Study indicates harm reduction as an important factor in combating smoking

Brazil can avoid 1,364,000 early deaths linked to smoking in four decades. The discovery comes from the “Lives Saved” survey, launched at the “Quit Like Sweden” event in Brasília.

The event presented strategies used by Sweden to reduce the smoking population to 5.6% – against the level of 23% of smokers in Europe.

According to the study presented, early diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer are factors that help reduce deaths. Furthermore, the research also highlighted the importance of adopting harm reduction strategies. In other words, measures that minimize the impact of a substance, without necessarily interrupting its use.

“The issue of addictions brings complexity because it also ends up introducing a type of behavior into people’s lives.”, says the psychologist Mônica Gorgulho, harm reduction specialist .

“NIt is not just the need that that organism has to use that chemical, but there is the question of behavior, of the time of socialization in which that is substance psychoactive is used.”

“When we find another way to calm the physical, chemical need that that organism is presenting towards that substance, whether in a less harmful way or a way that makes it easier for that person to abandon the use of that substance, we cannot let it happen. sideways”, adds the specialist.

One of the harm reduction strategies adopted by Sweden, the theme of the “Quit Like Sweden” event, was the introduction of electronic devices, such as vapes, to people who wanted to stop smoking conventional cigarettes.

Recently, the European Union recognized the devices as a possible alternative to reduce the effects of tobacco.

“The decision now is that in this report they opened up the possibility of harm reduction, this means that you have other alternatives that are better than smoking. This is good news because before they said 'we don't need other alternatives, everyone who smokes needs to stop smoking'”, he says Johan Nissinen, Member of the European Parliament for Sweden.

“And I think [a Europa] is heading in the right direction because the EU has a target of being smoke-free by 2040”, he concludes.

In Brazil, ANVISA is currently studying whether to change the rule that prohibits electronic smoking devices in Brazil. A collegiate meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday (19), to discuss the matter. The meeting can be followed live on the regulatory agency's social networks.

At the beginning of the year, ANVISA promoted a public consultation on the regulation of electronic devices. According to the results released by the agency, 59% of the consultation participants said they thought differently about the current ban.

The Ministry of Health said, in a statement, that it expresses support for ANVISA's current ban. The agency also said it was “committed to adopting measures that promote a healthier and safer environment for everyone”.