The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is urging governments across the Asia Pacific region to follow New Zealand’s lead and allow the sale of oral nicotine products as part of a comprehensive tobacco harm reduction strategy.
New Zealand’s government recently agreed in principle to permit the sale of reduced-harm smokeless tobacco and oral nicotine products, such as Swedish snus and nicotine pouches. This progressive policy aligns with mounting evidence that these products can play a crucial role in reducing smoking rates and improving public health outcomes.
“New Zealand’s approach demonstrates how embracing tobacco harm reduction can accelerate progress towards smoke-free goals,” said Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator of CAPHRA. “Their smoking rates have plummeted to historic lows, proving that pragmatic policies focused on harm reduction work.
“Recent data from New Zealand shows daily smoking rates have dropped to just 6.8 percent, down from 16.4 percent in 2011/2012. This remarkable decline coincides with the country’s adoption of progressive vaping regulations and openness to other reduced-risk nicotine products.”
According to Loucas, scientific evidence increasingly supports the harm reduction potential of oral nicotine products. She cited a study published in the Harm Reduction Journal, which found that snus use in Sweden has led to “substantially lower rates of smoking-related disease” compared to other European countries. Loucas also referenced research from the U.K.’s Royal College of Physicians, which concluded that nicotine products are “unlikely to exceed 5% of the harm from smoking tobacco.”
“Asia Pacific nations have an opportunity to dramatically improve public health by allowing and properly regulating these products,” Loucas said. “Continuing to ban safer alternatives while deadly cigarettes remain widely available is counterproductive and harmful to public health.
“CAPHRA emphasizes that regulations should ensure product quality and safety while making these alternatives accessible to adult smokers looking to quit. The organization calls for a balanced approach that protects youth while helping millions of current smokers transition away from combustible tobacco.
“We urge policymakers across the region to objectively review the evidence and engage with consumers and experts in tobacco harm reduction,” said Loucas. “It’s time to move beyond outdated ‘quit or die’ approaches and embrace the full range of tools available to end the smoking epidemic.”