29-06-2025
GFN25 Celebrates Breakthrough Success In Tobacco Harm Reduction As Evidence Mounts Against WHO Opposition
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) celebrates the success of GFN25, the 12th Global Forum on Nicotine, which concluded in Warsaw on 21 June 2025, delivering compelling evidence that tobacco harm reduction continues gaining momentum despite opposition from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
The three-day conference, themed "Challenging Perceptions – Effective Communication for Tobacco Harm Reduction," brought together leading scientists, healthcare professionals, and consumer advocates who presented groundbreaking research demonstrating safer nicotine products' effectiveness.
Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA, said: "GFN25 has highlighted the scientific evidence supporting tobacco harm reduction is overwhelming, yet the WHO continues its campaign against products that could save millions of lives. Denying smokers access to safer alternatives is a moral failure."
Dr Mark Tyndall's keynote address, "What's so scary about tobacco harm reduction?" challenged stigma plaguing tobacco harm reduction policy, drawing parallels between drug harm reduction successes and potential tobacco control outcomes.
The conference featured the prestigious Michael Russell Oration and Award ceremony, recognising outstanding contributions to tobacco harm reduction science. The award honoured Fiona Patten, from Australia, whose tireless advocacy for harm reduction was well deserved."
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CAPHRA highlighted how discussions reinforced the importance of consumer voices in tobacco harm reduction. There were multiple consumer sessions for Latin America, central Asia and Eastern Europe highlighting the challenges and opportunities for THR in LMICs.
Asa Saligupta, from ECST Thialand, participated in a session on 20 years of FCTC with esteemed experts such as Derek Yach and Tikki Pangestu, both of whom helped craft the original treaty, and are well placed to evaluate its importance and intentions towards THR.
This was especially timely mounting evidence, the WHO's Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report focuses exclusively on traditional tobacco control whilst ignoring harm reduction approaches. The WHO's MPOWER framework excludes safer nicotine products, maintaining an abstinence-only approach proven inadequate for millions of smokers.
"The WHO's refusal to acknowledge evidence is condemning millions to preventable deaths," said Loucas. "New Zealand has shown what's possible when governments trust science. The WHO's ideological opposition betrays its mission to improve global health."
CAPHRA calls on governments to follow scientific evidence from GFN25 and adopt policies prioritising harm reduction alongside traditional tobacco control. Effective tobacco control requires comprehensive approaches including access to safer alternatives for those unable to quit nicotine.
"The evidence is clear, the science settled, and the moral imperative undeniable," concluded Loucas. "It's time for the WHO and governments to stop playing politics with people's lives and trust science showing safer nicotine products can end the smoking epidemic."
