ΕΝΑ recent WHO paper released just before COP11 is another example of the organisation doubling down on fear and misinformation rather than embracing evidence and real-world progress. They call once again to treat all tobacco and nicotine products the same, ignoring the wealth of scientific data and multiple national successes proving harm reduction can actually drive down smoking rates and save lives.

The WHO frames harm reduction as a corporate tactic to dodge regulation and prolong addiction. Yet again, this narrative knowingly overlooks the critical facts: less harmful alternatives like vapes and nicotine pouches are effective tools for adults who smoke to quit or switch when appropriately regulated. Real-world evidence from countries such as the UK, New Zealand, Sweden, and other parts of the world demonstrates a marked decline in smoking prevalence associated with harm reduction policies. This is not industry smoke and mirrors; it is an observed public health success. Additionally, countries that follow the WHO recommendations are doing significantly worse than those that do not. 

Moreover, the WHO relies heavily on alarmist claims about youth vaping, exaggerating risks and ignoring how strict youth protections and sensible regulation can prevent uptake among non-smoking adolescents. Their insistence that all nicotine use should be treated the same lumps everything together without acknowledging nicotine’s far lower harm when not burned with tobacco. They dismiss the reality that smokers who switch to vapes or pouches reduce their exposure to toxic substances by a huge margin.

The paper perpetuates old myths about flavours driving youth uptake, but fails to mention that these flavours are an important part of satisfying adult smokers desperate to quit cigarettes. Blanket bans on flavours push users towards unregulated markets or back to smoking. WHO’s stance on flavours is based on fear, not science.

Further, WHO’s continued wariness about harm reduction tools ignores the increasingly strong evidence that these products boost quit rates, outperform traditional nicotine replacement therapy, and result in better health outcomes. The refusal to support these practical tools is rooted in outdated ideology rather than a dispassionate assessment of the facts.

The biggest problem is WHO’s persistent campaign of misinformation. For years, they have equated vaping with smoking, severely exaggerating harms and dismissing independent science showing its advantages. This propaganda discourages smokers from switching and risks adding lives to tobacco’s toll.

Instead of being a credible public health institution, the WHO repeatedly blocks progress that could save millions from smoking-related disease. Their position is rooted in fear, prejudice, and an unwillingness to embrace harm reduction as a valid, evidence-based strategy. This is at odds with the reality faced by smokers and public health policymakers worldwide, who see harm reduction working.

COP11 starts next week. It’s time for policymakers to demand that the WHO stops spreading misinformation and begins relying on real evidence. Harm reduction is proven and lifesaving. We need common sense to be reinstated in tobacco control.