Tag: Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates

Kazakhstan Urged to Reconsider Policies
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) today called on the government of Kazakhstan to reassess its stance on tobacco harm reduction (THR) products, citing compelling evidence from Japan demonstrating the significant health and economic benefits of embracing safer alternatives to smoking.
A recent study published in the journal Healthcare reveals that if 50 percent of smokers in Japan switched from combustible cigarettes to heated tobacco products (HTPs), it could prevent 12 million patient cases and save JPY 454 billion in healthcare costs. This data underscores the immense potential of THR strategies in countries with high smoking rates.
Nancy Loucas, the executive coordinator of CAPHRA, stated that the Japanese example clearly illustrates that HTPs can be an effective harm reduction tool in nations where smoking prevalence remains high, and other safer nicotine products are unavailable.
“Kazakhstan, with its significant gender disparity in smoking rates and tobacco-related health issues, could greatly benefit from adopting a more progressive approach to THR. Kazakhstan’s current policies treat all nicotine products, including less harmful alternatives, the same as traditional cigarettes,” Loucas explains in an e-mailed release. “This approach, coupled with the recent ban on vapes and high taxes on smokeless alternatives, demonstrates a concerning lack of acceptance for harm reduction strategies.
“By ignoring the potential of THR products, Kazakhstan is missing a crucial opportunity to save lives,” Loucas added. “Our analysis suggests that embracing harm reduction policies could prevent 165,000 premature deaths in Kazakhstan over the next four decades.
The government must reconsider its stance for public health, stated Loucas. CAPHRA urges Kazakh policymakers to:
Review and revise current regulations to differentiate between combustible cigarettes and less harmful alternatives.
Following Japan’s successful model, the introduction of HTPs should be considered as a harm reduction tool.
Engage with public health experts and THR advocates to develop evidence-based policies.
Implement a tiered taxation system encouraging smokers to switch to less harmful products.
“The time for Kazakhstan to act is now,” Loucas stated. “By embracing tobacco harm reduction, the country can significantly improve public health outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and potentially narrow the life expectancy gap between men and women. We stand ready to support Kazakhstan in developing and implementing effective THR policies.”
November 19, 2024
Consumer Groups Demand Seat at COP11

Photo: v-a-butenkov
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is calling on the World Health Organization to open the upcoming Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Conference of the Parties (COP11) to consumer advocacy groups, in line with human rights principles and evidence-based policymaking.
“The WHO FCTC process must adopt a human rights approach that considers the implications across the entire life cycle of tobacco products, from growing to consumption,” said Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator of the CAPHRA. “This requires meaningful engagement of all stakeholders, including consumers, to strengthen policy formulation and implementation.”
The CAPHRA points to a WHO Western Pacific Regional Office’s report highlighting that “a key element to creating a successful tobacco control social movement is the meaningful engagement and involvement of civil society.” The report notes civil society’s crucial role in “initiating, leading and sustaining tobacco control efforts to improve public health.”
“Consumer groups are not constrained by bureaucracy and can hold both industry and government accountable,” Loucas added. “Our exclusion from COP11 flies in the face of the WHO’s stated principles on civil society engagement.”
The CAPHRA is urging the FCTC Secretariat to formally invite consumer advocacy groups as observers to COP11, to create dedicated sessions for civil society input during COP11 proceedings and to establish an ongoing mechanism for consumer group consultation between COPs.
The organization emphasizes that evidence clearly shows tobacco harm reduction strategies like vaping have helped millions quit smoking. Consumer voices are critical to ensure policies reflect real-world impacts.
“The WHO cannot claim to take a human rights approach while silencing the very people their policies affect,” said Loucas. “It’s time to practice what they preach on civil society engagement and let consumers into COP11.”
October 29, 2024
Activists Celebrate Declining Smoking Rates

Photo: sezerozger
New Zealand has achieved its Smoke-Free 2025 goal ahead of schedule, with smoking rates plummeting to unprecedented lows, according to the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA).
Data from the most recent New Zealand Health Survey reveals that smoking rates have fallen dramatically, particularly among youth. The decline has been so significant that statisticians now struggle to accurately measure the small proportion of young smokers due to sample size limitations, says the CAPHRA, which attributes the success to New Zealand’s accommodation of new nicotine products as tools to help nicotine users transition away from cigarettes.
“New Zealand’s success in reducing smoking rates is a testament to the country’s progressive approach to tobacco harm reduction,” said Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator of the CAPHRA. “By embracing vaping and other less harmful alternatives, we’ve seen smoking rates drop from 11.9 percent in 2020 to an astounding 6.8 percent in 2023. This is a clear indication that our strategy is working.”

