The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is hosting a SCOPE Livestream on May 30 and May
31, 2023, in support of ‘World Vape Day’ and ‘World No Tobacco Day’. The event will be held across four regions: Asia
Pacific, North America, Africa, and Latin America.
CAPHRA and participating consumer groups are calling for international pressure on the World Health Organization (WHO)
to embrace safer nicotine products and tobacco harm reduction as World Vape Day is celebrated on May 30.
Global consumer groups are also participating in the livestream on World No Tobacco Day, on May 31st, a WHO event, of
which this year the theme is "We need food, not tobacco," which aims to raise awareness about alternative crop
production and marketing opportunities for tobacco farmers.
“When Public Health England maintains that vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking, and New Zealand’s Ministry of Health
launches a website called ‘Vaping Facts’ to provide credible information about vaping to the public, it’s time the WHO
accept that Tobacco Harm Reduction is here to stay, as the benefits of safer nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes,
Swedish-style snus, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco products, if available, also support #HealthForAll,” said Nancy
Loucas, a prominent New Zealand public health consumer advocate and executive coordinator of CAPHRA.
“The goal of a World Tobacco Free Day would become a lot more realistic if the WHO and its member states, moved to
encourage and support research on tobacco harm reduction and safer nicotine products alongside supporting promote
educational resources that provide accurate and unbiased information about the potential benefits of these products for
public health,” said Ms. Loucas.
CAPHRA is urging the WHO member states to recognise the potential of safer nicotine products in reducing the harm caused
by tobacco use. The organization believes that tobacco harm reduction should be a key component of global efforts to
reduce the burden of tobacco-related disease.
CAPHRA's SCOPE Livestream is an opportunity to hear from consumer tobacco harm reduction advocacy organizations from
around the globe and learn about their experiences with safer nicotine products. The event will also feature experts in
tobacco harm reduction and advocacy, who will discuss the latest research and policy developments in this field in the
lead up to the WHO’s COP10 meeting in Panama.
Join CAPHRA's SCOPE Livestream on May 30, 2022, to learn more about the benefits of safer nicotine products and tobacco
harm reduction. Starting 4pm EDT/9pm BST on 30 May 2023 and 16:00 Hong Kong on 31 May.
"As we observe another World Smokefree Day, it is crucial the WHO drop its illogical and biased approach to tobacco harm
reduction and wake-up to the growing body of research highlighting the benefits of reduced-harm nicotine delivery
products, such as vaping and integrate tobacco harm reduction into its policies,” Ms. Loucas said.