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Tag: FCTC

  • CAPHRA Slams WHO Over Barriers to COP11 Participation

    CAPHRA Slams WHO Over Barriers to COP11 Participation

    The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) criticized the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) for imposing what it calls “insane” registration requirements for the upcoming COP11 in Geneva. Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas said the late opening of registration, coupled with onerous demands for personal documentation, a letter of intent, a full CV, and a declaration of zero tobacco funding, is deliberately designed to exclude consumer advocacy groups and harm reduction voices. Despite the FCTC being in place for two decades, not a single consumer group has ever been granted observer status, while only 26 NGOs have been approved overall, far fewer than in comparable UN forums such as climate negotiations.

    CAPHRA said the WHO’s restrictive interpretation of Article 5.3 has been weaponized to silence stakeholders, including people who smoke or use safer nicotine products. Proceedings remain closed to the media and the public, with no live streaming or meaningful transparency, a practice Loucas calls fundamentally undemocratic. CAPHRA is urging reform to allow full and fair participation, stressing that genuine tobacco harm reduction requires including the very consumers most affected by global policy decisions.

  • WHO Report Links Tobacco Use to Child Stunting

    WHO Report Links Tobacco Use to Child Stunting

    The World Health Organization (WHO) published a new report warning that tobacco use plays a significant role in child stunting, a condition that affects nearly 150 million children worldwide, particularly in Africa and Asia. Stunting increases the risk of disease, delayed development, and early death. The document, the 11th in WHO’s tobacco knowledge summary series, is aimed at health professionals, policymakers, and public health advocates.

    WHO said that maternal smoking during pregnancy is strongly linked to preterm birth, low birth weight, and restricted fetal growth, all major predictors of stunting by age 2. Children exposed to second-hand smoke are also at higher risk, it said, with evidence showing that the harm intensifies with the level of exposure. By contrast, quitting smoking during pregnancy improves growth outcomes, reducing the risk of stunting.

    The organization is urging governments to strengthen tobacco control policies in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and MPOWER measures. WHO stressed that reducing tobacco exposure is critical to improving survival, growth, and development, and to achieving global health goals.

  • Indonesia Moves to Classify Tobacco as a Strategic Commodity

    Indonesia Moves to Classify Tobacco as a Strategic Commodity

    Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR) is drafting a bill to include tobacco among eight strategic plantation commodities, aiming to safeguard the sector and protect farmer livelihoods. The move comes amid falling tobacco absorption and growing farmer concerns. Lawmaker Sofyan Dedy Ardyanto, who represents Temanggung, Central Java, said the bill has been shaped with input from the Indonesian Tobacco Farmers Association (APTI) and local governments.

    Despite declining demand, Indonesia remains one of the world’s largest cigarette markets, with the industry supporting more than 5 million workers and contributing significantly to state revenue through excise taxes.

    Ardyanto cautioned that the country’s ratification of the FCTC has weakened the sector. “The industry is still viable, but our regulations treat it like a dying sector,” he said.

  • CAPHRA Challenges WHO’s Tobacco Control Approach

    CAPHRA Challenges WHO’s Tobacco Control Approach

    A new Shadow Report from the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) criticizes the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global tobacco control strategy for neglecting harm reduction — a key component of the WHO’s own Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). CAPHRA’s report argues that countries strictly following WHO’s MPOWER measures, like Thailand and India, have seen only limited declines in smoking, while nations adopting harm reduction tools, such as vaping, have achieved greater success. It cites the UK, Japan, New Zealand, and Canada as leading examples.

    With over 1 billion smokers worldwide, CAPHRA calls for “practical, science-based solutions” to replace abstinence-only approaches. The group also condemns the exclusion of harm reduction advocates from policy discussions under FCTC Article 5.3.

    “This is a call to action,” the report states. “We must replace moralistic dogma with practical solutions. It is time to make smoking — the deadliest form of tobacco use — public enemy No. 1, and to deploy harm reduction as a frontline strategy.”

  • Global Experts Warn WHO’s Anti-Harm Reduction Stance Undermines Goals

    Global Experts Warn WHO’s Anti-Harm Reduction Stance Undermines Goals

    A panel of global tobacco harm reduction experts convened this week to criticize the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Secretariat for undermining the goals of World No Tobacco Day. The group expressed frustration over the WHO’s refusal to support harm-reduction tools, such as vaping and nicotine pouches, despite growing evidence of their effectiveness in helping smokers quit.

    “The WHO dismisses adult smokers and vapers, even though adults bear the vast majority of tobacco-related harm,” said Martin Cullip, International Fellow at the Taxpayers Protection Alliance. “It’s odd to see the organization celebrate bans on products that aren’t even made from tobacco.”

    Participants from Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom argued that the WHO’s prohibitionist approach is counterproductive, exacerbating smoking-related deaths and fueling black markets.

