The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) released a position paper urging governments across the region to adopt risk-proportionate taxation for safer nicotine products. The paper warns that current tax regimes, often imported from Western models, are failing Asia Pacific’s unique needs and are undermining tobacco harm reduction.
“High taxes on safer nicotine products, set at the same level as cigarettes, simply protect the cigarette trade while punishing adults trying to make healthier choices,” said Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA. “Public health policy must empower informed choices, not restrict them through fear and financial barriers.”
CAPHRA’s paper highlights that in many Asia Pacific countries, safer nicotine products are either banned or taxed at punitive rates, making them inaccessible for those who need them most. This approach, often driven by international pressure and revenue priorities, fuels black markets and undermines public trust.
CAPHRA said countries like Japan, the Philippines, and New Zealand, which have introduced risk-proportionate regulation and taxation, have seen marked declines in smoking rates, and thus calls on governments to follow this evidence, rather than impose one-size-fits-all policies that ignore local realities.
“As future health crises loom, prioritizing revenue over people’s well-being is short-sighted and dangerous,” said Loucas. “Governments must align tax policies with science, evidence, and the right to make informed health decisions.”
