By Yusuff Adebisi Adebayo
World Vape Day, celebrated every year on 30 May, is an initiative uniting vapers, harm reduction advocates, scientists, and public health experts to highlight vaping and other safer nicotine products compared to combustible cigarettes. The day showcases how innovation and choice empower smokers to quit for good, celebrates personal stories of transformation, and advocates that policymakers listen to science, and the science-backed evidence provided. Since its inception, World Vape Day has become a rallying point for those who believe that tobacco harm reduction (“THR”) should be at the heart of public health policy.
Tobacco harm reduction is not about promoting nicotine use but about offering smokers less harmful alternatives to combustible cigarettes. Vaping, for instance, delivers nicotine through aerosols rather than smoke, eliminating the tar and toxic chemicals produced by burning tobacco. Scientific evidence underlines that vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking. Studies, including those from Public Health England, estimate that e-cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes, with no evidence of significant short- or medium-term respiratory harm.
Countries like Sweden and the United Kingdom provide compelling evidence of THR’s impact. Sweden is on the verge of becoming the world’s first smoke-free country, with smoking rates below 5%, largely due to widespread use of safer nicotine products like snus and vapes. In the UK, progressive vaping policies have driven smoking rates to historic lows, with only 11.9% of adults smoking in 2023. These nations demonstrate that embracing innovation and consumer choice accelerates declines in smoking rates, a lesson Africa cannot afford to ignore.
Traditional tobacco control measures—taxation, advertising bans, and cessation programs—are critical but insufficient. Quitting rates remain low, with most smokers not considering quitting. Abstinence-only policies, often championed by global health bodies, fail to address the reality that many smokers struggle to quit cold turkey. THR offers a pragmatic solution: it meets smokers where they are, providing alternatives that reduce harm while preserving individual autonomy.
Vaping’s success as a quitting tool is rooted in its ability to replicate the behavioural and sensory aspects of smoking without the deadly consequences. The World Vape Day 2025 Manifesto notes that 93% of vapers are former smokers, proving that vaping is a cessation aid, not a gateway to smoking. In the US, smoking rates dropped to 11% in 2023, accelerated by vaping’s popularity. In New Zealand, harm reduction policies have slashed smoking rates, particularly among Māori populations, showing that THR can address disparities in vulnerable communities.
Critics of vaping often cite myths, such as the notion that it serves as a gateway to smoking for youth. However, data from global studies debunk this: vaping is overwhelmingly used by smokers or former smokers, not non-smokers. Regulatory frameworks, like those in the EU, can ensure age restrictions and marketing controls prevent youth access without banning products for adult smokers.
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Studies, including those from the Royal College of Physicians, show no significant health impacts from vaping over decades, unlike smoking’s well-documented devastation. Nigeria and African nations are encouraged to prioritise evidence over fear, recognising that banning or overly restricting vaping could push smokers back to cigarettes, as seen in Australia, where strict policies have slowed smoking declines.
To harness THR’s potential, African governments should adopt evidence-based policies:
Strengthen Vaping Regulations: Nigeria should move beyond regulatory ambiguity by establishing clear national guidelines for vaping products, including safety standards, age restrictions, and quality control measures.
Promote Public Health Campaigns: Educate smokers about THR through campaigns highlighting vaping’s benefits as an alternative to combustible cigarettes, as seen in the UK’s “Stoptober” initiative. Community-based programs can reach rural areas where smoking rates are high.
Learn from global successes: Engage with experts from Sweden, the UK, and New Zealand to design policies tailored to African contexts. Regional bodies like the African Union can coordinate THR strategies to counter tobacco industry influence.
Beyond statistics, THR is about people. In Nigeria, a smoker who is, a 35-year-old father in Lagos, faces daily health risks from cigarettes. Vaping could offer him a way to quit, preserving his health and his family’s future. Across Africa, millions of smokers deserve options, not judgment. World Vape Day 2025 celebrates these stories of transformation, reminding us that innovation and compassion can change lives.
As we celebrate this year’s World Vape Day, Nigeria and other African nations stand at a crossroads. By embracing vaping and other safer nicotine alternatives, African governments can reduce smoking rates and empower citizens to live healthier lives. The evidence is clear, the successes are undeniable, and the time to act is now. Let’s make harm reduction the future of tobacco control in Nigeria.
To be updated
Based on the weight of evidence and assuming a complete switch from cigarette smoking. These products are not risk free and are addictive.