The World Health Organisation’s upcoming tobacco control summit, COP11, is under fire for framing harm reduction as a “tobacco industry narrative” – a move that critics say sidelines evidence and consumer voices.
WHO sets tone for closed debate
Set to take place in Geneva from 17 to 22 November 2025, the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is intended to guide global tobacco policy. The treaty, which came into force in 2005, recognises “harm reduction” as part of comprehensive tobacco control. But the provisional COP11 agenda takes a different approach.
Under item 4.5, delegates will be asked to discuss “measures to prevent and reduce tobacco consumption, nicotine addiction and exposure to tobacco smoke,” with reference to the “tobacco industry’s narrative on ‘harm reduction’.”
The agenda omits FCTC Article 1(d), which defines tobacco control as including harm reduction strategies. Instead, it cites Articles 5.2(b) and 5.3, which focus on government protection from industry influence.
Critics argue that by linking harm reduction to industry interests, the agenda could limit discussion of one of the key approaches to reducing smoking-related harm.
Evidence backs harm reduction
Mainstream health authorities have long recognised the benefits of switching from cigarettes to smoke-free nicotine products. The UK’s Royal College of Physicians concluded that vaping is “unlikely to exceed five per cent of the harm from smoking.”
Public Health England found vapes to be around “95 per cent less harmful” than cigarettes. The NHS and Cancer Research UK also state that vaping exposes users to far fewer toxins and is among the most effective tools for quitting.
Countries that have adopted harm reduction policies report steep declines in smoking. New Zealand’s adult smoking rate has dropped to 6.9 per cent, down from 20 per cent a decade ago. Sweden, which allows snus and nicotine pouches, has reduced daily smoking to just over five per cent, the lowest in Europe. The UK’s adult smoking rate fell to 11.9 per cent in 2023, the lowest since records began.
Consumers demand a voice
The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) has launched a campaign to demand inclusion of consumer voices at COP11, projecting its message – “Consumers must be recognised, not sidelined” – onto the Geneva venue ahead of the meeting.
WVA Director Michael Landl described the conference as an “echo chamber stuck in outdated, anti-science thinking that fails smokers.” He said: “Harm reduction isn’t a marketing ploy, it’s a public health necessity supported by hard data. Consumers’ lives matter more than ideology or the views of wealthy WHO donors like Michael Bloomberg. It’s time consumers got a real seat at the table.”
The WVA warns that COP11 discussions could include bans on flavoured vaping, tighter nicotine limits, new taxes and other restrictions. Critics argue such measures would discourage smokers from switching to safer products.
“Banning flavours won’t save lives; it sends smokers back to cigarettes,” said WVA operations director Liza Katsiashvili. “Delegates have a choice: listen to the facts or repeat costly mistakes.”
COP11 will take place in Geneva from 17 to 22 November 2025.
