WHO’s Disregard Called Out
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates has called out the World Health Organization’s disregard for tobacco harm reduction and transparency
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by Dave Cross
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Nancy Loucas, the Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA, said: “This disregard and disrespect not only undermine the potential for life-saving innovations but also raises serious questions about the WHO/FCTC's adherence to the United Nations Charter on Human Rights.
“It's disheartening to see the WHO/FCTC turn a blind eye to the potential of tobacco harm reduction. This stance not only ignores the evidence supporting these strategies but also undermines the global fight against the tobacco epidemic.”
CAPHRA says that despite evidence illustrating the effectiveness of tobacco harm reduction as a public health strategy, the WHO/FCTC has failed to adequately incorporate these approaches into its policies. Instead, they are aiming to eliminate the concept of “Tobacco Harm Reduction” under the auspices of Article 5.3 as a “tobacco industry strategy” to undermine the FCTC.
“The omission of harm reduction strategies from the WHO/FCTC's policies is a grave oversight. Millions of lives could be saved by embracing safer alternatives to combustible tobacco products," Nancy Loucas added.
Moreover, says the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates, the WHO/FCTC's decision-making process lacks the transparency that is essential for public trust and accountability.
Nancy Loucas continues: “The reliance on self-reported data and the absence of a clear mechanism for evaluating the impact of policies are concerning. This non-transparency can mislead member states and regulators, potentially resulting in policy decisions that fail to protect public health effectively.”
CAPHRA is particularly alarmed by the WHO/FCTC's breach of the UN Charter on Human Rights, which includes the right to health.
"By neglecting harm reduction, the WHO/FCTC is not only failing to uphold the right to health but also potentially exacerbating health disparities by denying access to safer alternatives to smoking," Ms Loucas continued.
The WHO/FCTC's approach also impacts all member states globally. Most directly on those members which rely on the organization for guidance in public health policy.
Nancy Loucas added: “The WHO's urging of member states not to partner with the tobacco industry should not extend to a blanket rejection of harm reduction strategies and engagement with constituents who utilise safer nicotine products. Such an approach is counterproductive to public health goals.”
CAPHRA calls on sovereign states and regulators to critically evaluate the WHO/FCTC's current approach to tobacco control.
Nancy Loucas concluded: “It is imperative that member states demand greater transparency in the WHO/FCTC's decision-making processes and advocate for the inclusion of harm reduction strategies in tobacco control policies. The health and rights of millions depend on it.”
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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