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Tag: Good COP

  • Good Cop 2.0 Concludes with Focus on Prohibitionist Policies

    Good Cop 2.0 Concludes with Focus on Prohibitionist Policies

    The final day of Good COP 2.0 highlighted the global consequences of strict, prohibitionist tobacco control measures. Speakers drew attention to the rise in illicit trade, gang violence, and punitive enforcement, attributing these outcomes to policies like heavy taxation and rigid pre-market approval systems promoted under WHO guidelines, which often overlook scientific evidence and consumer behavior.

    “There is a portion of people that you’ll never reach by only appealing to the evidence,” said author Jacob Grier. “It’s also important to change the framing and shift the culture.”

    Panel discussions explored the real-world harms of fundamentalist approaches and stressed the importance of including consumer perspectives in policymaking. Experts also outlined frameworks for effective, humane nicotine regulation, including suggestions that U.S. reforms might require a partial repeal of the Tobacco Control Act and a more measured FDA approach.

    The event concluded with an open forum, allowing participants to reflect on the week’s discussions and emphasizing the urgent need for reform within the WHO’s FCTC framework to create balanced, evidence-based global tobacco policy.

    “Of the funds that are contributed to the WHO, a significant percentage goes to the FCTC Secretariat,” said professor Tikki Pangestu. “Only a small amount goes toward running the programs. Meanwhile, a growing percentage of WHO funding comes not from member nations, but from outside groups with dubious agendas.”

  • CAPHRA Releases White Paper on THR in Asia Pacific

    CAPHRA Releases White Paper on THR in Asia Pacific

    The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) unveiled a new white paper, Harm Reduction Denied in Asia Pacific, during the “Asia Day” event at Good Cop 2.0 in Geneva, coinciding with FCTC COP11. The paper examines inconsistencies in WHO’s tobacco control approach across the SEARO and WPRO regions, drawing on official WHO data such as the Global Report on Trends in Tobacco Use 2000–2030 and the Global Health Observatory. It calls for reform in the application of harm reduction under the FCTC, proposing evidence-based policy solutions that align with public health objectives while respecting human rights principles. Among its recommendations are regulation rather than prohibition of safer nicotine products, inclusion of consumers and independent scientists in policymaking, and greater transparency and accountability in FCTC processes.

    CAPHRA emphasizes that denying harm reduction perpetuates preventable disease, encourages illicit trade, and undermines trust in public health systems. The white paper urges WHO member states at COP11 to reaffirm Article 1(d) of the FCTC by recognizing harm reduction as a key pillar of tobacco control and to adopt pragmatic, science-driven policies that protect lives. The full report is available here.

  • “Good COP” to Parallel WHO’s COP11

    “Good COP” to Parallel WHO’s COP11

    The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) announced the launch of “Conference of the People (Good COP)” to be held November 19 in Geneva, parallel to the World Health Organization’s COP11. Good COP will be a “rapid-response and fact-checking forum” to counter discussions from the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

    The event aims to unite taxpayer-, free-market-, and harm-reduction organizations to challenge misinformation and present alternative, evidence-based perspectives. It is intended to be an open forum for consumers, independent scientists, and journalists who are often excluded from WHO’s closed-door sessions.

    “Currently, there is no cohesive, organized message to balance the misinformation stemming from the WHO and institutions under the auspices of the FCTC,” the TPA said in a press release. “Each day of the conference, experts and consumers will gather to respond in real-time to COP proceedings and hear from sponsoring organizations who will set the agenda for their respective day.”

    The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) also announced today (October 27) that it will hold “Asia Day – The Good Cop 2.0,” in conjunction with the TPA event. “Asia Pacific cannot afford another decade of ‘quit or die’ policies,” said Clarisse Virgino, CAPHRA’s Philippines representative. “We’ve seen harm reduction save lives in HIV, alcohol, and drug policy — denying it for tobacco is both unscientific and unethical.”

    “Asia Day will not be about slogans or ideology — it’s about dialogue, data, and human rights,” said Nancy Loucas, CAPHRA’s Executive Coordinator.