Tag: Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates

‘Good COP, Bad COP’ Awards Announced
Tobacco harm reduction (THR) advocates have handed out “Good COP, Bad COP” awards following the ninth Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) from Nov. 8-12.
Banned from participating in the gathering the THR advocates organized a global livestream that ran simultaneously to the COP9.
Dubbed sCOPe, the round-the-clock YouTube simulcast attracted significant attention, adding to increasing international pressure on the WHO to embrace safer nicotine products, not demonize them.
Nancy Loucas of the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates says sCOPe gave a voice to leading consumer advocates who were shut out of COP9. The focus, however, must now move to preparing for COP10 in 2023 where harm reduction products will be a key discussion for delegates.
“Those of us passionate about safer nicotine products must reach out to the likes of public health officials and influencers. We need to humanize this debate and show how vaping has saved the lives of millions of ex-smokers,” said Loucas.
sCOPe’s Good COP awards:
The “Wow, Someone’s Actually Telling Us What’s Going On” Award went to COPWATCH for getting on the inside and giving the world real-time insights online.
The “Give the Man a Cigar” Award went to Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary, Teodoro Locsin Jr, for standing up to COP9 delegates by promoting the use of science in tobacco control.
The “I am the Evidence” Award went to passionate U.S. consumer advocate and sCOPe panellist, Liana Hudspeth.
sCOPe’s Bad COP awards:
The “You Shouldn’t Really Say That About Yourself” Award goes to FCTC Head Adriana Blanco Marquizo for her “How industry weaponizes science” Tweet, which the THR advocates described as “very bizarre.”
The “Our Proposal Won’t Do A Thing But Delegates Loved It” Award went to Iran, whose government holds a sizable stake in its domestic tobacco industry.
The “Where the Hell Is Wally” Award went to WHO sponsor, anti-vape crusader, and American billionaire Michael Bloomberg for trading in COP9 and instead flying to the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow.
November 21, 2021
Filipino Delegate Lauded for ‘COP Courage’

Teodoro Locsin Jr.
(Photo: Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs)
Tobacco harm reduction (THR) advocates and vapers have praised Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. for his insistence at the ninth Conference of the Parties (COP9) that the latest scientific information must be considered to solve the global smoking problem.
“We salute his bravery at COP9 for promoting the Philippines’ balanced and evidence-based approach to safer nicotine products,” said Peter Dator, president of consumer group Vapers PH and Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) member. “Opponents and officials have since done their best to discredit Secretary Locsin and disrespect our country’s democracy and sovereignty, but they have failed badly.”
“In a world where smoking causes 8 million deaths every year, Secretary Locsin has done everyone a huge favor,” said Nancy Loucas, executive coordinator of CAPHRA. “Telling COP9 about the success of ‘far less harmful novel tobacco products’ and the Philippine government’s political support for them was music to the ears of the millions who’ve successful[ly] quit deadly cigarettes via vaping.”

We salute his bravery at COP9 for promoting the Philippines’ balanced and evidence-based approach to safer nicotine products.
Peter Dator, president, Vapers PH
Loucas organized a global livestream called sCOPe during COP9, featuring leading THR experts and consumer advocates. The livestream added to the increasing pressure on the WHO to embrace safer nicotine products.
“How can we trust the WHO and the FCTC when they are afraid of science? In this age of fake news and alternative facts, it is important for governments to take a stand for the facts and know how to sift through the propaganda. This is what Secretary Locsin did at COP9, and I join the Philippine Cabinet and Congress in commending his actions,” said Dator.
Earlier, Locsin had drawn fire from the Philippines Department of Health for stating that tobacco products were a “source of good through taxation” for the Philippines.
The health department said that it was misleading to praise the tobacco industry’s role in raising tax revenues. In 2011, the cost of tobacco-related diseases was estimated at PHP177 billion ($3.54 billion) annually, the agency noted. This was seven times higher than the PHP25.9 billion collected in taxes from tobacco products.
November 16, 2021
Alarm About Proposed Open System Ban

Photo: Olgacanals | Dreamstime
Millions of vapers could feel forced to return to smoking if national governments adopt a proposal from the World Health Organization (WHO) on e-cigarettes, warns the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA)
A new report published by the WHO’s tobacco regulatory committee recommends nearly all vapes—especially “open systems”—be banned. It also demands existing restrictions on cigarettes be applied to emerging products, presumably so smokers won’t learn about them.
In the open system, which is the preferred way of vaping for many people across Asia, the consumer manually refills the liquid to be vaporized. According to the WHO, this system allows for the addition of substances that could make the product more harmful.
“The latest recommendation from WHO defies all logic,” said Nancy Loucas, the executive coordinator of CAPHRA, in a statement. “If countries adopt the recommendation to ban open system vapes, years of hard work by ex-smokers as well as good public policy will be rendered meaningless.”
“Let there be no doubt: Vapers will then go back to cigarettes, which is the worst possible outcome.”
“Banning any product is not the answer nor is applying blanket cigarette rules to all emerging products. Bans encourage the black market. Bans do not allow for proper consumer protection,” Loucas said.
CAPHRA is calling on governments to adopt evidence-based, common sense regulations for all vaping products.
“Just last week, the U.K.’s leading health agency, Public Health England (PHE), concluded that nicotine vaping products were the most popular aid used by smokers trying to quit,” Loucas said.
“On the one hand, you have a local public health agency looking into the evidence and ways in which smokers can be encouraged to quit smoking and vape, and on the other, you have a global agency stuck in their old ways of believing prohibition is the answer to everything.”
“WHO’s attitude to e-cigarettes has been devastating for millions and millions of smokers and vapers alike all around the world,” Loucas said.
CAPHRA said it’s only through regulating products that vapers can remain protected, encouraged to stop smoking and, as a result, achieve good public health outcomes.
March 5, 2021