The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) team alongside local partners including the Association of Vapers India (AVI), hosted an event entitled 'The role and potential of advocacy in public health in India' on 13th October 2019 in Mumbai.
Even in the face of this ongoing public health crisis, proponents of tobacco harm reduction, particularly the users of e-cigarettes or vapes, are facing a challenging environment in India. Legislation has banned the sale, import, manufacture and distribution of e-cigarettes and e-liquids. Researchers also face a moratorium on any academic work focused on e-cigarettes.
In spite of the multiple challenges, the GSTHR team and our partners were able to engage with people who recognise the potential of tobacco harm reduction to reduce India’s toll of non-communicable diseases and deaths caused by smoking. Over 30 advocates, consumers, lawyers, e-cigarette distributors and vendors were introduced to the GSTHR project and the ‘No Fire, No Smoke: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction’ report.
As with all GSTHR events, the primary aim is to build capacity and resilience in the local, national and regional networks supporting tobacco harm reduction.