Asia Front and Centre: CAPHRA Powers Regional Voice at GoodCOP 2.0

Asia Front and Centre: CAPHRA Powers Regional Voice at GoodCOP 2.0

GENEVA, Nov. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is celebrating the successful “Asia Day” event at the GoodCOP 2.0 held in Geneva. The event, held during the same week as the FCTC COP11 brought together consumer advocates, public health experts, medical professionals, and policymakers to highlight the urgent need for proportionate regulation of reduced-risk products.

Released at the event was a white paper titled Harm Reduction Denied in Asia Pacific which reveals significant inconsistencies in the World Health Organization’s approach to tobacco control and calls for urgent reform in the application of harm reduction within the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). It presents an evidence-based assessment of WHO’s current tobacco policies across the SEARO and WPRO regions. Drawing on official WHO data, including the Global Report on Trends in Tobacco Use 2000–2030 and the Global Health Observatory, it exposes inconsistencies and proposes pragmatic policy solutions that align with both public health objectives and human rights principles.

The white paper urges WHO member states meeting at COP11 to reaffirm Article 1(d) of the FCTC by explicitly recognising harm reduction as an essential pillar of tobacco control. It recommends regulation rather than prohibition of safer nicotine products, the inclusion of affected stakeholders, including consumers and independent scientists, in policy discussions and transparency and accountability in FCTC processes, including open media access and balanced representation.

The report concludes that denying tobacco harm reduction perpetuates preventable disease, strengthens illicit trade, and erodes trust in public health. It calls on policymakers to move beyond ideology and embrace innovation that protects lives.