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Tag: THR

  • CAPHRA Develops THR Policy

    CAPHRA Develops THR Policy

    The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates released a policy framework urging governments to adopt tobacco harm reduction (THR) as a regulated, health-led strategy to reduce deaths and disease from combustible tobacco and high-risk oral products. The framework emphasizes helping adult smokers quit or fully switch to lower-risk alternatives while preventing youth initiation, curbing marketing-driven uptake, and addressing unintended consequences such as underage use and illicit trade.

    CAPHRA Philippines spokesperson Clarisse Virgino said THR should be outcomes-led, combining risk-proportionate regulation with robust product standards, quality controls, and active enforcement to ensure safer real-world practices. The organization highlights that in regions with high tobacco-related harm, a regulated THR approach can accelerate public health gains while maintaining strong safeguards for young people.

    The complete policy framework can be accessed here.

  • CAPHRA Says FCTC’s Campaign Ignores THR Facts

    CAPHRA Says FCTC’s Campaign Ignores THR Facts

    The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates criticized the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control for what it calls an uncompromising stance on tobacco harm reduction, noting the treaty has fallen short of its 30% global tobacco use reduction target by 2025, with adult smoking prevalence still around 20% two decades after adoption.

    “By automatically dismissing every piece of evidence as ‘tobacco industry interference,’ the FCTC isolates itself from science,” CAPHRA said. “This political reflex perpetuates smoking-related harm, favoring illicit markets rather than public health.”

    Citing international examples, the group points to Japan’s uptake of heated tobacco products, New Zealand’s vaping-led smokefree strategy, Sweden’s oral nicotine model, and high rates of former smokers among UK vapers as evidence that regulated alternatives can accelerate smoking declines. The organization is urging FCTC parties to engage more openly with emerging THR data ahead of upcoming Conferences of the Parties, warning that prohibitionist approaches risk blocking potential health gains.

  • Sweden Nears Milestone as Europe’s First ‘Smoke-Free’ Nation

    Sweden Nears Milestone as Europe’s First ‘Smoke-Free’ Nation

    Sweden’s smoking rate is in decline this year, putting it on track to become Europe’s first smoke-free country, ready to eclipse the World Health Organization’s 5% threshold, according to Gulf News. Last year, its daily smoking rate fell to 5.2%, a sharp decline from 15% in 2005, credited to long-running public health campaigns and the widespread switch to lower-risk nicotine products such as snus and tobacco-free pouches.

    About 18% of Swedes now use snus or similar products, which, though not risk-free, experts say are far less harmful than cigarettes. Over the past decade, daily smoking has dropped 55%, accompanied by a 38% fall in tobacco-related deaths among men and a 41% decline in lung cancer cases.

    Public health specialists say Sweden’s blend of regulation, clear messaging, and safer alternatives—backed by high social trust—offers a potential roadmap for other nations working to cut smoking rates.

  • Nigeria Wants THR to Drive Low Smoking Rates Lower

    Nigeria Wants THR to Drive Low Smoking Rates Lower

    Despite already having one of the world’s lowest smoking rates at 3.7%, public-health experts are urging Nigeria to adopt a science-based, risk-proportionate tobacco harm-reduction (THR) strategy, saying the country cannot meaningfully cut smoking-related diseases without offering safer alternatives to cigarettes. Epidemiologist Dr. Yusuff Adebayo said traditional tobacco-control measures should be strengthened but paired with validated low-risk nicotine options for adults who cannot quit.

    Adebayo said Nigeria needs clear product standards, safety rules, transparent labelling, and tax policies that reflect relative risk, warning that high taxes or unclear regulations could push smokers to illicit, dangerous products.

    Adebayo cited countries such as the UK, Sweden, and Japan as examples of risk-proportionate frameworks that have helped reduce smoking rates. He also highlighted gaps in medical training, referencing a 2024 study showing uncertainty about THR among Nigerian medical students. Experts say a structured THR policy could also reduce illicit trade, attract compliant manufacturers, and lower long-term healthcare costs.

  • NPR Article Explores the THR Debate

    NPR Article Explores the THR Debate

    A new article by Gabrielle Emanuel and Arundathi Nair for NPR—titled Can Vaping Help Wean People Off Cigarettes? Anti-Smoking Advocates are Sharply Split—explores the debate over e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches as the WHO Tobacco Control Treaty meeting in Geneva concludes. The story examines the clash between advocates of harm reduction, who see these products as less harmful alternatives for smokers, and WHO and public health experts, who warn of risks to youth and non-smokers and accuse the industry of promoting nicotine addiction.