Our success story should be a wake-up call for countries like Australia who are still clinging to prohibitionist policies.
Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator, CAPHRA
The success is particularly notable among young people, with youth smoking rates reaching historic lows. “The fact that we’re having difficulty measuring youth smoking rates due to their minuscule prevalence is a cause for celebration,” Loucas added. “It’s a clear sign that we’re winning the battle against smoking-related harm.”
Despite this undeniable success, some in the tobacco control and public health sectors seem reluctant to acknowledge the effectiveness of New Zealand’s approach, according to the CAPHRA.
“It’s perplexing that some individuals in tobacco control can’t seem to accept our successful strategy,” said Loucas. “We’ve achieved what many thought impossible, yet instead of celebrating, they’re focusing on potential issues with vaping. We need to recognize this victory and continue supporting policies that have proven effective in reducing smoking rates.”
The CAPHRA urges policymakers and health advocates worldwide to look to New Zealand as a model for successful tobacco harm reduction. The organization emphasizes the importance of embracing evidence-based approaches that include a range of less harmful alternatives to smoking.
“Our success story should be a wake-up call for countries like Australia who are still clinging to prohibitionist policies,” said Loucas. “It’s time to put aside preconceived notions and focus on what works—a pragmatic harm reduction approach that prioritizes public health over ideology.”
October 14, 2024
New Zealand Urged to Rethink Disposables Ban

Photo: Evgeniy Vershinin
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is urging New Zealand to reconsider its proposed vaping regulations, which include a ban on closed systems, tighter limits on displays in retail shops and new flavor restrictions.
“This amendment will make it more difficult for adults who smoke to access vaping products, potentially pushing them back to smoking,” said CAPHRA Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas. “It’s a step backward in our journey toward a smoke-free New Zealand.”
The CAPHRA submission highlights several concerns. According to the advocacy group, the ban disproportionately affects older adults and those with dexterity issues who rely on simpler closed systems. The proposed display restrictions, says CAPHRA, may deter smokers from switching to less harmful alternatives. Meanwhile, the focus on further display restrictions in retail shops ignores the real issue of social supply to youth, according to the organization, while flavor restrictions could hinder successful smoking cessation efforts.
“Consumers have the right to make informed choices about their health. This amendment proposes to restrict consumer autonomy and may hinder harm reduction efforts,” said Loucas.
“Even the Ministry of Health suggested that the regulations, as they are, are fit for purpose, and the ASH Year 10 survey has shown that youth vaping has declined from the peak a couple of years ago.
“CAPHRA calls for a more balanced approach, focusing on education and transparent risk communication. By highlighting the facts about vaping, who it is for and what it is, we can combat misinformation and support public health,” said Loucas.
September 16, 2024
Asia Pacific Urged to Permit Oral Nicotine

Photo: Tobacco Reporter archive
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.”
July 19, 2024
COP10: Activists Demand Evidence-Based Approach

Nancy Loucas (Photo: CAPHRA)
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) has called on the World Health Organization and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to adopt a more transparent, open and evidence-based approach to tobacco harm reduction.
“This demand comes in light of the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP10) in Panama, where governments will discuss global strategies to address the tobacco epidemic”, said Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator of CAPHRA.
CAPHRA’s critique aligns with the insights of Clive Bates, a renowned tobacco control expert, who has highlighted the WHO’s counterproductive stance on safer nicotine alternatives such as vaping and heated tobacco products. Bates argues that the WHO’s approach, which often leans towards prohibition, inadvertently protects the cigarette trade, fosters black markets, and prolongs the epidemic of smoking-related diseases.
“CAPHRA emphasizes the need for the WHO and FCTC to engage with all stakeholders, including consumer groups, and to consider the full spectrum of scientific evidence when formulating policies,” said Loucas.
“We believe that the focus should be on reducing the harm caused by smoked tobacco, which is the primary contributor to tobacco-related health issues.”
CAPHRA also calls for webcasting and public access to the entire COP10 meeting to ensure transparency and accountability.
“The positions adopted by delegates and observers should be open for all to see, fostering a more inclusive and evidence-driven dialogue”, said Loucas.
In the spirit of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the FCTC treaty, CAPHRA advocates for a re-evaluation of the treaty’s approach to tobacco harm reduction, urging parties to consider the potential benefits of risk-proportionate regulations that protect public health while ensuring the availability of safer nicotine alternatives.
February 6, 2024
COP Urged to Implement Harm Reduction

