CAPHRA Reminds Governments that Harm Reduction is the Foundation of Health Policy

MANILA, Philippines, March 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CAPHRA has developed a policy framework calling on governments to adopt tobacco harm reduction (THR) as a regulated, health-led pathway to curb deaths and disease driven by combustible tobacco and high-risk oral tobacco products.

The framework sets out a clear public health objective: help adults who smoke to quit or fully switch away from the highest-risk products through cessation or substitution, while preventing youth initiation, limiting marketing-driven uptake, and mitigating unintended consequences such as underage use and illicit trade.

“Public health policy should be outcomes-led,” said Clarisse Virgino, CAPHRA Philippines spokesperson. “THR is about reducing harm at scale by moving people away from combustion, while building strong safeguards for young people and strong oversight for product standards and compliance.”

The framework calls for risk-proportionate regulation backed by enforceable rules. Even where products are demonstrably less harmful than smoking, governments should require robust product standards, quality controls, and active compliance oversight to ensure safer real-world practice. Enforcement is indispensable: rules without compliance become a market signal rather than a safeguard.

In regions with a high burden of harm from combustible tobacco and high-risk oral products, a regulated and health-led THR approach can accelerate progress while maintaining strong safeguards for young people.

The complete policy framework can be accessed here.

Media Contact:
N.E. Loucas
Executive Coordinator, CAPHRA
neloucas@caphraorg.net

source: Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates