Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Burning Issue for Asia


8 April 2021 -

On Sunday 18 April 2021, the GSTHR and Association of Vapers India co-hosted the online launch of the GSTHR’s report, Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Burning Issue for Asia, authored by GSTHR Executive Editor Harry Shapiro.

The launch, chaired by Jagannath Sarangapani of Association of Vapers India, featured four leading regional consumer advocates, who discussed the findings of the report alongside its author. Samsul Kamal Arrifin (Malaysian Organization of Vape Entity), Nancy Loucas (The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates, New Zealand), Joaqui Gallardo (Vaper AKO, Philippines) and Samrat Chowdhery (Association of Vapers India and the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations). The need for and regional barriers to tobacco harm reduction were discussed during the live debate.

Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Burning Issue for Asia, by the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR), reveals the terrible toll of the tobacco crisis in Asia. Six in ten of the world’s smokers and nine in ten users of dangerous oral smokeless tobacco live in the region. Almost half the global deaths from smoking are in Asia: a devastating loss of four million people every year, and evidence of the continued failure of current tobacco control measures and the need for new, pragmatic solutions. 

For any media enquiries, please contact Ruth Goldsmith at [email protected]


The report is available in the following formats:


The event broadcast is available on our Youtube channel: