Fighting the Last War: the WHO and International Tobacco Control

English

Fighting the Last War: the WHO and International Tobacco Control

Knowledge•Action•Change (2021)

Harry Shapiro (UK) - K•A•C

Fighting the Last War: the WHO and International Tobacco Control
English

The latest report from K∙A∙C’s Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) argues that “tobacco control policy is frozen in time” while “innovative non-combustible nicotine technology and supporting evidence have moved forwards”. The status quo keeps adult smokers smoking rather than switching to safer nicotine, favouring the tobacco industry. Untangling the complex narratives underpinning the approach of the World Health Organisation and international tobacco control NGOs, this report aims to shed a light on the often hidden workings of these institutions, and the motivations behind their refusal to accept tobacco harm reduction as a valid approach to reduce the harms associated with high-risk tobacco use. Furthermore, this report argues that “THR has a complementary role to play in tobacco control and reducing cigarette consumption. Its potential can come to fruition if the international tobacco control community, led by the WHO, can disaggregate combustible from non-combustible tobacco products in its policy and legislative deliberations.”

Table of contents:

Chapter 1: Still too many left behind: the context for the report

Chapter 2: Hitting back against Big Tobacco: the background to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Chapter 3: International tobacco control: structure and functions

Chapter 4: Tobacco harm reduction

Chapter 5: Trench warfare: the WHO, allies and funders

Chapter 6: What can be done? New thinking for the 21st century

Chapter 7: Final thoughts