By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

A former Director of Research Policy and Cooperation at World Health Organisation, WHO Tikki Pangestu, has expressed disappointment in organisation’s stance on Tobacco Harm Reduction, THR.

This is because many Low-Medium-Income-Countries, LMIC look to WHO for guidance due to lack of capability to objectively assess the evidence and make their own policy decisions.

Pangestu who is also a Visiting Professor, National University of Singapore, spoke in a keynote at the just concluded 11th Global Forum on Nicotine GFN themed: “Economics, Health and Tobacco Harm Reduction”  on June 13 to 15, 2024 held at Warsaw, Poland.

He lamented that Tobacco Free Initiative, TFI and many tobacco-related activities are sponsored by one man.

He said: “I am very disappointed in the stance that the WHO has taken on harm reduction, especially because many LMIC look to the WHO for guidance, lacking capability to objectively assess the evidence and make their own policy decisions.”

“WHO gave birth to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and like any parent, they will protect it at all costs. But the question of resources is more important. The TFI and many tobacco-related activities are sponsored by one man.”

“The only thing that will make the Director-General sit up is if member countries demand change. Progressive countries like the UK, like New Zealand, like Japan and other smaller countries, must collectively say to the Director-General that a more open, objective discussion around this issue is needed. At the last COP10 in Panama, we were beginning to see some countries agitating for something like this to happen. All of us must work together to move this along until we reach that tipping point.”

Also, Addictions Specialist and Medical Director at Dublin, Dr Garrett McGovern, said that   the precautionary principle is sensible and there are times when it is valid to follow, but when misapplied in public health, it has caused unnecessary harm and death.

“That’s what’s going to happen with electronic cigarettes. Smoking is deadly. Electronic cigarettes are not deadly. We’re over 20 years in, and we’re not seeing those harms.

“We know that if we stop people using electronic cigarettes, many of them will otherwise smoke.”

 “Given the unequivocal support the WHO has given to drug harm reduction, its deeply negative stance on e-cigarettes is bizarre, bereft of evidence and increases the risk of harm to people who smoke.”