News
Why Choice is Critical for Adults Looking to Quit
For the millions of adult smokers across the Asia-Pacific region, deciding to quit cigarettes is often the most important health choice they...
The Missing Middle: How Balanced Regulation Can Help Smokers Switch
For decades, tobacco control has been framed as a choice between prohibition and aggressive restrictions on one side, and loosely...
Why Quitting Nicotine and Quitting Smoking Are Not the Same Thing
The most significant breakthrough in reducing smoking-related disease will not come from a new medical treatment. It will come from...
The Societal Benefits of Tobacco Harm Reduction – How THR Helps More Than Just Individual Smokers
Harm Reduction is a pragmatic public health strategy designed to minimise the harm associated with certain risky behaviours, without necessarily eliminating the...
COP11 Reflections: Opportunities for THR in Asia Pacific
COP11 in Geneva concluded with a mix of clear progress and unanswered questions – particularly for Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR). While the global tobacco...
When Regulation Fails: How Poor Policy Costs Lives
Effective regulation can protect public health — but when policies ignore real-world consumer behaviour, the opposite occurs. Restrictions, blanket bans,...
What Was on the Agenda at COP11 – and Why It Matters for Tobacco Harm Reduction Efforts
More than 1400 delegates across government, international organisations and civil society gathered in Geneva last week to discuss accelerated action on tobacco control...
5 Myths Holding Back Public Health Progress
The goal of a smokeless future is within our grasp, but progress is being stalled by persistent myths about Tobacco...
From Sweden to Japan: How Proven Alternatives to Cigarettes Can Transform Public Health
Asia-Pacific is the world’s largest cigarette market by volume, and the market where tobacco harm reduction can have the largest...
3 Things We Want to See Discussed at COP11
Tobacco use continues to affect millions of lives across Asia Pacific, which carries a disproportionate share of the global burden....
After the Golden Age: New Players, New Risks, and New Opportunities
After the Global Health Golden Age: New Players, New Risks, and New Opportunities The era of soaring global health investments...
Policy Spotlight: Tobacco Control in Laos and the Potential of THR
How Tobacco Harm Reduction Can Decrease The Public Health Burden of Smoking in Laos. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic, also...
Uzbekistan’s Restrictions on Safer Nicotine Alternatives are ‘Costing Thousands Of Lives’
Ground-breaking new research reveals Uzbekistan’s restrictive policies on safer alternatives to cigarettes are resulting in thousands of unnecessary deaths every...
Cessation Over Harm Reduction: WCTC 2025 Draws a Hard Line Against Less Harmful Nicotine Products
Dublin, Ireland — The World Conference on Tobacco Control 2025 (WCTC) brought together global public health leaders to confront the...
Oral Nicotine Pouches Are a Game-Changer For Women In Sweden’s Smoke-Free Success
First-of-its-kind study reveals female-friendly pouches have revolutionised how to wipe out cigarettes. Ground-breaking new research shows that oral nicotine pouches...
The Science Speaks: Why Safer Nicotine Products Deserve Regulatory Support
The EU Reporter’s recent article, “A pragmatic path to ending smoking in Europe”, emphasises the scientific consensus: not all nicotine...
A Voice for Harm Reduction in Bangladesh: Dr. Delon Human on Safer Nicotine Alternatives
Dr. Delon Human, a global health expert and leading advocate for tobacco harm reduction with decades of experience advising governments…
World Vape Day 2025: Safer alternatives offer SE Asia an escape route from tobacco harm
Singapore May 30, 2025 – As World Vape Day 2025 is marked globally, the Asia Harm Reduction Alliance (AsHRA) is...
Restrictive policies on smoke-free alternatives could cost thousands of Spanish lives, report finds
A restrictive approach to safer smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes is hindering Spain’s fight against the toll of tobacco and putting...
Zarda, Gul, Sada Pata and Khoinee: The State of Smokeless Tobacco Use in Bangladesh
The Harms Caused by Smokeless Tobacco and The Hope Brought by Harm-Reduced Products While tobacco risks are often associated with...
French Restrictions on Safer Alternatives Trap Millions in Smoking, Report Warns
France’s restrictive stance on safer alternatives to cigarettes threatens to derail efforts to reduce the deadly toll of tobacco, according...
Pakistan Must Follow Sweden’s Lead to Reduce Smoking Deaths
A newly released report, Tale of Two Nations: Pakistan vs. Sweden, warns that Pakistan risks missing a crucial opportunity to...
The 20th Anniversary of the FCTC: How Far We’ve Come and How Far We Have Left To Go
The role of tobacco harm reduction in assisting with the WHO’s FCTC The 27th of February marks the 20th anniversary...
