Smoking & Health
Acknowledging risks, clarifying misunderstandings, providing alternatives
It is well-established that smoking and health are fundamentally at odds with one another. Smoking can have a harmful impact on health, increasing the risk of severe illnesses like lung cancer, heart disease and emphysema. At our company, we firmly believe that governments and health authorities worldwide should communicate the health risks of smoking in a clear and consistent manner. Access to information and education is paramount in order to enable responsible adults to make an informed decision regarding smoking. It is critical that children and adolescents do not smoke, under any circumstances. Furthermore, smoking during pregnancy can result in serious health implications for the unborn child, making it imperative to avoid smoking during pregnancy.
Our goal is proper and effective regulation regarding legitimate health protection objectives.
The risks
The use of tobacco products can lead to addiction, which is why quitting smoking entirely and avoiding nicotine consumption in any form is ultimately the best choice for one’s individual health. We believe it is essential for smokers to understand that anyone who chooses to quit smoking can successfully do so. In fact, millions of people have already quit smoking on their own, mostly without external assistance.
For smokers who want to quit smoking, the health authorities have information material on smoking and health available. The Federal Centre for Health Education also provides information on smoking cessation at www.rauchfrei-info.de.
In addition, more and more scientists and physicians are recognising the role of novel, potentially risk-reduced products such as e-cigarettes to assist in smoking cessation, as part of a Tobacco Harm Reduction approach. Adult tobacco smokers who do not want to stop using nicotine thus have the opportunity to reduce the health risks associated with smoking conventional tobacco products, in some cases significantly.
Nicotine
Download - Infografik "Was ist Nikotin?" (PDF)
Nicotine is a substance that occurs naturally in the tobacco plant. It is also found naturally in other plants and vegetables (e.g., tomatoes and potatoes), but in much lower amounts than in tobacco. Nicotine is an addictive substance. All Reemtsma products – especially those containing nicotine – therefore carry appropriate voluntary or legally required warnings regarding health risks.
Health experts worldwide have concluded that the most significant risks associated with smoking come from the combustion products of tobacco and inhaling smoke, rather than nicotine itself being the root cause of smoking-related illnesses
Nicotine has many different physiological effects, including an increase in heart rate and blood pressure and an acceleration of breathing. However, these effects are only temporary. The current scientific consensus is that there is no evidence that nicotine causes cardiovascular disease or cancer. Nicotine is not a known carcinogen and is also contained, among other things, in nicotine-containing medicines for smoking cessation (e.g., nicotine patches or chewing gum).
Nicotine-containing products should only be used by adult consumers. People with a medical condition should always consult their doctor before using a nicotine-containing product. Furthermore, individuals who are contemplating pregnancy, already pregnant, or breastfeeding should refrain from using products containing nicotine.
Passive smoking
International health authorities have determined that passive smoking can result in smoking-related illnesses in non-smokers. As such, it is imperative that the general public adhere to the recommendations provided by the authorities in regard to passive smoking. Adult smokers and e-cigarette users should be especially mindful of others and should always avoid smoking or vaping in the presence of children, adolescents, and pregnant women.
Additives
Compliance with product and safety standards is a top priority for us as a manufacturer. We ensure that all products manufactured and distributed by us – irrespective of the product category – comply with the applicable legal framework. In countries where regulations on additives do not yet exist, we ensure that our high product and quality standards are applied. All materials used in the manufacture of our products are subject to our regular and careful quality control. In addition, we regularly report to the experts of the competent authorities on all additives that we use in our products within their area of responsibility.
To date, there is no scientific evidence that additives in tobacco products or other nicotine products have an addiction-enhancing effect. Banning individual additives could also suggest that tobacco or nicotine products without these additives (e.g., additive-free cigarettes) may be less hazardous to health. Any ban or authorisation of an additive should therefore be based on a comprehensive, scientific assessment relevant to both conventional tobacco and novel products with validated test criteria.
The following applies to our classic tobacco products:
We are committed to ensuring that our products do not contain anything that could hinder smokers in quitting, make tobacco more attractive to non-smokers, alter the chemical form of nicotine in tobacco smoke or increase nicotine levels. While some additives have been used in the past, they have been added in very small quantities solely to ensure a consistent taste and optimize the flavour for the benefit of the consumer. It is worth noting that the term "additive" also encompasses other materials and substances required for cigarette production, such as cigarette paper, filters, adhesive to hold the paper together, and mouthpiece colours.
With the implementation of the European Tobacco Products Directive into German law, tobacco products containing certain additives have been banned since May 2016, and in the case of menthol since May 2020. Specifically, the Tobacco Products Act contains bans on cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco that:
- have a characteristic aroma,
- contain flavouring substances or technical features in their components which can be used to modify the smell, taste or smoke intensity,
- contain tobacco or nicotine in filters, paper or capsules.
The following applies to our e-cigarette brand blu:
All blu products, their ingredients and the vapour produced are subjected to a thorough scientific evaluation before they are sold. All blu liquids are produced in the EU and strictly regulated before delivery. None of the products contain vitamin E acetate, THC, mineral oil, animal fat, diacetyl or sugar (glucose). Furthermore, consumers should make sure that they purchase their vaping products from reputable brands and the retailers they trust, and ensure that the products are properly sealed, packaged and labelled.
We make a clear commitment to quality with this promise!