Shadow Report Urges WHO FCTC to Embrace Tobacco Harm Reduction as a Core Strategy

MANILA, Philippines, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A newly revised Shadow Report, released by the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), calls for a fundamental shift in the World Health Organization's (WHO) approach to global tobacco control. The report criticizes the continued neglect of harm reduction under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), specifically Article 1(d), which identifies harm reduction as an essential element of tobacco control.

Drawing on data from the WHO's Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025, the Shadow Report highlights a consistent failure to acknowledge and integrate tobacco harm reduction (THR) strategies, despite growing scientific evidence that safer nicotine products can reduce smoking-related harms.

The report reveals that countries strictly adhering to WHO's MPOWER measures, such as Thailand, India, and Mauritius, are seeing only marginal declines in smoking rates. In contrast, nations that have embraced THR — including the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada — have experienced more substantial reductions in smoking prevalence, largely due to the adoption of vaping and other lower-risk alternatives.

According to the report, over 1 billion people still smoke globally, with more than half residing in Asia. Smoking causes over 8.7 million deaths each year and results in nearly 2 trillion dollars in economic costs. The report argues that addressing this public health crisis requires moving beyond abstinence-only approaches and embracing practical, evidence-based strategies.

“Tobacco harm reduction must be central to any meaningful effort to reduce the health and economic toll of smoking,” said Nancy Loucas, CAPHRA Executive Coordinator. “This is not about ideology. It is about using the full scope of tools available under the FCTC to save lives, particularly in regions like Asia where the burden remains highest.”

The report also condemns the misuse of FCTC Article 5.3, which has been used to exclude THR consumer advocates from policymaking. It calls for inclusive, rights-based engagement that reflects the voices and needs of people who smoke and vape.

CAPHRA's Shadow Report urges WHO FCTC member states to recognize that THR is both science-based and grounded in human rights, citing findings from Public Health England, the UK Royal College of Physicians, and the US National Academies. These institutions confirm that non-combustible alternatives are significantly less harmful than cigarettes.

“This is a call to action,” the report states. “We must replace moralistic dogma with practical solutions. It is time to make smoking — the deadliest form of tobacco use — public enemy number one, and to deploy harm reduction as a frontline strategy.” An executive summary of the report is available as well.

Contact:
N.E Loucas
neloucas@caphraorg.net
WhatsApp: 64 0272348463
www.caphraorg.net