Back to the Basics: The Risk Continuum in Tobacco Harm Reduction
Embracing Harm Minimization on the Journey to Cessation The Back to the Basics series has already established how Tobacco Harm...
The 156th Session of the WHO Executive Board: What Was Said and What Was Left Unsaid
Discussions on Tobacco Control and the Absence of Discussions on THR The 156th session of the WHO Executive Board took...
Kenya risks prolonging smoking crisis by restricting safer alternatives, new report warns
Misguided restrictions on safer alternatives to cigarettes threaten to perpetuate the smoking crisis that kills 12,000 Kenyans annually, according to...
Back to the Basics: Tobacco Harm Reduction or Smoking Cessation? Which Approach is Better?
What is Tobacco Harm Reduction and how does it stand alongside smoking cessation? We’ll answer the question right away: firstly,...
Tale of Two Nations: New analysis highlights New Zealand’s smoke-free progress vs. South Africa’s struggles
South Africa’s proposed new restrictions on safer alternatives to cigarettes will hold the country back in the fight against smoking-related...
The Gray Zone: Indonesia’s Tobacco Control Policies and The Case for Tobacco Harm Reduction
With 65% of men using tobacco, Indonesia has one of the highest smoking rates in the world. This large number...
South Australia’s ban on nicotine pouches costing lives, says Smoke Free Sweden
STOCKHOLM, 31 January 2025 – Leading health experts say South Australia’s nicotine pouch ban is another misguided step in Australia’s...
Back to the Basics: Is Nicotine Really the Enemy? Understanding Nicotine Use in Tobacco Harm Reduction
The reality of nicotine in harm reduction and how vaping and nicotine pouches are part of the solution When approaching...
Thailand’s Strict Vaping Ban: Understanding the Policy and Its Consequences
Extreme measures, startling consequences and a thriving black market. The need for risk-proportionate smoking policies and the benefits of tobacco...
The Philippines: An Emerging Regional Leader in Tobacco Harm Reduction
How risk-proportionate regulations and government support can help change a country In 2022, the Philippines made meaningful progress in adopting...
Tobacco Harm Reduction in Bangladesh: How You Can Advocate for Change
Creating change begins with gaining awareness. However, the next step to change, which requires taking action, can often feel like...
Safer alternatives to smoking can save nearly 700,000 lives in Chile, Ireland and Taiwan
STOCKHOLM, 10 December 2024 – Almost 700,000 lives would be saved in Ireland, Taiwan and Chile if those countries embraced...
Smoke-free alternatives could save 4.6m lives in Indonesia
STOCKHOLM, 09 December – MORE than 4.6 million lives could be saved if Indonesia embraces smoke-free alternatives to traditional cigarettes,...
4.6 Million Lives at Stake: The Case for Tobacco Harm Reduction in Indonesia
Indonesia stands at the forefront of the global smoking epidemic, with 64.7% of its male population actively smoking, the highest...
Global health experts unveil four-point plan to combat oral diseases through tobacco harm reduction
LONDON, 4 December 2024 – Leading international health experts today unveiled a pioneering four-point plan to address the global crisis...
Oral Health for All: The Safer Alternative to Smoking You Need Now
Combustion, not nicotine, is the primary driver of smoking-related oral diseases and cancers. The report “Transforming Oral Health for All”...
What the World Can Learn from Japan’s Decline in Smoking
Highlighting the 52% drop in cigarette sales between 2011 and 2023 and the rise of alternative products. Japan faces a...
Nicotine Pouches in Hong Kong: A Harm Reduction Tool
The Potential of Nicotine Pouches in Supporting Hong Kong’s Ambitious Smoking Reduction Goals Nicotine pouches, a form of tobacco harm...
Sweden’s Snus Strategy: A Harm Reduction Success Story
Dr. Jindrich Vobořil’s presentation at the New Approaches Conference highlighted the Swedish approach to harm reduction through its legalization of...
Harm Reduction, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and the Changes Nations Need: A Speech by Dr. Denzil L. Douglas
How the WHO FCTC Implicitly Supports Tobacco Harm Reduction In a recent speech during the 2024 New Approaches Conference in...
SWEDEN ‘WAY AHEAD’ AS EC SETS SMOKE-FREE 2040 GOAL
STOCKHOLM, Friday 20 September – LEADING international health experts today backed the European Commission’s call for a tobacco-free generation by...
Canada’s Nicotine Pouch Ban Is ‘Deadly Error Defying Science’, Say Health Experts
STOCKHOLM, 28 August – INTERNATIONAL health experts have criticised Canada’s new laws restricting the sale of nicotine pouches as a...
