“A well-known New Zealand vaping advocate has returned from the Philippines resolute that the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) steadfast position of tobacco control, not harm reduction, is costing considerable lives globally. Nancy Loucas, Executive Director for CAPHRA (Coalition of Asia-Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates), says the meeting of the Ninth Session of Parties (CoP9) of WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) at The Hague in November is once again set to exclude the likes of CAPHRA. Ms Loucas says WHO ignored a 2018 letter sent to them by 72 tobacco harm scientific experts who stated: ‘That it is time for tobacco control to embrace tobacco harm reduction’. Ahead of WHO’s biannual meeting for tobacco controllers later this year, CAPHRA has committed to launching an Asia-wide education and information campaign, #SmokeFree4Life, about the benefits of electronic cigarettes, heat-not-burn tobacco, snus and other smoke-free nicotine products. The Asia-Pacific advocates will also urge health authorities attending to raise the rights of smokers who want to switch to less harmful smoke-free alternatives.”
ARTICLE LINK:
Kiwi vaping advocate takes on WHO’s tobacco stance
Store
