WHO: Include Consumer Voices!
Asia Pacific health ministries are being urged to include consumer voices in their FCTC COP 11 preparations by the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates
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by Dave Cross
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The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) has announced that it has written to Health Ministries across the Asia Pacific region, pressing for the inclusion of consumer voices as countries finalise their positions for the upcoming 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) of the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
In a series of letters, CAPHRA emphasised the critical importance of considering consumer perspectives in shaping policies that directly impact public health and individual rights. The organisation highlighted the legitimate process within the FCTC that allows for stakeholder participation, including consumers of safer nicotine products.
Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA, stated: “As the most affected stakeholders, adult consumers of safer nicotine products have invaluable insights to offer. Their real-life experiences and data are crucial for making informed decisions that truly represent all citizens.”
CAPHRA says its call for inclusion aligns with FCTC Articles 4.3 and 4.7, which emphasise the importance of civil society participation. The organisation expressed disappointment that some delegates have cited FCTC Article 5.3 as a reason to exclude consumer input, arguing that this interpretation is misguided and counterproductive.
Loucas continued: “To represent all citizens responsibly, the FCTC process needs to be inclusive of all interested parties. Decisions about consumers should not be made in a vacuum but with the benefit of real-life, relevant country experience and data.”
CAPHRA also took the opportunity to clarify its independent status, stating that it has no affiliation with any industry or commercial interests, whether tobacco or e-cigarette related, since its inception in 2018. The organisation emphasised its nature as a grassroots consumer advocacy group, particularly representing voices from low- and middle-income countries in the Asia Pacific region.
As the November 2025 FCTC COP11 approaches, CAPHRA urges Health Ministries across the Asia Pacific to engage with consumer advocates and ensure that tobacco harm reduction policies are evidence-based and consumer-informed.
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates is a regional alliance of consumer tobacco harm reduction advocacy organisations.
It says: “CAPHRA is not related to or funded by any commercial interests. It is composed of volunteer consumer advocates from the Asia Pacific Region. We hope putting forward this information would clarify any doubt as to our interests and intentions.
“CAPHRA stays committed to its mission to educate, advocate and represent the right of adult alternative nicotine consumers to access and use of products that reduce harm from tobacco use. We advocate for the rights of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region to access and use evidence-based, regulated, and properly marketed harm reduction products as a means of reducing the devastating impact of smoking-related diseases.”
References:
- Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates - https://caphraorg.net/
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Image produce by AI and WHO logo added
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
