Ex-WHO officials call for global tobacco control reset to save millions
November 17, 2025 by manilatimes.net
Ex-WHO officials call for global tobacco control reset to save millions
Former WHO officials have called on governments to revamp global tobacco control strategies, warning that ignoring tobacco harm reduction (THR) could cost millions of lives. In a new report, Tikki Pang, Derek Yach, Chris Snowdon, and Peter Beckett argued that the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) needs a “reset” to include safer nicotine products like e-cigarettes, heated tobacco devices, and oral nicotine pouches. They emphasized that broader access to these lower-risk alternatives could sharply reduce smoking-related deaths, especially in low- and middle-income countries with high cigarette consumption.