    The article highlights perspectives from prominent figures like Dr. Derek Yach, founder of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, and Professor Mike Cummings, both supporting harm reduction strategies, alongside WHO officials who stress potential harms and the need for strict regulation. It also explores the historical context of tobacco industry tactics and the ongoing tensions between science, policy, and ideology.

    “We ought to get the evidence and weigh it and debate it — and help guide the policies based on evidence, not on ideology,” Cummings concludes.

  • Experts Urge Malaysia to Embrace THR

    Experts Urge Malaysia to Embrace THR

    Malaysia continues to struggle with smoking, according to Dr. Arifin Fii, president of the Advanced Centre for Addiction Treatment Advocacy (ACATA), with roughly 20% of adults (4 million people) still smoking despite strict laws and high taxes. He argues that embracing tobacco harm reduction (THR) through vaping and other non-combusted nicotine products could accelerate progress toward a smoke-free nation.

    Drawing lessons from Sweden, where THR strategies helped reduce smoking rates to between 5.6% and 8%, Fii said countries that restrict vaping, such as Ireland, the Netherlands, and Denmark, have seen little improvement. Evidence shows vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking and can serve as a transition tool for smokers, he said.

    Fii criticized Malaysia’s current approach, which treats all nicotine products as equally harmful, arguing that risk-proportionate regulation could reduce smoking prevalence while protecting youth. He called for clear frameworks, stricter enforcement of underage access, and policies grounded in science rather than prohibition. By adopting evidence-based harm reduction, Fii said Malaysia could follow Sweden and the UK in reducing smoking-related deaths, healthcare costs, and tobacco-related harm while giving smokers safer alternatives.

  • Expert Urges Nigeria to Embrace THR for Health, Economy

    Expert Urges Nigeria to Embrace THR for Health, Economy

    Nigeria could become a hub for Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) product development and export, supporting economic diversification and public health, says Professor Nnanyelugo Martin Ike‑Muonso of ValueFronteira Ltd., stressing that a balanced regulatory framework would protect minors, ensure product quality, and promote responsible marketing, unlocking both health and economic benefits for the country.

    In Nigeria, the 2015 Tobacco Control Act regulates traditional tobacco but does not cover alternative nicotine products, creating regulatory gaps that allow illicit trade and hinder public health progress. Ike‑Muonso argues that structured THR regulation could boost MSME entrepreneurship, generate tax revenue, and expand Nigeria’s non-oil industrial base, while aligning the country with global best practices.

    Ike‑Muonso points to global evidence that shows THR strategies have driven record declines in smoking rates in countries such as the UK, New Zealand, Japan, and Norway. Adult smoking in the UK dropped to 12.9% in 2022, while Norway’s daily smoking rate fell to 7% in 2023, largely due to regulated alternative nicotine products.

  • WHO Facing Crises of Relevance, Former Director Says

    WHO Facing Crises of Relevance, Former Director Says

    Dr. Tikki Pang, a professor and former Director of Research Policy and Cooperation at the World Health Organization (WHO), delivered a compelling keynote at the Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum (GTNF) in Brussels, urging the global public health community to “find a detour” around entrenched opposition to tobacco harm reduction (THR). Drawing a vivid analogy, Pang said the WHO’s position acts like a “landslide blocking the road” to progress, creating ripple effects that influence policy, weaken public trust, and stigmatize innovation. Attempts to change this stance, he said, have proven “frustrating and futile.”

    “‘Tobacco control’ has become the complete elimination of tobacco in society,” Pang said. “It’s become pretty much ideological at this point. It has become evidence-selective, perhaps evidence-blind.

    “We need to overcome this perception that the industry is the cause of the problem and not part of the solution.’

    Pang described the journey toward a THR-friendly world as “a long road with many obstacles,” and warned that the EU’s recent alignment with anti-THR policies could have “global repercussions.” Instead, he called for a “circuit breaker” — independent, multi-stakeholder platforms that operate outside the WHO’s Conference of the Parties (COP) framework. These coalitions should unite industry, consumers, investors, media, and advocates to advance harm reduction directly, he said.

    Pang emphasized the crucial role of media and advocacy in countering misinformation, noting that journalists can either “spread misconceptions or become powerful allies.” He also suggested situating THR within the broader context of non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention.

    Reflecting on his 13 years at the WHO, Pang acknowledged its achievements in supporting underserved populations but said the organization now faces “a crisis of relevance and confidence.” He concluded that while the WHO’s mission explicitly includes improving global health — including for smokers seeking better alternatives — progress will depend on using science-driven innovation and rational policy to achieve that goal.

