Urgent Need for Harm Reduction Policies

Key outcomes of the conference included: 

1. Endorsement of tobacco harm reduction as a complementary strategy to existing tobacco control measures in Malaysia
2. A call for evidence-based regulation of reduced-risk products to provide smokers with less harmful alternatives
3. An emphasis on the need for tailored harm reduction policies that consider local contexts and cultural sensitivities
4. A recommendation for increased collaboration between government agencies, health organisations, and harm reduction advocates

Professor Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, Chairman of MSHR, stated: “The conference has reinforced the urgent need for Malaysia and other Asia Pacific countries to embrace tobacco harm reduction strategies. We've seen compelling evidence that THR can significantly reduce smoking rates and improve public health outcomes.”

Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), strongly supported the conference outcomes, saying: “New Zealand's approach demonstrates how embracing tobacco harm reduction can accelerate progress towards smoke-free goals. Their smoking rates have plummeted to historic lows, proving that pragmatic policies focused on harm reduction work.”

Highlighting the success of THR policies in countries like New Zealand, where smoking rates dropped from 11.9% in 2020 to an astounding 6.8% in 2023 as vaping increased, the conference emphasised the potential for similar results across the region. 

Loucas added: “Asia Pacific nations have an opportunity to dramatically improve public health by allowing and properly regulating these products. Continuing to ban safer alternatives while deadly cigarettes remain widely available is counterproductive and harmful to public health.”

The conference also addressed concerns about youth uptake of novel nicotine products, with experts emphasising the need for balanced regulation that protects youth while allowing adult smokers access to less harmful alternatives. 

MSHR called on policymakers across the Asia Pacific region to: 

• Implement comprehensive THR strategies as part of national tobacco control policies. 
• Invest in research to better understand the long-term impacts of reduced-risk products. 
• Develop clear regulatory frameworks for novel nicotine products that prioritise harm reduction. 
• Enhance public education on the relative risks of different nicotine products. 

“We urge other nations in the Asia Pacific to look at the evidence presented at this conference and consider adopting harm reduction approaches,” continued Associate Professor Sivakumar Thurairajasingam, Head of Clinical School at Monash University Malaysia. “The potential to save millions of lives through THR cannot be ignored.”

CAPHRA echoed this sentiment, with Loucas stating: “It's time to move beyond outdated 'quit or die' approaches and embrace the full range of tools available to end the smoking epidemic.”

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates is a regional alliance of consumer tobacco harm reduction advocacy organisations. Its mission is to educate, advocate and represent the right of adult alternative nicotine consumers to access and use of products that reduce harm from tobacco use.

CAPHRA says it stays committed to advocating for the rights of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region to access and use evidence-based, regulated, and properly marketed harm reduction products as a means of reducing the devastating impact of smoking-related diseases, encouraging further research, open dialogue, and collaboration with governments, health organisations, and stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcomes for public health. 

References:

• The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates - https://caphraorg.net

Photo Credit:

• Images from the Malaysian Society for Harm Reduction

Dave Cross

Journalist at POTV

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Dave 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.