On Sunday, the Observer published a very negative editorial which repeated all the tired arguments put forward by ideological anti-vaping activists. It ignored the recent comprehensive review by the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities, instead choosing to amplify cherry-picked science, half-truths and hypothetical risks. It has been criticised by public health community experts in harm reduction for smoking cessation and is a perfect example of the irresponsible journalism that many public health groups have blamed for the poor perception of vaping and other lower-risk products amongst the public.
We have written to the Observer’s Reader’s Editor section to strongly condemn the editorial and also sent a shorter letter for publication as a letter to the Editor. You can read our full response here.