Experts Urge Asian Authorities to Support Tobacco Harm Reduction
Nancy Loucas, director of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPRA) and co-director of the Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA), recently pointed out that the WHO's stance on tobacco harm reduction has cost many lives. Sh
Nancy Loucas, director of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) and co-director of the Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA), recently pointed out that the WHO's stance on tobacco harm reduction has cost many lives. She added that smoking causes one million deaths annually in the Asia Pacific region alone. Deaths can be avoided through the use of reliable alternatives.<\/div>
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"Due to the WHO's rigid position, many smokers in various countries remain very vulnerable and may continue to smoke until death. Let us not forget that among the 1.1 billion smokers globally, about 80% live in middle- and low-income countries like the Philippines."<\/div>
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To this end, the CAPHRA expert advisory panel has written to senior ministers in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand. The letter explains that there is over a decade of evidence showing the potential of THR products assisted by innovative technologies, such as snus, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), or e-cigarettes, as well as electronic heated or non-combustible tobacco, to combat smoking and its related harms.<\/div>
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The importance of distinguishing carcinogens from nicotine.<\/div>
Experts say that the carcinogens found in tar and tobacco smoke are the source of smoking-related deaths and diseases, not nicotine, and therefore these safer alternatives can serve as excellent substitutes and cessation tools.<\/div>
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"Governments continue to implement policy measures that are undermining the potential for current tobacco consumers to transition to reduced-risk nicotine consumption models. The letter states that due to the restrictive choices imposed by these policies and the lack of widely available information from credible sources, consumers are forced to 'accelerate' harm rather than mitigate it.<\/div>
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By resisting NRT, authorities are unable to uphold the 'right to health'.<\/div>
Experts say that by resisting these NRTs, governments have failed to embrace emerging science. "Governments are unable to measure the shifts in consumer behavior regarding consumption methods and are clearly unable to adapt to emerging science and consumer behavior."<\/div>
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"We strongly urge all parties to uphold the 'right to health' and implement measures to reduce tobacco harm as a key strategy to address the existing gaps in tobacco control. We express our voice against the failure of regulatory bodies to hold accountable for their harmful actions to public health."<\/div>
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