Arguments used by proponents and opponents in Brazil’s regulatory discussions of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products

2021 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2021-056628
Author(s):  
Mônica Nunes-Rubinstein ◽  
Teresa Leão
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Regulatory Agency ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
The Other ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
The Right ◽  
Over Time

ObjectivesTo identify proponents and opponents of the commercialisation and marketing of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs), identify the arguments used on both sides and compare how the arguments have changed over time, we analysed three policy discussions occurring in 2009, 2018 and 2019.MethodsWe conducted a content analysis of one document and six videos from these discussions, provided on the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency website, or upon request.ResultsThe arguments most used by tobacco companies were related to claims that the use of e-cigarettes and HTPs is less harmful than conventional tobacco. Unions that support its commercialisation also argued that lifting the ban would prevent smuggling and guarantee their quality. On the other side, universities, medical and anti-tobacco institutions argued that such devices may have health risks, including the risk of inducing cigarette smoking. In 2009, most arguments belonged to the ‘health’ theme, while in 2018 and 2019 economic arguments and those related to morals and ethics were frequently used.ConclusionsThose that supported the commercialisation and marketing of e-cigarettes and HTPs first focused on arguments of harm reduction, while 10 years later the right to access and potential economic consequences also became common. Public health agents and academics must gather evidence to effectively respond to these arguments and discuss these policies, and must prepare themselves to use and respond to arguments related to moral and economic themes.

The Right to Public Health

2021 ◽  
pp. 110-125
Author(s):  
James Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Public Health Policy ◽  
Right To Health ◽  
Ethical Challenge ◽  
Complex Task ◽  
To Come ◽  
The One ◽  
The Right

This chapter reframes the project of public health within a rights framework. It argues that there is a right to health, and this entails that individuals have a right to public health. Given that there is a right to public health, the state should undertake to reduce health risks. If a state does not take easy steps to reduce risks to health, and as a result allows significant numbers to come to harm or even death, then it violates individuals’ right to public health, and should be criticized as a Neglectful State. The ethical challenge of public health policy is therefore not the one-sided one of avoiding Nannying, but the more complex task of steering a course between Nannying and Neglect. Avoiding Neglect may involve restricting liberty in various ways.

Avoidance of Complexity

2021 ◽  
pp. 195-236
Author(s):  
Sara E. Gorman ◽  
Jack M. Gorman
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Scientific Method ◽  
The Other ◽  
Scientific Thinking ◽  
Health Decisions ◽  
The Right ◽  
Health Experts ◽  
Do So

This chapter describes another reason people succumb to unscientific notions—the discomfort people have with complexity. It is not that people are incapable of learning the facts but rather they are reluctant to put in the time and effort to do so. This retreat from complexity is similar to the other reasons for science denial in that it is in many ways a useful and adaptive stance. But when making health decisions, the inability to tackle scientific details can leave one prone to accepting craftily packaged inaccuracies and slogans. Scientists, doctors, and public health experts are often not helpful in this regard because they frequently refuse to explain things clearly and interestingly. The chapter then argues that scientists need to work much harder on figuring out the best ways to communicate facts to non-scientists. It proposes some possible methods to make scientific thinking more intuitive. By focusing on the scientific method, one can begin to educate people about how to accept complexity and uncertainty, how to be skeptical, and how to ask the right questions.

scholarly journals E-cigarette advertising exposure among South African adults in 2017: findings from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. e048462
Author(s):  
Israel Terungwa Agaku ◽  
Catherine O Egbe ◽  
Olalekan A Ayo-Yusuf
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
South African ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Cigarette Advertising ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Advertising Exposure ◽  
Electronic Delivery

ObjectivesIn South Africa, the Control of Tobacco and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill seeks to regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products, including their advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Population data on e-cigarette advertising in South Africa are needed to inform public health programs, practice and policy. We examined self-reported e-cigarette advertising exposure during 2017.DesignCross-sectional.SettingHousehold-based survey.Participants3063 individuals who participated in the 2017 South African Social Attitudes survey, a nationally representative, in-person survey of the non-institutionalised civilian adult population aged ≥16 yearsExposure‘In the past 12 months, have you seen advertisements or promotions for e-cigarettes (including e-shisha, e-pipe) on any of the following media: newspapers/magazines, billboards, in the malls or any other source?’Main outcomesBeliefs and attitudes regarding e-cigarettes.FindingsParticipants’ mean age was 37.7 years. Overall, 20.1% reported exposure to e-cigarette advertisements. By age, exposure was most prevalent among those aged 16–19 years (24.6%). Top sources of exposure among those exposed were stores, 40.7%; malls, 30.9%; and television, 32.5%. Of those aware of e-cigarettes, 61.2% believed ‘e-cigarette advertisements and promotion may make adolescents think of smoking traditional cigarettes’; 62.7% believed that ‘e-cigarette advertisements and promotions may make ex-smokers think of starting smoking cigarettes again’; and 59.5% supported the statement that ‘e-cigarette smoking should be banned indoors just as traditional cigarette smoking’. Notably, teens aged 16–19 reported the lowest prevalence (49.0%) of those believing that ‘e-cigarette advertisements and promotion may make adolescents think of smoking traditional cigarettes’, whereas this percentage was highest among those aged 55–64 years (73.2%).ConclusionComprehensive regulatory efforts are needed to address e-cigarette advertising, marketing and sponsorship in order to protect public health. The urgent enactment of the new tobacco control legislation, The Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, can help reduce youth exposure to e-cigarette advertising in South Africa.

scholarly journals Are heated tobacco products (HTPs) a public health opportunity?

