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Urgent Reforms Called for WHO and FCTC

A robust panel discussion organized by the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) took place on Wednesday at the Global Forum on Nicotine in Warsaw, Poland. Leading consumer advocates came together to voice the immediate need for reforms of the World Health Organization (WHO) and its tobacco control initiative, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). This call stems from a growing recognition that current strategies are failing to serve public health effectively and are increasingly disconnected from both scientific evidence and the needs of consumers.

The panel underscored the consequences of years spent on politicized decision-making and an opaque governance structure. Martin Cullip, an International Fellow at TPA, critiqued the FCTC, stating that it has morphed into a political tool rather than remaining a science-based treaty. He argued, "If the WHO is serious about reform, the FCTC must be radically overhauled."

The need for reform comes against the backdrop of intensified calls for changes in international health organizations, especially after the WHO faced criticism for its pandemic responses. The FCTC has also drawn scrutiny due to rising smoking rates in various regions and a profound disillusionment regarding its ability to facilitate effective tobacco control strategies.

Echoing these sentiments, Ignacio Leiva, President of ASOVAPE in Chile, emphasized the importance of consumer insights in practical policymaking. He stated, “In Chile, including consumer voices enabled us to implement a law that distinguishes between smoking and vaping, which is exactly the approach the FCTC needs - evidence-based policymaking built through dialogue instead of dogmatic principles.”

Nancy Loucas, representing Asian consumers, highlighted the detrimental effects of the WHO's rigid stance on tobacco harm reduction. "The WHO's pivot away from harm reduction principles ignores extensive evidence and disproportionately impacts low and middle-income nations. This is not about public health; it is about creating health inequalities."

Consumer advocacy emerged as a recurring theme throughout the panel, as speakers reiterated the necessity of amplifying the voices of those most affected by nicotine regulation. Maria Papaioannoy from Rights 4 Vapers in Canada reaffirmed, “It is crucial to combat the misconceptions surrounding safer nicotine products, particularly when misinformation is propagated by those in power. Consumers deserve to be heard at FCTC COP11.”

Tom Gleeson, a trustee of the New Nicotine Alliance in Ireland, echoed the collective call for substantial reform based on evidence, noting, “The FCTC has not evolved since 2005 to consider safer nicotine alternatives. They might celebrate percentage reductions yet the absolute number of smokers remains unchanged. The anti-tobacco fight should not come at the expense of those it intends to protect.”

As the panel concluded, the overarching message was clear: real reform can only happen when a commitment to transparency, scientific credibility, and consumer participation is established. The dialogue urged WHO and FCTC to move beyond ideological biases and prohibitionist practices, redirecting focus towards well-grounded policies that genuinely save lives.

The call to action resonates: transformative change can be achieved when science takes precedence over political agendas, and when those who are most affected are meaningfully included in the decision-making process.

For more information or to schedule interviews with harm reduction experts, please contact Kara Zupkus at info@taxpayerprotectionalliance.org. Previous TPA webinars featuring expert insights can be viewed here.