Potential Impact of FCTC COP10 on Safer Nicotine Products

According to a report by Scoop Media on October 16, the Asia Pacific Association for Nicotine and Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocacy (CAPHRA) has issued a warning to the New Zealand government delegation attending the tenth session of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC COP10).

Government officials need to realize that their support for FCTC COP10 resolution could have a negative impact on the future of safer nicotine products, according to Nancy Loucas, the coordinator of CAPHRA, an advocate for harm reduction and public health policy expert.

Ms. Lucas stated, "The analysis by GSTHR confirms the significance of these decisions for the future of these products, but during the meeting, they were completely ignored." The publicly available briefing, titled "FCTC COP10 Agenda and Related Documents: The Impact on Tobacco Harm Reduction," reveals that safer nicotine products are seen as a threat to tobacco control rather than as tools to support smoking cessation and reduce high-risk tobacco use.

Mrs. Lucas stated that the development of safer nicotine products could potentially change the rules of the game in combating tobacco-related harm. However, the current narrative of FCTC COP10 does not reflect this possibility. Instead, they are perceived as a threat that could have serious implications for public health.

CAPHRA is urging the government and policymakers to consider the evidence presented in this briefing and recognize the potential of safer nicotine products as tools for harm reduction. "The decisions made at the FCTC COP10 conference will shape the future of tobacco harm reduction," added Ms. Lucas. "We urge all stakeholders to consider the evidence and make decisions prioritizing public health and harm reduction – the lives of consumers are at stake.