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-100
Author(s):  
Roberta Costanzo ◽  
Gizelle Baker
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Chronic Exposure ◽  
Smoking Prevalence ◽  
Toxic Substances ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Related Population

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are a new, rapidly emerging category of tobacco products that are designed to heat the tobacco instead of burning it, thus substantially reducing the emission of harmful chemicals. Currently there is a debate about whether HTPs provide an opportunity for public health, to accelerate the decline in cigarette smoking prevalence and thereby smoking-related population harm. To answer this question, HTPs have to be scientifically substantiated to reduce the harm to the individual smoker, but they also have to be satisfying for adult smokers to maximize the number of adult smokers who switch, while minimizing the number of youths and non-smokers who initiate or relapse to these products, as well as minimizing the number of smokers who intend to quit who may use those products instead. In this article we present the evidence showing that switching to the THS reduces the negative health effects that are triggered by chronic exposure to the toxic substances generated during tobacco combustion and that lead to disease, compared to continuing smoking.

Change Over Time in Australian Newspaper Reporting of Drinking During Pregnancy: A Content Analysis (2000–2017)

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 690-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Cook ◽  
Geoffrey Leggat ◽  
Amy Pennay
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
News Media ◽  
Poisson Regression ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Poisson Regression Analysis ◽  
Media Messages ◽  
Newspaper Reporting ◽  
Changes Over Time ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Aims This paper analyses the content of news media messages on drinking during pregnancy in Australia over an 18-year period to understand whether and how the nature of messages communicated to women has changed over time. Methods Factiva was used to search Australian newspapers from 2000 to 2017, resulting in a sample of 1394 articles from the 18 major national and state-based newspapers. Content analysis of articles was undertaken, and Poisson regression analysis was used to assess changes over time. Results The largest number of articles on drinking during pregnancy was published in 2007. Themes that significantly increased over time included Harms to the Child (from 0.97% in 2008 to 29.69% in 2015) and Prevention Initiatives (from 0% in 2005 to 12.50% in 2017). Articles endorsing women not consuming alcohol during pregnancy significantly increased over time (from 20.69% in 2001 to 53.78% in 2013), matched by a decreasing trend in the proportion of articles presenting mixed advice (from 15.93% in 2009 to 0% in 2017). The largest number of articles adopted no position in relation to women’s consumption. Conclusions A stronger abstinence message during pregnancy has been communicated through Australian newspaper media over time. The mixed messaging and large number of articles not endorsing a position on consumption may reflect the inconclusiveness of the evidence on harms from low to moderate levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Opportunities remain for researchers to work with public health advocates to disseminate balanced messages based on evidence-based research.

Cooperation, Conflict, and Reaction

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
John T. Cumbler
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
New England ◽  
The Other ◽  
Potential Conflict ◽  
Stream Pollution ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
The One ◽  
The Right

When James Olcott spoke before Connecticut farmers for “anti-stream pollution,” he urged the public to mobilize to stop water pollution by “ignorant or reckless capitalists.” In identifying the “ignorant and reckless capitalists,” Olcott focused the attention of the farmers on industrial waste and the role of manufacturers in their search for profits in causing pollution. Although manufacturers and the courts argued that industrialization brought wealth and prosperity to New England and hence was a general good, Olcott challenged this idea. He saw the issue as a conflict between industrialization and its costs on the one hand and the public good on the other. Concern over industrial pollution and the potential conflict between it and public health had already arisen in Massachusetts. Although the Massachusetts State Board of Health realized that the interests of the “capitalists” and those of the public health officials might be in conflict, in 1872 it hoped that with improved knowledge, “a way will be eventually found to joining them into harmonious relations,” much as Lyman believed science and technology would resolve the conflict between fishers and mill owners. The board's interest in “harmonious relations” also reflected a realization that at least for the last several years, the courts had seen pollution as an inevitable consequence of civilization and had been favorable toward industrialists, especially if no obvious alternative to dumping pollution existed. In 1866, William Merrifield sued Nathan Lombard because Lombard had dumped “Vitriol and other noxious substances” into the stream above Merrifield's factory, “corrupting” the water so badly that it destroyed his boiler. Chief Justice Bigelow ruled that Lombard had invaded Merrifield's rights. “Each riparian owner,” the judge wrote, “has the right to use the water for any reasonable and proper purpose. . . . An injury to the purity or quality of the water to the detriment of the other riparian owners, constitutes in legal effect, a wrong.” In 1872, Merrifield again went to court, claiming the City of Worcester regularly dumped sewage into Mill Brook, by which the waters became greatly corrupted and unfit to use.”

