Harm reduction advocates say WHO's stance is costing lives

A group of tobacco harm reduction experts called on the World Health Organization (WHO) to acknowledge innovative products such as vapes, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches, saying the organization's prohibitionist approach contradicts its mission to reduce tobacco-related deaths.

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In an international webinar titled "How the WHO undermines World No Tobacco Day," the Taxpayer's Protection Alliance (TPA) slammed the WHO's reluctance to support harm reduction tools despite growing evidence of their effectiveness in helping smokers quit.

TPA fellow Martin Cullip, a prominent harm reduction advocate, said the WHO is "ignoring the populations most at risk."

"The WHO dismisses adult smokers and vapers, even though adults bear the vast majority of tobacco-related harm. It's odd to see the organization celebrate bans on products that aren't even made from tobacco," said Cullip.

Participants from Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom alleged that the WHO's prohibitionist stance is counterproductive, exacerbating smoking-related deaths and fueling black markets.

Pippa Starr, founder of ALIVE (Australia, Let's Improve Vaping Education), said the WHO has not changed its rhetoric over the past decade. "About 11 or 12 years ago, they said in their statement that if we keep going as we are right now, we're going to lose up to a billion lives this century. That's what they said. Eleven or 12 years later, how much success have they had? Well, right as we stand, we're on track to lose 1.2 billion lives this century," said Starr.

Starr particularly cited Australia's challenges, saying, "Australia has a massive black market and 66 people die daily from smoking-related disease. These outcomes are tied to WHO-endorsed policies. Rather than reward failed approaches, the WHO should be focused on saving lives."

Kurt Yeo, international harm reduction advocate and co-founder of VSML (Vaping Saved My Life), criticized the WHO's detachment from on-the-ground realities.