COP11 affirms priority of protecting youth from new tobacco 'epidemic'

WHO, at the 11th session of the Conference of the Parties to the FCTC (November 17-23), issued strong warnings about the trend of tobacco companies exploiting the concept of "harm reduction" to promote new tobacco products.

This contrasts with genuine harm reduction programmes in other areas of public health , where health professionals and agencies pursue health goals by implementing evidence-based strategies and interventions that are tightly controlled and monitored, according to WHO.

At the COP11 meeting: More than 1,400 delegates agreed on a global commitment to fight the “new wave of tobacco”.

Against the backdrop of the growing risks of new nicotine products, more than 1,400 delegates from 162 countries attended the Opening Session of the 11th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (COP11) on 17 November in Geneva.

With the theme "20 years of change - connecting generations for a tobacco-free future", COP11 emphasizes that protecting young people from the growing penetration of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and new tobacco and nicotine products is a top global priority.

The new cigarette "epidemic" - the wave of nicotine addiction - a threat to teenagers

The high and growing rates of e-cigarette use among young people is a cause for concern. The latest WHO trend data shows that more than 15 million children aged 13–15 are using e-cigarettes, and 13–15 year olds are nine times more likely to use e-cigarettes than adults.

Tobacco and nicotine product companies, along with related front groups, increasingly promote a variety of tobacco, nicotine, and related products. They claim that these products pose lower health risks than conventional cigarettes and can be part of a “harm reduction” approach to tobacco control.

These products typically include e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, heated tobacco products (HTPs), and smokeless tobacco products. However, tobacco companies have a long history of misreporting and minimizing the harm caused by their products.

Dr. Ha Anh Duc - Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, Director of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund, Head of the Vietnamese delegation at the conference.

This includes:

• Using misleading descriptions for cigarettes such as "light" and "mild", using filters to suggest less harm, and deliberately designing products to deceive machine tests;
• And this is not just a thing of the past, as they continue to mislead consumers and regulators about the risks posed by their products.
• This is part of a strategy to drive profits to expand and sustain business, by increasing customer numbers or market share, while undermining tobacco control policies by appealing to an unregulated or poorly regulated commercial marketplace. The industry promotes a wide range of harmful products to the public, while cloaking this activity in the public health language of harm reduction.

WHO points out four core strategies being implemented by tobacco corporations:

• Deceiving with "harm reduction" language that labels itself "less toxic" and "safer" to appeal to users' psychology,
• Focus on eye-catching product design, colors suitable to young people's tastes, using fruit flavors, milk tea, and candy.
• Taking advantage of social networks through product review videos , disguised advertising is widespread on platforms with a high percentage of young users, promoting advertising through TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube; Taking advantage of famous and influential people (KOLs) to influence young people
• Apply policy pressure, find ways to loosen management, create conditions for business and trade.

How to protect people's health from the harmful effects of tobacco?

Governments can best protect people's health by fully implementing comprehensive tobacco control measures that reduce demand and supply for all tobacco, nicotine and related products;

Educate the community and provide cessation support through proven methods, such as nicotine replacement therapy and toll-free smoking cessation helplines, which have been evaluated by regulatory authorities and shown to be safe and effective;

Prohibit the sale of products through remote means, including digital platforms commonly used by children and young people, to control the supply chain;

Protect public health policies from the influence of commercial interests and industry-related interest groups, including by implementing Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC and related Guidelines;

In addition, governments and the public health community can find further information on tobacco, nicotine and related products from WHO (Articles 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 – FCTC). It is important that governments and the public health community continue to assess the risks posed by different types of products, the realities on the market, patterns of use (including dual or multiple use), and how these products may promote use among children and other groups.

Head of the Vietnamese delegation with other countries at the COP11 conference.

However, this should never delay the urgent need to adopt and strengthen measures to protect present and future generations from these products.

For tobacco, nicotine and related products, a harm reduction agenda should never be used to justify lax regulation or to lift strict prohibitions on these products.

The Vietnamese delegation attending COP 11 includes delegates from the Ministry of Health, the Government Office, the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society, the Ministry of Finance..., led by Dr. Ha Anh Duc - Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, Director of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund.

Dr. Ha Anh Duc shared: Vietnam completely agrees with the WHO's viewpoint: all tobacco products, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and other new tobacco products are harmful and addictive. In the context of new tobacco products spreading rapidly among young people, our mission is to protect future generations with strong, decisive policies based on scientific evidence.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/cop11-khang-dinh-uu-tien-bao-ve-gioi-tre-truoc-nan-dich-thuoc-la-moi-169251121102052581.htm