COP 10: An essential primer for the engaged citizen

Executive Summary

The 10th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control will take place in Panama City, Panama on November 20th to 25th. The decisions made at the meeting could seriously jeopardize smoking cessation efforts through restrictions on alternative nicotine products. Measures such as banning open system
vaping products, vaping flavours, nicotine pouches and increasing taxation on reduced-harm alternative nicotine products will be discussed.
Here is a complete guide with everything you need to know about the World Health Organization, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the Conference of the Parties and why you need to make your voice heard at COP10.

What is at stake at COP10?

The latest TobReg reports contain a series of biased information and recommendations that jeopardise smoking cessation efforts across the globe. If no Parties oppose the proposals, they will be approved and included into the FCTC, which will make them legally binding for all Parties. The approval of such proposals would have a negative impact in public health and would reverse the progress made in recent years by countries with an open approach towards alternative nicotine products:

Treating safer nicotine products the same as traditional cigarettes will prevent smokers from switching and quitting.
Vaping flavours increase the likelihood of quitting by 230%. Banning flavours will discourage smokers from trying vaping to quit and will push vapers back to smoking or the black market.
Banning open systems and nicotine salts and limiting nicotine concentrations will prevent vapers from choosing what works best for them to quit, reducing their chances of leaving smoking behind.
Limiting access to nicotine pouches will push their users back to smoking or to the black market.
Increasing taxes on safer nicotine products will discourage smokers from switching and drive users back to smoking cigarettes.
Banning vaping in smoke free areas will spread the misconception that vaping is the same as smoking and discourage smokers from switching.

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The UK has been a strong advocate for harm reduction. However, the Prime Minister’s current stance appears to be a reversal on vaping. It’s inconsistent to distribute one million vapes to smokers via the “Swap-to-Stop” program and then subsequently propose restrictions on the same products. The suggested limitations on flavoured vaping items and disposable vapes are troubling.

Let’s defend the British way of quitting smoking together!