Clearing the air, and our heads.

I find it rare that I disagree with my public health colleagues. Oh sure, there's a disagreement here and there about the specifics, but it's been a while since the public health community has found itself fairly divided and kind of all over the spectrum on an issue. But it's happening now, all thanks to the e-cigarette.

While it's not entirely clear, the overall feeling I'm getting is that the public health community is preparing for a war against these battery-powered cigarettes. I could be wrong about this - but consider the official statements by certain key health organizations on the issue. The WHO cautions consumers against using e-cigarettes until proven safe and effective, and the American Lung Association's official statement on the twigs warns mostly against their potential harms. Advice from Health Canada and other agencies march to the same drum. 

Falling behind without harm reduction

Last month, four AIDS advocacy programs and one former prison inmate took the unconventional, and rather inspired, step of suing the Canadian federal government for not providing a clean needle exchange program to the country’s prison inmates. Their argument, based on the premise that the government must provide prisoners access to the same healthcare services as would be available to them in the community, is unlikely to succeed in Canada’s courts. It does, however, bring to the forefront important public health issue.