One hundred specialists in nicotine science , policy and practice are calling on the World Health Organization to abandon its ‘ hostile stance ’ on tobacco harm reduction . Ahead of the crucial Framework Convention on Tobacco Control ( COP9 ) conference , they urged all 182 countries taking part to adopt a ‘ more positive ’ attitude . The experts said : “ Because of the urgent need to reduce deaths from smoked tobacco , parties should challenge the WHO to modernise its approach to tobacco policy ” The letter aimed to get a more positive debate on harm reduction during the six-day online event which began on November 8 . Clive Bates from the Counterfactual said : “ The letter pushes back against the WHO ’ s misguided and unscientific drive for prohibition or excessive regulation and taxation of vaping products , heated and smokeless tobacco products .” The expert signatories wrote : “ We must not allow excessive caution to deny smokers promising options to switch from combustible products that we know with certainty are lethal . Regrettably , the WHO has been dismissive of the potential to transform the tobacco market from high-risk to low-risk products . “ The WHO is rejecting a public health strategy that could avoid millions of smoking-related deaths .”
They pointed out that :
- Tobacco harm reduction offered significant public health opportunities
- E-cigarettes drove up smoking cessation
- Tobacco harm reduction can contribute to the WHO ’ s sustainable development goals for health and
- There is public health support for harm reduction in tobacco control
We must not allow excessive caution to deny smokers promising options to switch from combustible products that we know with certainty are lethal .
They wrote : “ It is time for global tobacco policy to draw on the full potential of tobacco harm reduction . We hope the public health science , policy , and practitioner communities will converge on a common purpose to reduce the global burden of tobacco-related disease and premature mortality as quickly as possible .” The authors say that the World Health Organization should address ‘ genuine tobacco industry malpractice ’, but warns that it must not ‘ create a counterproductive barrier to reduced risk products that have public health benefits ’. They want the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to be ‘ more open to stakeholders with harm-reduction perspectives , including consumers and public health experts ’. Most significantly they want an independent review of the WHO ’ s approach to tobacco policy . They concluded : “ Such a review could address the interpretation and use of science , the quality of policy advice , stakeholder engagement , accountability and governance .”
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