The ERS position paper on heated tobacco products

Emergent tobacco products such as heated tobacco remain largely unregulated in many countries menacing the progress of tobacco control achieved in the last decades. They are being aggressively marketed by the industry as products of “reduced risk” and “smoking cessation tools” or smoke-free alternatives to smoking conventional cigarettes. WHO stresses that heated tobacco products are tobacco products and are therefore subject to the provisions of the WHO-FCTC. To date, there is growing independent research showing that these products are not harmless. However, a dangerous debate has re-launched harm reduction in the field of tobacco control and is splitting scientists, the public health community and society as large. Healthcare professional organizations have a crucial role to play in tobacco control. The European Respiratory Society (ERS), as a leading medical Society, has paved the way on tobacco control advocacy in Europe and worldwide. This presentation will present the ERS position on heated tobacco products, including the evidence regarding their toxicity, addictive potential and potential impact on public health