From left to right: Lorenzo Mata, Nancy Loucas and Jay Jazul
Consumer advocacy group Quit for Good asked the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to consider the lives of more than a billion smokers when it convenes the 10th Conference of the Parties in Panama next week.
Lorenzo Mata Jr., president of Quit for Good, said the WHO should implement FCTC Article 1 (d) on harm reduction strategies to help smokers. The treaty defines tobacco control as “a range of supply, demand and harm reduction strategies.”
“Offering safer nicotine products to millions of adult smokers who want to reduce their exposure to toxic substances from smoke is common sense. This is what tobacco harm reduction (THR) is all about, which the WHO FCTC refuses to implement despite being part of the global treaty,” Mata said.
Representatives from countries that are signatories to the FCTC will meet in Panama for the 10th Conference of the Parties this year, after the meeting was canceled in November 2023, to tackle major topics such as how to treat “novel and emerging tobacco and nicotine products.”
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) said blocking the use of products that can help save smokers’ lives is against the mission of the FCTC—a global treaty endorsed by most countries.
“People who smoke should have the right to access less harmful alternatives to smoking, and the WHO FCTC should focus on helping them. We need a pragmatic campaign to reduce the harm caused by smoking, rather than a dogmatic, deceptive, ineffective campaign to compel abstinence,” CAPHRA executive coordinator Nancy Loucas said.
Loucas said the annual reviews of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, formerly Public Health England, have consistently shown that vaping carries a fraction of the risks of smoking. “Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence supporting vaping products as less harmful alternatives to smoking, the WHO has consistently disregarded the positive role that vaping can play in tobacco control,” she said.
“It is time for the WHO FCTC and its member states to listen to the voice of the people that they are supposed to fight for and not against—the over 1 billion smokers whose lives are in danger if they continue to smoke,” she said.
Loucas’ views were echoed by Jay Jazul, lead convener of the Harm Reduction Alliance of the Philippines (HARAP). “E-cigarettes do not threaten public health but provide smokers with an exit from smoking, which is the real problem,” he said. “The WHO’s failure to substantiate its claims against e-cigarettes and labeling these innovative products an emerging threat to public health is worrisome.”
“The nicotine was not the problem, it was the delivery system that was the problem. We’ve known that for 50 years,” said David Sweanor of the University of Ottawa at a recent conference in Korea.
“The best example of how products that don’t burn tobacco can benefit public health comes from Sweden, which has the lowest smoking prevalence among men in the European Union and consequently the lowest tobacco-related mortality,” said Lars M. Ramström, the principal investigator at the Institute for Tobacco Studies, which recently published a paper on the topic. Ramström served as a WHO expert and as secretary general of the 4^th World Conference on Smoking and Health.
“The meeting of the world’s health leaders in Panama, the COP10, represents a unique opportunity to take a fresh look at the most recent evidence with an open mind. After all, if Sweden had followed WHO’s advice from 20 years ago and banned snus, tobacco-related deaths in Sweden would have been much higher and the only unintended beneficiary profiting from such advice would be the cigarette industry,” said Ramström.
In the runup to COP10, industry representatives have raised concerns about the exclusion of stakeholders from the discussions.

January 30, 2024
Activists Criticize COP10 Tactics

Photo: Alexey Novikov
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) today issued a sharp critique of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) for its exclusion of consumer groups and harm reduction advocates from the 10th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP10).
“CAPHRA argues that this exclusionary practice is in stark contrast to the successful, pragmatic approaches of countries like New Zealand, the Philippines and Malaysia, which have embraced vaping as a harm reduction tool,” said Nancy Loucas, a public health policy expert and passionate advocate for tobacco harm reduction and executive coordinator of CAPHRA.
The press release condemns the COP10 meetings for silencing the voices of those who advocate for harm reduction strategies, such as vaping, which have been shown to significantly reduce smoking prevalence in countries where they are available and regulated.
CAPHRA points out that the prohibitionist approach of countries like Australia, which recently banned vaping products, is not in the best interest of public health.
“CAPHRA calls on FCTC officials to open their minds to harm reduction and to consider the evidence from countries like New Zealand, where smoking rates have decreased due to the availability of regulated vaping products,” said Loucas.
The organization stresses the importance of including consumer groups in the decisionmaking process, as they provide essential insights into the needs of smokers and how alternative products can be used effectively.
January 25, 2024
CAPHRA Calls for Dismantling Regulator

