Editorial from Dr. Tom Price, former Ga. Rep and Health and Human Services Secretary
South Carolina Lawmakers Must Prioritize Tobacco Harm Reduction Policies
By Dr. Tom Price
Around 30 million American adults still smoke cigarettes, including more than 545,000 adult South Carolinians. The grim reality from public health data is that smoking remains the leading cause of disease and preventable death in South Carolina while costing the state $2.21 billion in health care costs.
The substantial financial and public health impact of smoking in the state underscores the urgent need for South Carolina’s legislature to advance legislation that encourages adults who smoke to transition to better, smoke-free products. The good news is that there are commonsense proposals that the state’s lawmakers can enact to reduce smoking rates.
Throughout my professional and personal life, I have seen firsthand how cigarettes can ravage the body, shorten lives and cause heartbreak for family members. I’ve treated patients impacted by chronic cigarette use, pursued policy solutions as a former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and lost my father to Emphysema. This is a deeply personal matter to me.
Of course the best solution for those who smoke is to quit, but the reality is that not everyone does. Throughout my time in private practice and public service, I’ve come to learn that there is much more we can do to reduce the harms of smoking. One
approach that scientists and public health experts both support is known as tobacco harm reduction which can complement existing efforts to encourage cessation. This approach works by transitioning smokers to using smoke-free products if they are going to continue using nicotine.
All tobacco products carry a risk, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken a pragmatic approach by viewing tobacco and nicotine products on a continuum, with traditional cigarettes being by far the most harmful, rather than lumping all tobacco products into one category.
Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are one of the promising new smoke-free products entering markets across the country. These products are not risk-free but offer adults an alternative, better choice, and are distinguished from combustible cigarettes due to the way they heat tobacco at a controlled temperature below combustion, delivering nicotine while significantly reducing the average levels of harmful toxins associated with smoke.
States such as Mississippi and Alabama have already passed legislation to make HTPs more affordable than cigarettes by applying differential taxation. By incentivizing adults who smoke to transition to better, smoke-free options, these tax policies support positive public health outcomes across the state and have the potential to reduce healthcare costs associated with smoking-related illnesses if adults who smoke, switch completely to these innovative alternatives instead. Palmetto State lawmakers would be wise to pursue a similar approach.
Increasing access to more and better smoke-free products for adults can also be done while ensuring they do not end up in the hands of those below the legal age. While the market for smoke-free products is growing, the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that youth tobacco and nicotine use is at a historic low. Advancing strong enforcement policies from responsible retailers and manufacturers will continue to drive these numbers down.
South Carolina has a critical opportunity to promote meaningful, smart tobacco harm reduction policies that contribute to improving the health of its citizens, strengthen its economy by reducing smoking-related healthcare costs, and follow the lead of nearby states to become a leader in improving public health. Pursuing tobacco harm reduction policies during this year’s legislative session is a commonsense approach to promoting public health in the Palmetto State.
Dr. Tom Price was the 23rd secretary of Health and Human Services, is a former representative from Georgia, and is an adviser to PMI US Corporate Services Inc.
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