Policy Watch: Why Adopting Harm Reduction Policies for Africa Is Crucial

Although the global smoking prevalence has fallen, smoking rates in Africa remain disturbingly high (and has actually increased in 10 countries).

Key to addressing this health crisis is tobacco harm reduction (THR), through which we can move away from anti-tobacco advocates’ “quit or die” approach and save millions of lives.

Unfortunately, misinformation regarding THR products (such as nicotine pouches, snus, patches, gums and vapes) is rife in Africa. Furthermore, the overwhelming scientific evidence that affirms their use as significantly safer than combustible cigarettes is ignored or disregarded.

Harm Reduction Policies for Africa

It is crucial that both private and public stakeholders, including policymakers, recognise that the problem lies in combustion – not in nicotine. We can help smokers quit cigarettes not only by providing truthful information about the relative risk of nicotine products but also by reducing taxes on alternative nicotine products.

Read the full article here by Joseph Magero, of Campaign for Safer Alternatives