Electronic cigarettes: a new social practice and the challenge of tobacco control policies

Smoking is a chronic disease and is considered a serious public health problem and has been the target of many preventive and health promotion actions over time. The most consumed tobacco product among adults and young people is the conventional cigarette, however, the consumption of smokeless tobacco or other smoked tobacco products, such as electronic cigarettes, has been observed on an increasing basis in the world. Electronic smoking devices (EFD), which have increasingly attracted the attention of young consumers, involve different equipment and technologies. Based on the precautionary principle, since 2009, Brazil has prohibited the sale, importation and advertising of all types of DEF that offer the replacement of cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, pipes and the like or that aim at an alternative to the treatment of smoking, through RDC n 46, of August 28, 2009. Even though it is prohibited in Brazil, the use of electronic cigarettes as an alternative is evident, revealing a new challenge to be faced by tobacco control policies. The knowledge gaps inherent to a new social practice, as well as the need to build references that contribute to better decision-making, whether in the scope of professional intervention or the management of public policies, with a view to protecting the health of the population, for itself already makes the expansion of knowledge about this theme relevant. However, it is necessary to understand that prevention, promotion and control actions must be understood in a transversal and interdisciplinary way, so that one can reflect on the processes that involve political, socioeconomic and cultural aspects that interact directly with the health process -illness. Thus, based on the problem presented and considering the relevance of the issue in question, as a field little faced in this area, it is emphasized that the expansion of investigations and the deepening of discussions about it, will allow a better understanding and visibility of the problem.