A Roadmap to Saving 880,000 Lives: The Case for Tobacco Harm Reduction in Malaysia and Uzbekistan
The Growing Smoking Rates in Malaysia and Uzbekistan and A New Report on How THR Can Help Earlier today, a...
The ABCs of Vaping: Your Answers to the Most Common Questions Surrounding E-Cigarettes
Addressing vaping, flavours, popcorn lungs and more One of the most popular tools for tobacco harm reduction is electronic nicotine...
What is the Role of Flavours in Vaping, and Why is it Important for Harm Reduction?
How misunderstanding and misinformation causes roadblocks for harm reduction When discussing harm-reduction products and nicotine alternatives, many countries around the...
New Zealand Halves Excise Tax on Heated Tobacco Products: An Important Step Towards Harm Reduction
The benefits of risk-proportionate tobacco policies in New Zealand for a smoke-free 2025. In a significant policy shift, the New...
A Conversation with Dr. Mendelsohn: What are the Unintended Consequences of Australia’s Vaping Regulations?
Australia’s restrictive vaping policies, black market booms and rise in youth use A recent report on New Zealand celebrates this...
The Critical Gap: Why is there a Lack of Reliable Data on Global Tobacco Smoking Rates?
The need for better data gathering practices on Tobacco Smoking Rates across the world. Many countries, often particularly low- and...
CAPHRA Urges New Zealand Govt to Legalise Safer Nicotine Alternatives
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) strongly encourages the New Zealand Government to legalise snus and oral...
Vibrant, Healthy, and Tobacco-Free? Evaluating Hong Kong’s New Policies
Looking at The Real Impact of Hong Kong’s Stringent Tobacco Policies on Public Health Over the past few years, Hong...
CAPHRA to Showcase Global Lessons from New Zealand and Sweden at GFN 2024
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) was thrilled to announce its participation in the upcoming Global...
From Sweden to New Zealand: A Blueprint for Reducing Smoking Rates
How a Nordic Inspiration carries all the way to New Zealand and its Journey Towards a Smoke-Free Future A newly...
World No Tobacco Day: Promote Change and Innovation To Reduce Smoking
World No Tobacco Day, marked every year on 31 May by the WHO, is a day commemorated to spread awareness...
Navigating Indonesia’s Smoking Epidemic: The Potential of Harm Reduction Strategies
In Indonesia, smoking remains deeply ingrained in the cultural fabric, posing significant challenges to public health initiatives aimed at curbing...
Introduction to the Report: No Smoke, Less Harm
The severe negative impacts of tobacco use on societal health make the global development of innovative strategies to address these...
Sweden Builds on an Already Successful Approach to Tobacco Control
1 November 2024 is the proposed effective date for Sweden’s reduced tax on alternative nicotine products. The 20% decrease in...
The Glamourisation of Tobacco: India’s Film Industry, Smoking and Innovative Policies
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) by the World Health Organisation is one of the most widely adopted treaties...
The WHO Can Save 100 Million Lives Through Balanced Regulation
“The WHO must adapt swiftly to the changing landscape of tobacco use and embrace innovative strategies to protect public health.”...
Smokeless Tobacco and Women in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is known to have the highest usage of smokeless tobacco among women across the world. These forms of chewing...
World TB Day: Scale Up Harm Reduction Initiatives to Reach Smokers in Asia
World TB Day is commemorated each year on March 24 to raise public awareness and understanding about the global tuberculosis...
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Tobacco Harm Reduction and The COP10 Summit
The 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) was...
Healthcare advocates encourage governments and policymakers to emulate Smoke-free Sweden
22 February 2024, Stockholm, Sweden – The World Health Organisation (WHO) recklessly ignored the Swedish success story during its Tenth...
How South Africa can save lives by implementing Tobacco Harm Reduction Policies
Highlighting the potential impact of harm reduction policies on tobacco-related fatalities across four lower and middle-income countries (LMICs), a recent...
The relation between Life Expectancy, Causes of Death, and Tobacco Consumption in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is one among the four nations discussed in a new case study as part of a recent report that...
Securing an Improved Future for Bangladesh Through Adjustments in Tobacco Control
A recent report, centring on the prevention of tobacco-related deaths, showcases Bangladesh as a case study, illustrating the life-saving potential...
3 Practices to Prevent 1,200,000 Deaths in Pakistan: Insights from a Recent Report
Pakistan has actively adopted multiple measures suggested by the WHO in its fight against smoking. These measures include placing visible...
