Something out of the ordinary was noticed at the WHO\u2019s COP11 venue last week in Geneva. A light show illuminated the building\u2019s walls, urging consumers to be part of the global tobacco control dialogue. The message was clear: the WHO cannot claim to fight for public health while excluding the very people whose lives are at stake.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s happening?\u00a0<\/strong>As COP11 approaches (November 17\u201322), the WHO and national delegates will meet to decide on tobacco control measures that will affect millions of smokers worldwide, including those across the Caribbean. While the aim of reducing smoking rates is noble, the question raised by the World Vapers\u2019 Alliance\u2019s light projection is unavoidable: how can the WHO achieve positive change while silencing those most affected, the consumers themselves?<\/p>\n The \u201cquit or die\u201d approach has failed everywhere. According to the WHO\u2019s own data, smoking kills over 8 million people each year. Yet, instead of embracing harm reduction strategies that have been proven to save lives, many policymakers cling to outdated, prohibitionist ideas. Substituting deadly combustion with less harmful nicotine alternatives, such as vaping and nicotine pouches, offers smokers a potential path away from smoking-related illnesses.<\/p>\n