International Coalitions Call on WHO to Support UN Stance on Harm Reduction as A Human Right

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), an alliance of nine international organizations, called on the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to support the UN stance on harm reduction as a human right and to stop ignoring this important aspect of public health policy.
The coalition revealed a package of serious concerns about the lack of transparency and openness in the decisions expected to be issued during the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (COP10) meetings, scheduled this February. The coalition criticized the WHO and the FCTC for their unwillingness to engage constructively with civil society and consumer groups in adopting pragmatic, risk-proportionate regulations that protect public health while ensuring the availability of less harmful alternatives to combustible tobacco.
CAPHRA blamed the WHO for spreading inaccurate information about the risks of e-cigarettes and nicotine, especially concerning their relationship with COVID-19. In a report of 103 pages, the coalition denied any connection between e-cigarettes and COVID-19, stating that this false information was invented by the WHO as part of its agenda to combat nicotine.
On the other hand, the Global Status of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) expressed serious concern about the WHO’s approach to tobacco control. The GSTHR argues that the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has failed to achieve concrete results or make any significant impact in this field, stating that mistrust and ideological opposition to tobacco alternatives are hindering the widespread adoption of strategies that could help 1.1 billion adult smokers which have failed due to current interventions.
Nancy Loucas, a Public Health Policy Expert and the Executive Coordinator of the Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) criticized the WHO’s stance on e-cigarettes, saying: “For years, the WHO has created a steady stream of anti-vaping claims, which has had dire consequences for adult smokers seeking to quit smoking. It has also led to many governments passing legislation that bans e-cigarettes and all related products”.
She added, “In light of the UN’s call for a shift from punitive measures to address the global drugs problem to the use of policies grounded in human rights and public health, CAPHRA and GSTHR are calling on both the WHO and the FCTC to follow this approach.”