    “Australia has a massive black market and 66 people die daily from smoking-related disease,” said Pippa Starr, founder of A.L.I.V.E. (Australia, Let’s Improve Vaping Education). “These outcomes are tied to WHO-endorsed policies. Rather than reward failed approaches, the WHO should be focused on saving lives.”

    Panelists emphasized the contradiction in the WHO’s mission: while claiming to reduce tobacco deaths, it continues to oppose safer alternatives proven to help smokers quit.

    “WHO policies are scripted and disconnected,” said Kurt Yeo, co-founder of South Africa’s Vaping Saved My Life (VSML). “We need a full range of tools to achieve a smoke-free future. Prohibition has failed in countries like Mexico, India, and Singapore. The WHO isn’t facing the real issues.”

    The group urged the WHO and FCTC to embrace innovation, listen to consumers, and support harm reduction as a legitimate path to ending the global smoking epidemic.

    “Harm reduction works,” Reem Ibrahim, communications manager at the UK’s Institute of Economic Affairs, said. “These products help people quit. But the WHO’s strategy blocks access and ultimately harms public health.”

  • FCTC Deserves Criticism, Not Celebration, Says TPA

    FCTC Deserves Criticism, Not Celebration, Says TPA

    As the World Health Organization (WHO) marks the 20th anniversary of its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), a panel hosted by the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) used the occasion to reflect on what they called decades of stagnation, missed opportunities, and dangerous resistance to innovation in the field of tobacco harm reduction.

    “The FCTC should have marked a turning point in global tobacco control,” said Clive Bates, former director of Action on Smoking and Health (UK). “Instead, the WHO remains entrenched in outdated, prohibition-style thinking. They actively oppose safer alternatives like vaping, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches—tools that are demonstrably helping people quit smoking.”

    Panelists argued that the WHO’s refusal to embrace harm-reduction approaches is not just short-sighted but scientifically indefensible. Many urged countries participating in the treaty to reconsider their blind alignment with WHO policy and instead focus on pragmatic, evidence-based strategies that prioritize public health outcomes.

    “Whether it’s COVID-19 or tobacco policy, the WHO has failed repeatedly,” Roger Bate, a global health policy expert at the International Center for Law and Economics said. “We need fundamental reform. If the organization cannot evolve to incorporate modern science and real-world solutions, then it risks becoming obsolete.”

    David Williams, president of TPA, echoed this sentiment, calling the WHO’s current approach “dangerous and irresponsible.” He cited the organization’s refusal to recognize smoke-free alternatives, even as mounting research shows their effectiveness in reducing harm. “E-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are saving lives,” Williams said. “These are tools funded by taxpayers, yet the WHO continues to reject them without sound justification. That’s not just bad policy—it’s negligence.”

    Williams also promoted TPA’s global campaign, Good COP/Bad COP, which launched during the 2024 FCTC COP10 meeting in Panama. A follow-up event is planned for 2025 in Geneva, aimed at holding the WHO accountable. “We’re building a coalition of doctors, consumers, and advocates who want the WHO to work for the people, not against them,” he said.

    Martin Cullip, international fellow at TPA’s Consumer Center, summed up the panel’s frustration. “The FCTC was a good idea that has gone terribly wrong. We’ve lost 20 years of potential progress because of rigid ideology.”

    The panel urged WHO leaders to abandon a dogmatic stance and embrace harm reduction as a key component of tobacco control moving forward. As Clive Bates concluded, “The WHO has become unethical, unaccountable, and ineffective. If they truly care about saving lives, they must stop ignoring the science. Harm reduction has to be part of the solution.”

  • CAPHRA Urges COP11 Attendees to Shift View on Harm Reduction 

    CAPHRA Urges COP11 Attendees to Shift View on Harm Reduction 

    The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) today (March 31) urged global tobacco control policymakers to abandon outdated prohibitionist approaches and embrace harm reduction strategies grounded in science.  

    Ahead of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control’s (FCTC) COP11 meeting later this year, CAPHRA emphasized that meaningful progress requires inclusion, transparency, and a commitment to evidence-based policymaking. 

    Despite decades of tobacco control efforts, global smoking rates have stagnated at 1.1 billion smokers since 2000. CAPHRA attributes this failure to the FCTC’s refusal to engage with harm reduction strategies or include consumer organizations in its decision-making processes. 

    “The FCTC’s ‘quit or die’ approach has failed. It’s time for a mindset shift that prioritizes science over ideology and inclusion over exclusion,” Nancy Loucas, CAPHRA Executive Coordinator, said. “Consumer organizations like CAPHRA represent millions who have successfully transitioned to safer alternatives—our lived experiences must inform policy. 

    “COP11 presents an opportunity for the WHO FCTC to finally grant observer status to consumer advocacy groups. Without the voices of those directly impacted by tobacco harm reduction strategies, policymaking remains disconnected from reality. The secrecy surrounding COP meetings undermines trust and progress. Hosting open consultations with civil society during proceedings would ensure accountability and bring much-needed balance to global tobacco control discussions.” 