New Zealand’s Smoking Ban Reversal: A Step Backward or a Necessary Pivot?
In November 2023, New Zealand’s new Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, announced his government’s intentions to remove the nation’s smoking ban....
New Year, New Habits: Three Ways Harm Reduction Can Make Your Quit Smoking Resolution a Reality
With 2024 around the corner, December’s season of celebrations is quickly followed by January’s season of resolutions – including the...
Tobacco Harm Reduction and COPD Awareness: Impact on Lung Health in Asia
Lung Cancer Awareness Month, observed in November, is significant in Asia, where lung cancer poses a substantial health burden due...
Insights from Sweden’s Smoke-Free Nation: An International Dialogue
Ahead of the Tenth Conference of Parties (FCTC COP10) of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which will convene in...
The Dangers of Second-Hand Smoke: What Is It And Why Should I Care?
Whether you are currently a smoker or have never smoked before, you have most likely encountered second-hand smoke and, therefore,...
Press Release: Adoption of Sweden’s smoke-free strategy
More than 2.5 million lives could be saved in four LMICs countries by adopting Sweden’s smoke-free strategy – major new...
The Reality of Tobacco Use in Bhutan
Following Bhutan’s Example? The Reality of Tobacco Use in a Tobacco-Free Nation The 2023 WHO Report on the Global Tobacco...
4 Differences between Nicotine Pouches and Vaping
What is the Difference Between Nicotine Pouches and Vaping? 4 Points to Consider Vaping and nicotine pouches have recently gained...
Is Popcorn Lung A Vaping Risk?
The risk of developing popcorn lung (bronchiolitis obliterans) from vaping is a topic that has been a subject of concern...
A Glaring Absence of Tobacco Discussions in India’s G20 Meetings
During the recently held 2023 G20 Summit, national leaders and cabinet ministers from across the world came together for a...
A Smoke-free Success Story: Challenging the Tobacco Epidemic
Globally, 1.3 billion people use tobacco, and nearly 8 million deaths are due to tobacco-related causes and 200 million life...
The Vilification of Nicotine: Countering Misinformation Across the Healthcare Sector and Beyond
A recent survey shared by Sermo and the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World reveals surprising insights into the misinformation that...
Measurable Biomarkers used to evaluate Harm Reduction Potential
A new research paper is challenging a long-standing belief in the tobacco control community. For too long, potentially less harmful...
Bans on Safer Nicotine Alternatives: Do They Work At All?
The Government of Kazakhstan has joined the list of countries that have prohibited the manufacture, sale, and distribution of electronic...
Call for greater consumer advocate participation in FCTC COP10 Meeting
Consumer advocates are calling for the next Government to support greater consumer advocacy participation in the upcoming FCTC COP10 meeting...
Leading harm reduction experts dispute claim that vaping is a gateway to smoking.
Recent claims by Otago University in New Zealand that vaping is a gateway to smoking have been disputed by leading...
World Drug Day: Breaking Stigma in Asia
Author: Joseph Magero World Drug Day holds significance for Asia by raising awareness about drug abuse, highlighting regional challenges, promoting...
Effective Interventions for Tobacco Control in the Indigenous Asian Community Needed
The UN estimates that 6% of the world’s population (476 million people living across 90 countries) are indigenous people. Two-thirds of...
International health experts: Bangladesh can be smoke-free by 2040 if it adopts the Swedish model
Prominent global health experts have issued an urgent plea to the legislative body of Bangladesh, strongly urging them to follow...
World No Tobacco Day: Product Substitution Strategy to End Smoking in Asia
World No Tobacco Day is observed annually on May 31st, aiming to raise awareness about the health risks associated with...
Are Big Pharma payments driving anti-vape campaigns?
“The health of Whānau is not for sale in Aotearoa, yet worryingly, perhaps we’ve seen the first evidence that it...
Media Need To Play Fair COP On Anti-Tobacco Work
“There are some in the media who are doing their best to discredit the work we do. They should instead...
Sweden’s Gift to Global Public Health
With a smoking rate of only 5.6%, Sweden is set to become a smoke-free country in 2023 – a world...
Taiwan Vaping Ban Disappointing For Its Many Smokers
“Raising the legal age for buying cigarettes to 20 is a good move, but effectively banning e-cigarettes is disappointing from…
Greens’ Plan To Legalise Nicotine Vapes Lauded
Cate Faehrmann, MP of the NSW Greens, Australia announced a plan to legalise nicotine vapes for people over the age…
Time to support Filipino vape law, not relitigate it
“Any concerns about youth vaping are well covered in last year’s landmark vape law. The Philippines has more than enough…
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