CAPHRA urges THR evidence review before COP10

The Asia Pacific Advocates for Tobacco Harm Reduction Alliance (CAPHRA) has written letters to the heads of various tobacco-control framework convention delegations urging them to review evidence supporting tobacco harm reduction (THR) methods before COP10.

As governments from around the world send delegates to COP10 in November 2023, CAPHRA is eager to provide comprehensive reference materials to leaders for their planning, submission writing, and review processes.

The 10th Conference of Parties (COP10) will be held in Panama and will be hosted by the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

We, on behalf of the 4 million users in the Asia-Pacific region who currently utilize safer nicotine products, are taking this action. As you may be aware, our region is particularly vulnerable to the harm and deaths caused by combustible and unsafe oral tobacco.

Representatives from CAPHRA have reminded healthcare leaders that the FCTC has the authority to make harm reduction a core tobacco control policy.

For decades, it has been widely accepted that tar and carcinogenic substances found in tobacco smoke are responsible for smoking-related deaths and illnesses, rather than nicotine. Studies have shown that while nicotine can be mildly addictive, similar to caffeine, it is not a health concern, according to the authors.

The letter also calls on representatives to condemn the policy of holding the COP10 conference of the FCTC behind closed doors.

Representatives attending COP10 are expected to represent the rights and wishes of their citizens, whose taxes are funding their attendance. Citizens expect their representatives to speak on their behalf, recognize the scientific support for reducing harm through ENDS, and uphold democratic principles, the letter stated.

CAPHRA representatives are calling on countries to consider consumers' right to make choices that can help them avoid negative health outcomes when submitting their COP10 statements. It is crucial that smokers have access to nicotine products with less harmful effects as alternatives to smoking.

At the fifth Asia Harm Reduction Forum, CAPHRA's executive coordinator Nancy Loucas presented a recently released white paper titled "Disrupting Public Health: A Consumer Perspective," which is based on evidence.

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