Thread by @imaracingmom

I think I found a topic for my (almost) daily thread. I hope @kozil9 will join in on the conversation, because he does support THR. (Warning Jared, I'm one of those "long winded" people!)

https://twitter.com/kozil9/status/1433749166870650905

Jared and I start with #CommonGround because we both believe in having products available to adults who smoke that will help them reduce the harm from smoking. I think post of the people reading this thread will also have this in common with us. 2/

When I read Jared's thread, I heard frustration. Why is he frustrated? I read some of his tweets and replies. AH HA!! It didn't take long to find my answer. In the THR world, there is a difference of opinion on what defines #TobaccoHarmReduction.

That's a problem.
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Can we all agree that a THR product is

1 - Any product that reduces the harm from smoking?

2 - That most of the time (outside of medicinal / self medicating / biohacking reasons) these products should only be used by people who already smoke?

4/

3 - And that some people who smoke are going to continue to smoke for a while as part of their quit journey?

4 - And in a perfect world, we get as many people as possible to stop smoking / never smoke habitually?

5/

I am a THR advocate and have been since 2014. Before vaping, I only knew about NRTs. When I learned about THR vapor products were all I heard about. Then I learned about Snus. My knowledge base expanded to a wide range of nicotine products - pouches, toothpicks, etc.
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When I first heard of VLN cigarettes, I immediately made up my mind that they were a bad idea. I couldn't wrap my head around how it seemed wrong to me to suddenly cut way back on the nicotine for someone who smokes by forcing them to have low nic smokes.
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I didn't realize they weren't talking just stopping the sale of traditional cigarettes. I thought they wanted to BOOM just replace them.

I think part of my reaction to VLN was because I tried NRT's to stop smoking and failed. Was the issue not enough nicotine?
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To someone like me, who has worked hard to help people stop smoking, part of the idea of VLN doesn't make sense to me, because people are STILL SMOKING! And we know the danger is the smoke, not the nicotine.
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And now I must pause and thing about this...

I support people dual using on their quit journey, to smoke and vape. That's how I quit. It works for some people.
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I've also helped many people stop smoking with vaping, and then gradually reduce their nicotine until they get to zero and stop vaping.

What do the studies about VLN say?

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I've seen a few. And some of them say that VLNs help some people who smoke keep the feel of smoking (you know hand, mouth, inhale, exhale), while the lower nicotine content leads them to smoking less and then able to stop smoking.
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My grandfather stopped smoking by chewing on the big box of wooden toothpicks grandma kept in the cupboard. Chewing toothpicks, sucking straws, chewing gum, and sucking candy are all things I've tried. None of them worked for me (with and without nicotine).
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I learned we're all different and what works for some, doesn't work for others. That's why we've fought so hard to keep options on the market.

Everyone still with me?
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I find my smoking journey had me not only addicted to nicotine. I liked the social part of smoking - hanging out with folks for a smoke. Taking a smoke break - calming down. The whole sensual part of it. Vaping let me keep many of those things.

Does VLN not do the same?
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I'm not excited for VLN if consumers believe they are a THR product BECAUSE of reduced nicotine and smoke them for the rest of their lives. I will be excited if it helps them break free of an addiction and they are able to put them down and walk away from smoking.
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Speaking of addiction. Many of us in the vapor space claim that vaping isn't as addictive as smoking because of the lack of other chemicals that contribute to an addiction. We know that some nicotine naïve people take up vaping, just like the do smoking.
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If nicotine naïve people do take up smoking VLN's and they prove themselves not to be addictive and a life long smoking habit never develops, isn't that THR?

I'm not 100% convinced on VLN yet, but in 2014 I wasn't 100% convinced on vapor products.
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They both have their science behind them. (I'm not enough of an expert to judge how good/bad the science is on any of it).

We've fought all along against people telling us "quit my way or die". Let's be careful we don't do that to others.

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We all have the same goal - end as much death and disease from smoking as we can. So even though I'm not 100% convinced that VLN is part of the solution, I'm also not willing to say it's NOT.
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I think every new innovation in the war against smoking deserves a chance to do it's thing, to prove it self.

Jared, the vapor space is going to need time to see VLN prove itself. After all, it's still smoking and that just hits many of us on the WHOA side.
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Many of us have watched our loved ones suffer and die from smoking. Many of us have health issues from smoking. I'm asking for a bit of patience on your side because it's really hard to comprehend that a cigarette might prove itself to be a solution to the smoking problem.
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I hope you'll take a bit of time and think about the comment that vape advocates are against all other forms of THR. I got offended by that. I support many kinds of THR. I support a person's right to use what ever they want to quit smoking. Most of us do.

And yes, if somebody thinks that VLN cigarettes would help them stop smoking, I would support their right to try it in a heartbeat. I would cheer for them and encourage them.

I got interrupted several times during this thread. Hope it makes sense!

All my best!
~Skip