The International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organizations (INNCO) has appointed Samrat Chowdhery as its president, reports APN News.
A former journalist, Chowdhery has been spearheading tobacco harm reduction activities in India as the founder of the Council for Harm Reduced Alternatives and the director of the Association of Vapers India.
Chowdhery was honored with the “Advocate of the Year” award at the Global Forum for Nicotine in Warsaw in June 2018. In May, Chowdhery spoke to Tobacco Reporter about the vapor business in India.
“While harm reduction is a well-accepted intervention strategy in many fields, from addiction treatment to pandemic response, it is finding uncharacteristic opposition in tobacco use, which kills 8 million people every year,” said Chowdhery. “Our goal is to ensure consumers have a say in the framing of global tobacco policies as they are affected the most by them.”
A global body of 34 national advocacy groups with UN observer status, INNCO represents consumers of low-risk, alternative nicotine products, and promotes tobacco harm reduction at the global stage.