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One hundred specialists call for #WHO to change stance on tobacco harm reduction

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#COP9 #THRWorks

With thanks to Clive Bates for granting permission to reproduce this article and letter. Access the original article: https://clivebates.com/one-hundred-specialists-call-for-who-to-change-stance-on-tobacco-harm-reduction/

Just want the letter? PDF version: English, Français, Español 

100 specialists in nicotine science, policy and practice have come together to call on the 182 parties (countries) to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to take a more positive stance on tobacco harm reduction. The letter pushes back against WHO’s misguided and unscientific drive for prohibition or excessive regulation and taxation of vaping products, heated and smokeless tobacco products, and novel oral nicotine products, such as pouches.

From 8-13 November 2021, the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (COP-9) will be held online. The meeting details are here.

The letter makes seven main points relevant to FCTC parties and then six recommendations. The letter text must speak for itself.

Several signatories have made statements on the letter, or on WHO’s approach to tobacco harm reduction and innovation. These are set out here.

The letter text, references and signature list are included below in English:

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Link library

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A curated list of articles which focus on FCTC COP.

#COP9 #THRworks

1. The Counterfactual, Clive Bates: Letters sent by experts to WHO and articles about WHO and tobacco harm reduction, from 2014 to now. A must read for anyone wanting a clear headed look at the issues.

https://clivebates.com/category/who/

“WHO should be building public trust, not giving its critics further justification”

2. A 2021 report by the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for Vaping Inquiry (COP9)

Inquiry into the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Conference of the Parties
https://copinquiry.co.uk/report-and-press-release

“Against a backdrop of the WHO suggesting that vaping should be banned, the Parliamentarians sought to assess how our progressive and successful approach to tobacco harm reduction and reduced risk products at home, fits in with the WHO’s prohibitionist stance at a time when the UK is one of the WHO’s largest state donors“

3. October 2021 Briefing paper from the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Conference of the Parties (COP): an explainer

“FCA accreditation is only open to those with no connections to the tobacco industry, however tangential or historical. Also excluded are advocacy NGOs representing people directly affected by tobacco control regimes. This includes smokers and users of safer nicotine products. The involvement of the tobacco industry in the production of some but by no means all safer nicotine products means that advocacy organisations in favour of tobacco harm reduction, including numerous vaping or snus consumer advocacy organisations, are excluded de facto.”

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