White Paper on WHO ‘Guidance’ Released at AHRF2022

Titled ‘The Subversion of Public Health: Consumer Perspectives’, the white paper was presented at the recent Fifth Asia Harm Reduction Forum (AHRF 2022) and has now been released publicly.

Diane Caruana

November 4, 2022

Compiled by several leading international Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) experts, the paper was presented at the 28 October forum in the Philippines CAPHRA (Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates) Executive Coordinator Nancy Loucas. It incorporates a review of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) approach and guidance on safer nicotine products (SNP), specifically vapes.

The paper then goes on to add information and scientific evidence that has not been included in any WHO guidance and/or shared with signatories and delegates of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) on safer nicotine products (SNP).

Organized in the Philippines, the theme of AHRF2022 is ‘Integrating Harm Reduction in Asian Policies: A Major Win for Public Health’ and it is expected to build on the success and momentum of the previous forums. As a non-profit and interdisciplinary organization, AHRF aims to inform and educate about harm reduction, recent scientific studies and developments in public health.

The Manila Declaration 2022

Following the event, leading THR advocates from across the globe joined forces in signing ‘The Manila Declaration 2022’. The document aims to provide information and evidence which has been excluded from any guidance provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) to signatories and delegates of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) on safer nicotine products. Moreover it highlights that vapers continue to be marginalised, ignored, and attacked for their choices despite the science backing the use of vapes for smoking cessation.

“An individual’s right to health is recognised as a fundamental human right; Smoking causes the vast majority of tobacco-related death and disease; Vaping is dramatically safer than cigarettes and has helped millions quit smoking; Harm reduction is at the core of international treaty obligations; Bans serve only to protect the cigarette industry; and that public health and governments’ credibility is at stake,” states the declaration.