‘Harm reduction strategies can prevent 1.2m deaths caused by tobacco’

ISLAMABAD: As traditional tobacco control measures are fast losing their efficacy, Pakistan essentially needs to switch over to the adoption of globally accepted 'tobacco harm reduction' (THR) strategies to save over 1.2 million lives being lost to smoking and other usages of tobacco annually in the country.

This was advised by Dr Muhammad Rizwan Junaid, a Researcher and Policy Advisor, in a round table discussion titled 'Break Thru Science,' recently organised by 'Irada' at a local hotel, says a press release.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rizwan said THR products can reduce toxic exposures by 80 percent and decrease tobacco-related premature deaths by 70pc.

Referring to the research study 'Integrating Harm Reduction Into Tobacco Control Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Kazakhstan,' launched in London, Dr Rizwan highlighted its objective to provide policymakers and public health experts with estimates of the potential benefits of THR.

The study suggests that widespread adoption of THR strategies could save a significant number of lives in countries like Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Kazakhstan.

Citing the study's findings, Dr Rizwan outlined potential life-saving figures: Kazakhstan could prevent 165,000 premature deaths in the next four decades, while South Africa, Bangladesh, and Pakistan could save 320,000, 920,000, and 1,200,000 lives, respectively.

He urged the Pakistani government to recognise the transformative potential of THR products, already utilised by 112 million people globally, to address the national crisis effectively.

Dr Rizwan noted that over the last two decades, private companies, with support from leading health research funders such as the National Institutes of Health, have made significant progress in biotechnology, pharmaceutical innovation, and diagnostics. This progress has resulted in a range of THR products meeting the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) criteria for protecting public health.

During the discussion, health experts highlighted the success of tobacco harm reduction strategies in various European countries, contributing to a notable decrease in smoking rates. The European Union (EU) has set a goal to make its countries smoke-free by 2040, focusing on THR to drive down smoking-related mortality and morbidity.

Health experts at the round table urged the government to consider integrating tobacco harm reduction strategies into public health regulatory frameworks.

They emphasized that regulations on nicotine products should be proportionate to the health risks they pose, making healthier choices easily accessible.

'Irada,' an initiative recognising the pivotal role of 'tobacco harm reduction,' aims to minimise the health impact of smoking in Pakistan.