New Zealand group urges COP10 to support safer nicotine products

According to a report from Scoop on the 16th, the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) has released a new briefing, warning New Zealand government representatives heading to Panama for the 10th Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC COP10).

"These government officials need to be aware of the potential negative impacts of their decisions made at FCTC COP10, particularly regarding safer nicotine products," said Nancy Loucas, a public health policy expert, active advocate for tobacco harm reduction, and executive coordinator of CAPHRA.

"GSTHR's analysis confirms the importance of these decisions in shaping the future direction of these products, which have not received adequate attention at the conference," Ms. Loucas stated.

The briefing, titled "FCTC COP10 Agenda and Supporting Documents: Implications for the Future of Tobacco Harm Reduction," reveals that safer nicotine products are presented as a threat to tobacco control rather than as tools to support smoking cessation and reduce high-risk tobacco use.

"Safer nicotine products have the potential to be game changers in the fight against tobacco-related harm," Ms. Loucas said, "However, the current narrative at FCTC COP10 fails to reflect this potential. Instead, these products are viewed as a threat, which could have serious implications for public health."

The issue of safer nicotine products is so significant that the Asian Harm Reduction Forum, held this week in Manila, Philippines, will discuss the GSTHR briefing, along with cutting-edge research and studies on tobacco harm reduction.

CAPHRA urges governments and policymakers to consider the evidence provided in the briefing and recognize the potential of safer nicotine products as harm reduction tools.

"Decisions made at FCTC COP10 will shape the future of tobacco harm reduction," Ms. Loucas added, "We urge all stakeholders to consider this evidence and make decisions that prioritize public health and harm reduction, as consumers' lives are at stake."