KUCHING: An economist is calling for greater focus on pleasure consumption in harm reduction strategies for tobacco use.
According to a recent policy paper titled “Toward a Science-based Strategy to Harm Reduction: A Theoretical Introduction” published by Center for Market Education, pleasure consumption was an important factor to consider when developing harm reduction strategies for tobacco use.
Harm reduction is a public health approach that focuses on reducing the negative consequences of, rather than just trying to eliminate it.
When contacted by New Sarawak Tribune, the author, Dr Carmelo Ferlito, said that emphasising pleasure and enjoyment in harm reduction strategies could help individuals make healthier choices and stick to them in the long-term.
For example, individuals who switch to low-nicotine tobacco products, such as cigarettes with reduced nicotine content and vape, experienced a significant reduction in the harm caused by smoking.
“Fundamentally we know that pleasure is a significant motivator for smokers, so it makes sense to incorporate that into our harm reduction efforts.
“By providing safer and more enjoyable ways for individuals to consume the alternatives, we can help them make healthier choices and reduce the harm caused by substance use. This is the approach of economic science,”said Ferlito, a leading economist in the field of harm reduction at Center for Market Education.
The paper also pointed out that the importance of pleasure in harm reduction strategies was also supported by the fact that people who smoke did so because the value they placed on the benefits they received from smoking exceeds the cost of smoking to them, including the perceived risk of health consequences.
“Similarly, nonsmokers who choose to expose themselves to smokers for extended periods do so because the benefits that they receive from relationships with smokers exceed the costs of so relating,” the paper added.
The appeal for a greater focus on pleasure in harm reduction strategies was gaining traction among public health officials around the world. They were of the view that the proposed Generational Endgame (GEG) law would not be effective in helping smokers “kick the habit” without considering tobacco harm reduction.
The policy paper can be accessed for free at marketedu.me.