Photo: Tonis Pan
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is calling for the disbanding of the Ministry of Health’s Vaping Regulatory Authority (VRA) in light of the recent court case involving VAPO. The Ministry of Health admitted to incorrectly threatening vape retailers, resulting in a legal victory for VAPO.
“CAPHRA believes that the VRA’s incorrect interpretation of regulations and subsequent actions against vape retailers demonstrate a lack of competence and effectiveness in fulfilling its role and responsibilities,” said Nancy Loucas, a prominent New Zealand public health consumer advocate and executive coordinator of the CAPHRA.
The organization emphasizes the potential negative impacts of the Ministry of Health’s actions on public health and the vaping industry as well as the need for a more effective regulatory body.
Loucas states, “The recent court case involving VAPO highlights the VRA’s inability to effectively regulate the vaping industry. It is time for the Ministry of Health to disband the VRA and establish a more competent and effective regulatory body that can protect public health and support the growth of a responsible vaping industry and includes consumer stakeholders.”
“Hiding behind Article 5.3 of the WHO’s [World Health Organization] Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and not engaging with those affected is a blatant cop-out and seeks to cover up their own incompetence,” said Loucas.
The court case involving VAPO revealed that the Ministry of Health had incorrectly interpreted regulations, leading to the court’s declaration in favor of VAPO. This outcome raises concerns about the VRA’s ability to effectively regulate the vaping industry and protect public health.
“CAPHRA urges the Ministry of Health to take immediate action to disband the VRA and establish a more effective regulatory body that can better serve the interests of public health by being inclusive of all stakeholders, including the vaping industry and consumer stakeholders,” Loucas said.
September 5, 2023
New Zealand Urged to Reject Australia’s Model

Photo: REDMASON/indysystem
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is calling on the New Zealand government to reject Australia’s approach to vaping and continue to follow the science and evidence.
CAPHRA has submitted comments on New Zealand’s proposals for the smoked tobacco regulatory regime, which include tightening current restrictions on vaping product safety requirements and packaging and reducing nicotine levels in disposable vapes as well as restricting the location of specialist vape retailers.
“CAPHRA believes that the regulations, as they are, work perfectly well, and that further restrictions will only serve to limit access to safer nicotine products for adult smokers seeking less harmful alternatives to combustible tobacco,” says CAPHRA executive coordinator and prominent New Zealand public health consumer advocate Nancy Loucas.
“The announcement that New Zealand would not follow Australia’s lead to a full prescription model for nicotine vaping further reinforces the need for a harm reduction approach that is based on science and evidence, not scaremongering by crowing Australians.”

CAPHRA believes that the regulations, as they are, work perfectly well, and that further restrictions will only serve to limit access to safer nicotine products for adult smokers seeking less harmful alternatives to combustible tobacco.
Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator, CAPHRA
In a press note announcing its submission to New Zealand’s proposals, CAPHRA cites an article in The Critic, “The Vape Scare Down Under,” which describes the Australian government’s approach to vaping is misguided and based on fear rather than evidence. The article argues that the government’s proposed ban on flavored e-cigarettes is not supported by the evidence and will only serve to drive vapers back to smoking. The article also highlights the success of vaping in reducing smoking rates in countries like the U.K. and New Zealand.
“Unfortunately, the vaping debate has become highly political instead of being about the science or the evidence which continues to show that vaping is reducing smoking rates around the world,” says Loucas.
CAPHRA continues to urge the New Zealand government to take a risk-proportionate approach to regulations that protect public health while ensuring the availability of these products for adult smokers seeking less harmful alternatives to combustible tobacco.
“New Zealand should not follow Australia’s policy on vaping, and instead continue to follow a harm reduction approach that is based on science and evidence. Harm reduction should be the driving force behind tobacco policy, and regulations should be risk-proportionate and protect public health while ensuring the availability of these products for adult smokers seeking less harmful alternatives to combustible tobacco,” Loucas said.
June 29, 2023