  • Lebanon to Adopt WHO FCTC Policies 

    Lebanon to Adopt WHO FCTC Policies 

    Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health joined with leaders from the World Health Organization to announce the “Tobacco Control Investment Case Study in Lebanon,” which says the country could avert more than $400 million in economic losses and save up to 40,000 lives over the next 15 years by implementing several key tobacco control policies recommended by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

    “Today, we are presented with strong evidence showing that tobacco control is not only a health priority but also a sound economic investment,” Minister of Public Health of Lebanon, Dr. Rakan Nassereldine, said. “This study quantifies what we have long known: tobacco use is devastating to individual health, increasing the burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses. But beyond the human suffering, tobacco also imposes an enormous cost on our healthcare system, weakens productivity, and drains resources that Lebanon can no longer afford to lose.”

    Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, a WHO Representative in Lebanon, emphasized that the national tobacco control law targeting to implement the various aspects of the WHO FCTC is an important public health measure that aims at improving people’s health, preventing harm to non-smokers’ health, and reducing the economic burden of smoking at the national level. He indicated that Lebanon stands as one of the top countries in the region for high smoking prevalence, highlighting an urgent need for decisive action in tobacco control.  “Integrating tobacco control into national economic recovery and growth plans and policies, will be critical in helping Lebanon achieve its economic goal” he said.

    Among the policies being recommended are increasing tax rates on tobacco, creating smoke-free public places and workplaces, requiring graphic health warnings on tobacco product packaging, strengthening public awareness of tobacco control issues, and promoting the cessation of tobacco use.

  • Fiji Assessing Needs to Implement FCTC’s Illicit Tobacco Protocol  

    Fiji Assessing Needs to Implement FCTC’s Illicit Tobacco Protocol  

    An international team is working with officials in Fiji this week to assess the nation’s needs for effectively implementing the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, the first protocol adopted under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). Illicit trade, officials say, threatens public health by increasing access to cheaper tobacco products, fueling the tobacco epidemic, and undermining tobacco control policies. It also leads to significant government revenue losses and contributes to the funding of international criminal activities.

    This international treaty aims to eliminate all forms of illicit trade in tobacco products through a package of measures implemented by countries cooperating. The assessment is being conducted by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, WHO FCTC Secretariat, and WHO.

    Fiji loses FJD 319 million ($140 million) to tobacco-related costs annually, which represents 2.7% of its GDP and significantly exceeds revenues from cigarette taxes. A key finding from “Operation EXIT,” a collaboration between the Oceania Customs Organization and the WHO, revealed that illicit tobacco trade is on the rise in the Pacific region.

    “Every year, tobacco use claims more than 1,200 Fijian lives, with 71% of these deaths occurring in individuals under the age of 70,” Permanent Secretary for Fiji Health and Medical Services Dr. Jemesa Tudravu said. “The prevalence of smoking in Fiji remains notably high, particularly among adults and young people, posing a severe threat to our public health. The impact of tobacco-related diseases results in increased morbidity and mortality, affecting families, communities, and our entire nation.” 

  • FCTC Slammed for Self-Congratulatory Approach

    FCTC Slammed for Self-Congratulatory Approach

    Last week, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) – one of the biggest United Nations treaties in history – celebrated its 20th anniversary with WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus calling tobacco a plague on humanity.

    “Over the past two decades … global tobacco use prevalence has dropped by one-third,” he said. “The WHO FCTC has helped to save millions of lives through strengthened tobacco control measures around the world.”

    Not everyone was impressed, however, as today the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) condemned the FCTC for “celebrating institutional achievements whilst millions across the Asia Pacific region continue to die from preventable smoking-related diseases.”  

    “The FCTC’s self-congratulatory approach is deeply offensive to communities devastated by preventable tobacco deaths,” said Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA. “While they celebrate incremental victories, over one billion people globally continue smoking, with the majority in low and middle-income countries across our region. Their refusal to acknowledge harm reduction alternatives is costing countless lives.” 

    CAPHRA said that despite mounting evidence supporting tobacco harm reduction, the FCTC continues to marginalize consumer advocates while maintaining policies that deny smokers access to potentially life-saving alternatives. The FCTC systematically excludes these voices from policy deliberations, dismissing their lived experiences and denying others who smoke in Asia the opportunity to access reduced harm alternatives.  

     “The FCTC’s unwillingness to evolve in the face of overwhelming evidence amounts to a human rights issue,” Loucas said. “By reducing tobacco harm reduction to an industry construct, the FCTC effectively sentences millions to preventable suffering.” 

    CAPHRA is calling on delegates of the upcoming COP11 meeting to “adopt risk-proportionate regulations that distinguish safer alternatives from deadly combustible products, subject FCTC policies to UN human rights oversight, and acknowledge the successes of countries who have embraced tobacco harm reduction in their public health policies that confirms the scientific consensus on safer nicotine products as critical harm reduction tools.”