Consumer groups ask WHO tobacco control body to acknowledge their rights, adopt harm reduction

Consumer advocacy groups are asking the World Health Organization (WHO) to include tobacco harm reduction (THR) in its global control policies and listen to the voices of over a billion consumers at an upcoming meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

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VAPER AKO

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is set to convene its 11th Conference of the Parties (COP) from November 17 to 22, 2025, where new tobacco control policies will be discussed.

Groups like the Vaper Ako, Consumer Choice Philippines, and the Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines (NCUP) argue that as the direct targets of these public health policies, smokers should be included in the discussions and heard.

In a petition to Malacanang on November 13, 2025, vapers and consumer groups, with almost 48,000 signatures, underscored the need to protect the rights of the consumers to innovations around less harmful alternatives to smoking from extreme regulations.

Vaper Ako expressed its support for tobacco harm reduction, as smoke-free alternatives such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products have helped many Filipinos move away from cigarette smoking.

"We envision a smoke-free Philippines where every Filipino has better choices not left dependent on harmful cigarettes or without options and we kindly seek your leadership to make this vision a reality through policies grounded in truth, science and compassion," the groups said.

The groups also underscored the need to defend Republic Act No. 11900 or the Vape Law which reflects the national commitment to tobacco harm reduction.