Health experts have called on world leaders and global health organisations to intensify the campaign on tobacco harm reduction to save the lives of over 1.1 billion smokers worldwide.
The experts, who spoke at an international webinar on Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction, said smokers around the world deserve better than the status quo.
They urged policy makers that are engaged in the current European
Commission Tobacco Products Directive revision and those that would attend next year’s WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Conference to consider the evidence for tobacco harm reduction’s role, listen to consumers, and deliver policies that genuinely focus on reducing the global toll of smoking-related disease and deaths as quickly as possible.
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WTO FCTC is the first treaty negotiated under the auspices of the World Health Organization and it is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Editor of Burning Issues, Harry Shapiro, said if integrated into tobacco control, harm reduction could be a game-changer in the battle against non-communicable disease.
He said, “Our data shows that, worldwide, millions of people are choosing to improve their own health by switching from combustible tobacco.
“But this needs to scale up, fast. Tobacco harm reduction should become a genuine consumer-led public health success. But instead, we are seeing the start of a war on nicotine.”
Speaking on the sub-theme, why tobacco harm reduction matters, Gerry Stimson recommended that the role of government should be to hasten the switch from smoking rather than to place obstacles in the ways of those who wish to use safer nicotine products.
He said no action should be taken which has the consequence of favouring smoking over SNP such as making SNP to be harder to obtain and use than cigarette or through unfavorable pricing.
He also called on those in position to formulate policy on SNP that should take account of the body of current evidence rather than opting for off the shelf recommendations from multilateral and philanthropic organisations.
He said access to SNP should be a right for all potential beneficiaries irrespective of gender, race, social or economic circumstances.
Consumer well being, according to them, should be at the centre of international planning and policy.