 2017, he was a Trustee for Transform Drug Policy Foundation. Most importantly, he has no conflicts of interest with respect to tobacco, nicotine or pharmaceutical companies.


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