A key question WHO poses is: ‘Are e-cigarettes more or less dangerous than conventional tobacco cigarettes?’ CAPHRA says WHO should have unequivocally answered this with ‘less’. Instead, it puts vaping and smoking on the same footing, declaring that ‘both tobacco products and ENDS pose risks to health. The safest approach is not to use either.’

“If you were a smoker desperate to quit reading this Q&A, you’d likely stay smoking. WHO refuses to differentiate between vaping and smoking. At best it completely deflects from answering what are very simple and straight-forward questions. More so, it delivers lie after lie,” says Ms Loucas.

“The fact that WHO even poses a question about whether vaping is more or less dangerous than smoking is a disgrace. Rather than giving a straight one worded answer, WHO refuses to acknowledge international science that has repeatedly confirmed vaping is considerably less harmful than smoking,” she says.

CAPHRA believes WHO’s suggestion of parity between smoking and vapingis deeply unethical and could have serious health consequences if it causes people to abandon ENDS for cigarettes or not to switch.

“No respectable scientist believes that ENDS are even close to the risk of smoking. In fact, Public Health England stands resolute behind the finding that vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking combustible cigarettes,” she says.

CAPHRA concludes that by kicking off the ‘question and answer’ page with such an inflammatory question, which WHO then refuses to clearly answer, is designed to introduce an ‘anchoring bias’ into its public health guidance.

“WHO does its best to establish the idea that the question on everyone’s mind is whether ENDs are as dangerous as cigarettes. By then suggesting parity of risk, the reader is left with a best-case scenario that vaping is probably just as bad as smoking. Outrageously, WHO continues to defy science and totally ignore the experiences of consumers worldwide,” she says.

For anyone left wondering after reading WHO’s questions and answers on e-cigarettes, CAPHRA is now compiling a comprehensive dossier of references from medical doctors, researchers and government-funded agencies. All of these will categorically refute the claims made by WHO in its guidance.

CAPHRA says while WHO continues to dig in on its unjustifiable anti-vaping position, internationalFCTC ( Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) delegates have an opportunity next year to ensure public health guidance on vaping finally reflects the reality: It’s saving smokers’ lives as an effective and harm reduced smoking cessation tool.

Panama is set to host WHO’s 10th FCTC Conference of Parties (COP10) in 2023, which will seedelegates having discussions and making recommendations on safer nicotine products.

“About 70 countries have already ignored WHO’s anti-vaping crusade and regulated vaping. Countries at next year’s COP10 need to fully understand that millions of smokers’ lives will depend on their discussions and decisions. It’s well overdue for WHO to follow the evidence, rather than winding up baseless and constant hysteria,” says Nancy Loucas.

Boasting over 15,000 testimonials, CAPHRA is calling on those who’ve quit cigarettes through smoke-free nicotine alternatives to tell their story onwww.righttovape.org

For a free digital media repository on tobacco harm reduction in Asia Pacific – including media releases, images and graphics – please visit https://apthrmedia.org

sCOPe’s return on #WVD22 and #WNTD22 follows its around-the-clock five-day livestream in November last year during COP9 – the 9th Conference of Parties for the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Nancy Loucas, of CAPHRA (Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates), says sCOPe22 will add to the growing international pressure on WHO to embrace safer nicotine products, not demonize them.

“The global evidence is overwhelmingly in favour of vaping, yet hundreds of millions of smokers are blocked from accessing harm reduced alternatives. sCOPe22 will reveal what exactly is going on here,” says Ms Loucas.

In the Asia Pacific region alone, The Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand are set to join nearly 70 countries worldwide which have ignored WHO’s anti-vaping campaign and have instead regulated safer nicotine products. Each country has since reported dramatic declines in their overall smoking rates.

“We are the evidence! Not only is vaping an incredibly effective smoking cessation tool, but it’s deemed 95% less harmful than combustible tobacco. It’s utter madness for WHO to keep directing huge public health resource into bullying countries to ban these life-saving products. sCOPe22 will explore the motivation and money behind WHO’s actions,” says Ms Loucas.

On WVD22 on 30 May, sCOPe22 will broadcast via https://bit.ly/3GlEvn9

On WNTD22 on 31 May, sCOPe22 will broadcast via https://bit.ly/3wMKyg1

THR organizations set to feature include European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA), Campaign for Safer Alternatives in Africa (CASA), Vaping Saved My Life South Africa (VSML) Association of Vapers India (AVI), the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA).

The Americas are also well represented with Latin American-based ARDT Iberoamerica, Rights For Vapers Canada (R4V), the Tobacco Harm Reduction Association of Canada (THRA), and United States-based Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA).

“sCOPe22 is a global collaboration and our simple message is THR works,” says Ms Loucas. “We’re encouraging people from around the world to watch, listen and learn, as well as join the conversation. We have some wonderful advocates and experts lined up.

“COP10 will take place in 2023 with harm reduced products set to be a key discussion for delegates. Our work now is critical to achieving success next year. In fact, this year’s World Vape Day and World No Tobacco Day have never been more important,” says Nancy Loucas.

A global collaboration of THR consumer groups, sCOPe, has launched a comprehensive library of online panel discussions and presentations. To access sCOPe’s online library, visit https://bit.ly/3PG9lel

For a free digital media repository on tobacco harm reduction in Asia Pacific – including media releases, images and graphics – please visit https://apthrmedia.org