ISLAMABAD: Participants in a roundtable conference organised by the Initiative on Risk Reduction & Dependable Alternatives (IRADA) recently stressed the need for Pakistan to adopt effective Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) strategies, which could potentially save over 1.2 million lives
The participants included experts in tobacco control, public health officials, NGOs representatives and local stakeholders.
Renowned researcher and policy advisor, Dr Muhammad Rizwan Junaid, spoke on the urgent need for THR during the ‘Break Thru Science’ discussion organised by IRADA, stressing the potential of modern THR products, such as oral nicotine pouches, which pose significantly lower risks compared to traditional cigarettes.
Global public health goals aim for a smoke-free future by 2040, with fewer than 5pc of adults smoking in any country. However, most countries are struggling to meet this target. Despite the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC), adopted 18 years ago, the reduction in tobacco consumption has been slow, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The speakers discussed successful THR strategies from countries like New Zealand and Sweden, where considerable reductions in smoking rates have been achieved through the use of nicotine pouches and snus.
Sweden, for instance, has the lowest proportion of smokers in the European Union (EU) and is on track to become the world’s first smoke-free country, with less than 5pc of the population smoking, compared to the EU average of around 18pc.
The conference explored how such strategies could be adapted to Pakistan’s unique context. THR offers a viable option for smokers seeking to reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals, potentially preventing millions of deaths from tobacco-related illnesses. While it is not a substitute for comprehensive tobacco control, THR can play an essential role in lowering smoking rates and easing the public health burden.
“By learning from the successes of other countries, we can develop harm reduction strategies that are both effective and culturally relevant for Pakistan,” said Mr Junaid. “This conference is an important step towards fostering a collaborative approach to tobacco control in Pakistan through evidence-based harm reduction,” he added.
Health experts at the event urged the government to integrate THR into public health regulatory frameworks. They stressed the importance of regulating new nicotine products in proportion to their health risks, aiming to maximise public health benefits while minimising harm.