the diagnosis of Check Up Health (BFM)

The Check Up Santé (BFM Business) program on Saturday, June 30 was devoted to risk reduction issues in the fight against smoking. Or how to offer less harmful alternatives to smoking for the 13 million French smokers who can not or do not want to stop smoking.

" Addictology is either stopping (smoking) or risk reduction ", indicated on the set of Check Up Health the doctor and tobaccoologist Christophe Cutarella, before stating that if" all addictions are difficult to stop, tobacco is number one. With two hundred deaths a day, this is the first addiction to alcohol. We must therefore go twice more to stop . "

After reviewing the frightening figures of tobacco in France (one third of smokers, 78,000 deaths per year, 30 billion euros of medical care related) and on the paradox of the smoker who " is afraid but smokes anyway ", Fabien Guez, the presenter of Check Up Santé, asked the doctor the proportion of his patients who " stopped one shot and those who took their time ". " Often, people prefer to gradually reduce to zero. It really depends on the person. The studies show that the abrupt arrest accompanied would be likely to lead to better results, but I say that there are as many types of smokers as smokers "said Mr. Cutarella.

See also : 5 very good reasons to stop smoking!

Innovations to reduce the risks of tobacco

Present on the set, Tommaso Di Giovanni, Philip's spokesman Morris International Science (PMI Science), revealed that the tobacco company wanted to abandon the conventional cigarette within ten years to focus its activity on less harmful alternatives for smokers who do not stop. " We want that one day there will be more people who smoke cigarettes and that all those who continue to smoke, those who do not stop precisely, have better alternatives for their health and for those who surround them "badured Mr. Di Giovanni. And to add that " technology, innovation and science allow us to get there little by little ."

Among the main innovations implemented by the teams of PMI Science, figure a device for smoking tobacco to heat called iQos that would have, according to Tommaso Di Giovanni, a significant risk reduction potential for smokers in that the process does not rely on tobacco combustion. " It is the burning of tobacco that generates most of the toxic components in the smoke. Cigarettes burn tobacco and paper at 800-900 degrees. With iQos, you are around 300-350 degrees maximum, at a lower temperature than burning, and you generate 90 to 95% fewer harmful components than you have in cigarettes "

Reducing risks for those who continue to smoke

An badysis of the harmfulness of combustion shared by Christophe Cutarella, who took the example of Swedish snus (dried tobacco consumed by oral) to demonstrate an alternative way of consuming tobacco that is much less harmful to its users. " Snus is like pure nicotine, and Swedes put it between the cheek and the gum and let nicotine spread like that. The Swedish model is an example. When one looks at the curves over the last 50 years, one sees a rather flat curve (in terms of smoking-related diseases) concerning Sweden he said.

And the tobaccoologist to conclude the debate. " It is better to stop, but for those who do not want to stop it is better the means of risk reduction ."

Author: Olivier Duchot, Volunteer contribution

Disclaimer: This article is a voluntary contribution and does not necessarily reflect the position of the editorial staff.