    “Science has given us the tools to reduce harm from tobacco,” Pang said. “Reason dictates that we should use them.”

  • A Platform for Dialogue

    A Platform for Dialogue

    Photos: BAT

    With its Omni tool, BAT has released a dynamic, science-based guide to tobacco harm reduction.

    By Stefanie Rossel

    The concept of tobacco harm reduction (THR) dates back to at least 1976, when Michael Russell made his famous statement that people smoke for the nicotine but die from the tar and suggested that altering the ratio of tar to nicotine could be the way to safer smoking. Almost 50 years on, there is an extensive array of less hazardous alternatives to combustible cigarettes, but misconceptions about nicotine and reduced-risk products (RRPs) continue to be so pervasive that the R Street Institute last year even published a list with the 10 most common misperceptions, arguing that over the past decade, an overwhelming onslaught of misinformation from academics, media outlets and public health agencies had created confusion and significantly slowed THR activities.

    BAT has set out to overcome these misunderstandings with a new tool. At its first-ever Transformation Forum, which took place in London in September, the company introduced Omni, an evidence-based, accessible and dynamic knowledge resource that shows how science and innovation can converge to achieve a smokeless world.

    Under its “A Better Tomorrow” strategy, the company aims to migrate adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke from cigarettes to smokeless products and to ultimately consign cigarettes to the dustbin of history. On its transformation journey, however, the company has faced several challenges, including the rejection of THR by key regulatory bodies and nongovernmental organizations, markets that prevent the sale of RRPs, onerous regulatory frameworks that hinder innovation, skepticism toward industry research as well as the already-mentioned misperceptions about nicotine and the relative risks of combustion-free products.

    James Murphy

    Omni, BAT states on its website, is intended to be a compendium of information that underpins the company’s corporate and scientific strategy and offers insights into the work being done at BAT to achieve a world without cigarettes. “The world’s first-of-its-kind resource, Omni explains why THR should be a prominent component of the public health strategy on tobacco,” says James Murphy, director of research and science at BAT. “It draws from hundreds of independent scientific studies, BAT’s own research into its smokeless innovations, and examples of THR in action globally. Beyond that, Omni serves as a dynamic platform for thoughtful, constructive conversations with stakeholders rooted in evidence, where open dialogue around THR is not just welcomed but encouraged.”

    Omni differs from BAT’s Science website, which focuses on the innovations driving the company’s business, Murphy points out. The Science website “serves as a hub for publishing data and peer-reviewed research on our smokeless products such as Vuse, VELO and Glo. The website also provides insights into our global research and development network, which comprises 1,750 R&D specialists across eight different sites worldwide. The emphasis here is on showcasing the science behind our products rather than facilitating discussions on THR policy,” says Murphy.

    Engaging All Stakeholders

    Kingsley Wheaton

    Omni is targeted at scientists, public health authorities, regulators, policymakers and investors, and it aims to spur a dialogue across the wider scientific and regulatory ecosystem related to tobacco and nicotine products. Across nine chapters, it addresses the big questions that the company and the tobacco industry in general are confronted with, among them classics such as what exactly tobacco harm reduction means, whether smokeless products are a gateway to cigarette smoking or what the role of flavors in smokeless tobacco and THR is.

    “We believe that open and constructive dialogue with a broad range of stakeholders is crucial for accelerating the decline in global smoking rates,” says Kingsley Wheaton, BAT’s chief corporate officer. “It is incumbent on regulators, scientists and policymakers to review the scientific and real-world evidence on THR and engage in dialogue on how to encourage smokers to switch completely to smokeless alternatives with a reduced-risk profile. Unfortunately, there are few spaces where these groups can review such evidence and reach common ground on THR science to drive progress.”

    According to Wheaton, Omni demonstrates that the evidence in support of THR is growing daily. “Sweden, which is on the brink of becoming smoke-free, has the lowest adult smoking rates and lung cancer deaths in Europe, which has attributed to the availability, affordability and increased use of smokeless tobacco and nicotine products,” he says. “Yet there is still significant debate on whether THR strategies should be used to reach global smoke-free targets, and more countries are restricting the sale of smokeless alternatives. Our hope is that Omni becomes the platform to engage these stakeholders so that we can create whole-of-society solutions and build smarter regulation that allows THR to flourish.”

