THE Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) has cautioned that the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) risks undermining its own objectives by disregarding harm reduction as a key pillar of tobacco control ahead of the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP).
According to CAPHRA, the FCTC has strayed from its original definition of tobacco control, which explicitly includes harm reduction alongside supply and demand measures under Article 1(d) of the treaty.
Tobacco harm reduction is a public health strategy aimed at minimizing the health risks associated with smoking by promoting alternatives that do not burn tobacco and produce smoke such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches.
CAPHRA Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas said, "The FCTC cannot ignore its own definition of tobacco control. Harm reduction is not an industry ploy; it is a proven, life-saving strategy. By dismissing it, the COP risks undermining global progress and betraying the very people it is meant to protect."
CAPHRA cited countries like Sweden, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Canada, which have recorded historic declines in smoking rates after adopting harm reduction policies. Sweden, in particular, is poised to become the first "smoke-free" nation in Europe, largely due to the use of snus and other smoke-free alternatives.
With Asia home to more than half of the world's smokers, CAPHRA warned that the continued exclusion of harm reduction from global tobacco control frameworks could have severe repercussions for the region. It said WHO guidance that fails to acknowledge harm reduction may stifle science-based policymaking and discourage balanced regulation.
To ensure alignment with the FCTC's founding principles, CAPHRA urged the reaffirmation of harm reduction as integral to tobacco control by explicitly referencing Article 1(d) in the final decision text under Article 2.1. It also called for the creation of a Party-Led Working Group to examine global evidence and national experiences with novel nicotine products-particularly how different regulatory approaches influence smoking prevalence, youth protection, and public health outcomes.
Additionally, CAPHRA recommended transparent reporting on national harm reduction initiatives to facilitate the sharing of best practices and improve the effectiveness of global tobacco policy.
CAPHRA maintained that the FCTC's long-term success depends on its willingness to embrace innovation and apply its principles consistently.
"If the FCTC continues to ignore harm reduction, it will lose relevance and effectiveness," Loucas warned.
"Millions of lives depend on getting this right," she said. (PR)