ISLAMABAD:
Tobacco use is a major public health issue in Pakistan with an estimated 22 million adults using tobacco products. While traditional tobacco control measures such as taxation, regulation, and public health campaigns have had some success in reducing tobacco use, these measures have not been enough to eliminate it.
Harm reduction strategies focus on reducing the harm associated with behaviour rather than trying to eliminate it. In the context of tobacco use, harm reduction strategies can include measures such as promoting the use of alternative nicotine delivery products such as electronic cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and nicotine replacement therapy. While these products are not risk-free, they are widely recognised as being significantly less harmful than smoking cigarettes. A recent report by the Royal College of Physicians in the UK found e-cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful than smoking.
Pakistan should consider harm reduction strategies as part of its overall approach to reducing tobacco use. Smokers must be urged to switch to less harmful products. Some may have concerns about harm reduction strategies, but I believe they offer a promising approach to reducing the harm associated with tobacco use.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2023.
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