Alternative Tobacco Products Called Lower Autonomy Compared To Conventional Cigarettes

Illustration of alternative tobacco products, or what is familiarly called vape. (Pexels)

JAKARTA - Toxicology expert and lecturer at the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga (Unair), Shoim Hidayat said alternative tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes (vapes), heated tobacco products, and nicotine bags have a much lower risk profile than conventional cigarettes. Shoim in a statement in Jakarta, Sunday, explained that based on a study of the sostematic literature conducted by Unair, alternative tobacco products can reduce health risks compared to cigarettes because they have significant differences related to chemical compounds that are harmful and potentially dangerous as a result of different ways of use.

"Scientific studies prove that the product of innovation and technology development can be used as an alternative for adult smokers who find it difficult to quit smoking," he said as reported by Antara.

Alternative tobacco products are not burned. For example, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, implement a heating system with controlled temperatures so that it only produces steam or aerosols, not smoke like in cigarettes. The bribes produced from alternative tobacco products do not contain solid particles.

"Thanks to the heating system, alternative tobacco products can reduce the risk by 90 percent - 95 percent lower for adult smokers. So, if there are still those who think this product is as dangerous as cigarettes, that's a mistake," said Shoim. The combustion process consists of 31 percent of water, while the rest consists of nicotine, glycerol, and harmful substances, including carcinogenic TAR.

Based on data from the United States National Cancer Institute, TAR, which is the result of burning cigarettes, contains various carcinogenic compounds that can trigger cancer.

"In anticipation, active smokers can reduce danger by switching to alternative tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products. These products do not go through the combustion process so they do not smoke containing TAR. Alternative tobacco products only go through a heating process and produce water vapor (aerosol)," Shoim said.

Shoim said the alternative products developed based on scientific research and the development of this latest technology have lower hazard levels than cigarettes.