White Paper Attacks WHO Guidance
Vape experts have released a White Paper on the World Health Organisation’s ‘guidance’ at the recent Fifth Asia Harm Reduction Forum
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by Dave Cross
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The White Paper follows the authors reviewing information from the World Health Organisation (WHO) on their approach and guidance for safer nicotine products (SNP), specifically on e-cigarettes.
The paper then aims to provide information and evidence that has not been included in any of the guidance publicly provided by the WHO to signatories and delegates of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) on safer nicotine products (SNP).
In her presentation, Ms Loucas says, “public health is ‘the science and art of promoting health, preventing disease and prolonging life through the organised efforts of society.’ But asks, ‘what happens when citizens and policymakers are not given the full information to make informed choices about their health?’”
Consumer advocates strongly believe that the global tobacco control community has failed miserably in their rejection of THR. Ms Loucas says advocates are not about the money, glory or attention, but about saving lives, their own and those of the people they care about.
Her presentation asks: ‘How is it that harm reduction is embraced and celebrated in every other aspect of public health, except when it comes to tobacco?’
“The disinformation offered by WHO FCTC and its affiliates to signatory countries as ‘guidance’ is dangerous. The FCTC has failed, and continues to fail, the eight million adults who die from unsafe tobacco products annually,” says Ms Loucas.
At AHRF 2022, key global vaping advocates signed ‘The Manila Declaration’. It calls for an independent review of the WHO’s scientific and policy analysis, challenges its decision-making, and demands the WHO leadership launches a comprehensive rethink.
“We need to see some sign that the WHO is embracing innovation, not squandering the opportunity to make a real difference to the global burden of cancer, heart disease and crippling lung conditions,” adds Ms Loucas.
Advocates believe the FCTC is no longer fit for purpose. Instead, it has been subverted to benefit a few, at the expense of the whole.
“Let’s get back to basics and let’s see some inclusiveness. Let’s see an acknowledgement of scientific innovation, consumer knowledge and experience, to help people, not disenfranchisement or discrimination,” concluded Nancy Loucas.
References:
- Nancy Loucas’ presentation - https://caphraorg.net/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/AHRF_presentation_2022-powerpoint-presentation.pptx
- ‘The Subversion of Public Health: Consumer Perspectives’ - https://caphraorg.net/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/white-paper-subversion_of_public_health.pdf
- The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates - https://caphraorg.net/
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
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