    BAT plans to make Omni, which is also available as a PDF download, a fully online, dynamic resource in the coming months. “With THR research rapidly evolving, we want Omni to reflect the latest evidence in support of THR,” says Wheaton. “A team of scientists will regularly update Omni by assessing and collating new academic research, including BAT’s latest peer-reviewed evidence. Omni will both push out information and pull in insights, but the ultimate goal is to create a platform for dialogue. That’s why we are inviting anyone who shares our belief that a smokeless world is possible—and even those who don’t agree with us—to interrogate the evidence and join us on our journey to ‘A Better Tomorrow.’”

    Major Milestone

    BAT will be introducing new tools and technology-enabled platforms to facilitate the interrogation of the latest science and real-world experience of tobacco harm reduction, Wheaton says. “For example, it gives us the opportunity to develop a tech-driven Omni tool to give stakeholders in the THR policy debate more access to our evidence-based answers to the big questions facing our sector and society.”

    “Omni is not a broadcast channel for BAT to talk about tobacco harm reduction,” he stresses. “Our ambition is for Omni to be a platform for a necessary conversation with stakeholders rooted in evidence—a manifesto for change and a call to action, backed by high-quality science and real-world evidence.”

    Omni, Murphy explains, is the result of a major scientific effort, involving over 60 contributors and writers. “It covers products that involve around 9,800 global patents and cites more than 600 pieces of external evidence. This comprehensive compendium reflects over a decade of research—both our own and independent studies—into THR, and we have included the very best of published industry science for assessing the risk profile of smokeless products. We’re incredibly proud of this achievement, and as we’ve said, this is just the beginning.”

    “The launch of Omni marks a major milestone in our transformation toward a smokeless world, and we’re excited about the progress it represents for both us and the industry. By 2030, we aim to have 50 million adult consumers of our smokeless products, and by 2035, for smokeless products to make up at least 50 percent of our global revenue,” says Wheaton. “The ultimate goal we are working toward is a fully smokeless business, hopefully in a fully smokeless world. We believe Omni will be instrumental in achieving this vision, and we’re eager for the next chapter.”

    Stefanie Rossel is Tobacco Reporter’s editorial contributor. An experienced trade journalist, she combines sharp reporting skills with in-depth knowledge of the tobacco and vapor industries. Prior to joining Tobacco Reporter, Stefanie was editor-in-chief at Tobacco Journal International, where she worked for a decade. Fluent in English, German and French, Stefanie covers tobacco news around the world. She is based in Germany.
  • EU Urged to Embrace THR

    EU Urged to Embrace THR

    Photo: Teo

    Ahead of this year’s EU State of the Union address on Sept. 13 in Strasbourg, France, the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) urged President Ursula von der Leyen to tackle the devastating impact of smoking-related diseases in the European Union. The association proposes the EU Commission’s president embrace a coherent EU-wide harm reduction strategy that includes evidence-based approaches to vaping and nicotine pouches, which have been shown to significantly reduce harm compared to smoking.

    “We implore Ursula von der Leyen to finally address the far-reaching impacts of smoking,” said WVA Director Michael Landl in a statement. “Smoking is a public health problem requiring immediate attention, causing more than 700,000 deaths in the EU annually. Evidence is clear that alternative nicotine products, such as vaping and nicotine pouches, can be a game changer in the battle against smoking. The time for brave leadership is now.”

    According to the World Vapers’ Alliance, Sweden has become a bright example that a coherent harm reduction strategy is the key to successfully addressing smoking-related illnesses. Not only is Sweden the first country in the world to reach the smoke-free goal (17 years ahead of the EU targets), but it keeps its commitment to favor harm reduction. Last week, the Swedish government announced its plan to reduce the tax on snus, a smokeless tobacco product similar to modern nicotine pouches, by 20 percent while increasing the tax on cigarettes and smoking tobacco by 9 percent.

    Vaping is still a recommended means of quitting for smokers in France, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand, according to the WVA. This April, the U.K. government launched a “Swap-to-Stop” program aimed to incentivize smokers to quit by exchanging their cigarettes for free vape devices. Following Sweden’s recent move to reduce the tax rate on snus based on a risk-based regulatory approach and the U.K.’s full endorsement of vaping as a tool for smoking cessation, the WVA calls on the European Union to follow their lead in adopting a coherent harm reduction strategy.

    “In Sweden and the U.K., we’ve seen the incredible impact that a harm reduction approach can have on reducing smoking rates and improving public health. These countries lead by example, using a balanced risk-based strategy that includes vaping and nicotine pouches as safer alternatives to smoking. It’s time for the European Union to follow their lead. President von der Leyen has an unparalleled opportunity to set a new course for the EU in her State of the Union speech—one that embraces innovative, evidence-based solutions to tackle the smoking crisis,” added Landl.