scholarly journals Co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus causes more severe and prolonged pneumonia in hamsters

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takaaki Kinoshita ◽  
Kenichi Watanabe ◽  
Yasuteru Sakurai ◽  
Kodai Nishi ◽  
Rokusuke Yoshikawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Body Weight Loss ◽  
The Other ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Public Health Concern ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Immunohistochemical Analyses

AbstractCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently a serious public health concern worldwide. Notably, co-infection with other pathogens may worsen the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and increase fatality. Here, we show that co-infection with influenza A virus (IAV) causes more severe body weight loss and more severe and prolonged pneumonia in SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters. Each virus can efficiently spread in the lungs without interference by the other. However, in immunohistochemical analyses, SARS-CoV-2 and IAV were not detected at the same sites in the respiratory organs of co-infected hamsters, suggesting that either the two viruses may have different cell tropisms in vivo or each virus may inhibit the infection and/or growth of the other within a cell or adjacent areas in the organs. Furthermore, a significant increase in IL-6 was detected in the sera of hamsters co-infected with SARS-CoV-2 and IAV at 7 and 10 days post-infection, suggesting that IL-6 may be involved in the increased severity of pneumonia. Our results strongly suggest that IAV co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 can have serious health risks and increased caution should be applied in such cases.

The dark side of e-petitions? Exploring anonymous signatures

First Monday ◽  
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janne Berg
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Political Participation ◽  
The Other ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Quantitative Content ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Anonymous Signatures ◽  
The One ◽  
The Right

This paper analyzes anonymous political participation in the form of e-petition signing. The purpose of this study is to increase knowledge about patterns behind anonymous e-petition signing. Since online political participation evokes an important discussion about the balance between the need for transparency on the one hand, and the right for anonymity on the other hand, it is crucial to increase our knowledge of the factors affecting citizens’ choices to remain anonymous. Using quantitative content analysis of 220 informal e-petitions on the site adressit.com in Finland, this study seeks to find possible determinants for the share of anonymous signatures. Findings indicate that the type of demand presented in the e-petition is a key factor predicting the share of anonymous signatures.

French Pharmacists’ and Veterinarians’ Ethical Perspectives about the Delivery of Antibiotics for Animals: A Content Analysis of Practitioner Literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-145
Author(s):  
Denise Remy ◽  
R. ter Meulen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Continuing Education ◽  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Bacterial Resistance ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
The Other ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Professional Literature

Abstract Amongst the current, most important, international priorities in public health is the issue of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. This issue is due to the wide misuse and overuse of these drugs, both in human and veterinary medicine. Veterinarians fulfil a very important role as guardians of animal health and as public health actors; if they do not use antimicrobials judiciously, animal health and welfare as well as public health will be severely compromised. Therefore it is of particular importance to study the professional ethos of veterinarians as regards the delivery of antibiotics for animals. In Europe laws and practices regarding the delivery of antimicrobial drugs for animals differ from state to state. In some states, veterinarians are not allowed to sell drugs, they only prescribe, and pharmacists deliver the drugs. In other states, including France, veterinarians are allowed to deliver the drugs they prescribe. In France, veterinarians have thus been accused of conflict of interest; of overprescribing to sell more antibiotics and thus earn more money. Therefore, it appeared particularly accurate to not only study the ethos of veterinarians regarding the delivery of antibiotics to animals, but to also compare this ethos to that of pharmacists. To the authors’ knowledge, such a study has never been carried out in any country. Veterinarians’ and pharmacists’ professional literature was studied and compared using qualitative and quantitative content analysis. A sample of comparable journals was selected for both professions. The study was carried out over a relevant five year period extending from the beginning of 2008 till the end of 2012. All papers dealing with antimicrobial resistances as well as the prescription and delivery of antibiotics for animals were objectively and comprehensively searched and collected using keywords. The selected papers were subsequently independently coded by a multidisciplinary team of coders using conventional, inductive, thematic analysis. The final coding grid was obtained after consensus meetings were held in order to ensure reliability and validity of the data. The results showed that the veterinarians’ professional literature studied reflected a primary concern for ethics whereas the pharmacists’ professional literature primarily focused on marketing. Half of the veterinary continuing education papers dealt with different aspects of ethics; the other half focused on the scientific aspects of antimicrobial resistances. Amongst other papers, more than 30% tackled ethical questions in relation with the delivery of antibiotics for animals. Conversely, in the pharmacists’ literature, half of the continuing education papers concentrated on marketing; the other half described the pharmacology of drugs. Amongst other papers, 60% addressed marketing issues. Ethical questions per se were not approached in the pharmacists’ professional literature studied. In conclusion, veterinary ethos for prescription ethics, good antibiotic use and animal welfare seems to be a feature of the profession. According to this research, the claim that veterinarians are responsible for antibiotic resistances because of conflict of interest is not true.

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