Experts Urge Government to Adopt Tobacco Harm Reduction as Public Health Policy
A COALITION of medical experts and consumer advocates has urged the government to formally adopt tobacco harm reduction as a core element of national public health policy, noting that science-based alternatives to cigarettes could save billions in health care costs. “The continued demonization of nicotine is not only scientifically inaccurate; it’s dangerous,” said Dr. Lorenzo Mata, president of Quit for Good, during the Harm Reduction & Nicotine Summit. “We cannot allow outdated research or erroneous beliefs to guide regulation. It puts millions of nicotine-dependent Filipinos at risk by forcing them to stick with harmful cigarettes," he added. Data presented at the summit showed that the adult smoking rate in the Philippines climbed to 23.2 percent in 2023, up from 18.5 percent in 2021. Over the same period, the government reportedly lost about P40 billion to the illicit cigarette and vape trade. Experts said these figures point to the failure of current approaches and the urgent need for smarter, science-driven regulation. Tobacco harm reduction is a public health strategy that seeks to lower the risks of smoking by encouraging the use of non-combustible alternatives such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches. Health authorities note that it is the burning of tobacco — not nicotine itself — that produces most of the harmful chemicals associated with smoking. Experts cited international findings to support this approach, including research by Public Health England indicating that e-cigarettes are roughly 95-percent less harmful than traditional cigarettes. Japanese studies were also referenced, showing that smokers who switched entirely to heated tobacco products had significantly lower exposure to toxic substances. Economist Prof. Christopher Cabuay presented research quantifying the potential savings from widespread adoption of non-combustible products. His study, Assessing the Impact of Shifting to Non-Combusted Alternatives, estimated that if half of the country’s adult smokers switched to these alternatives, the Philippines could save around USD 3.4 billion annually in smoking-related health care costs — equivalent to nearly 0.87 percent of GDP. Surgeon and harm reduction advocate Dr. Jong Varela pointed to Sweden’s experience, noting that it is on track to become “smoke-free” by prioritizing access to safer alternatives. “The smoke-free alternatives we have today provide us a pathway to better protecting the public,” he said. Experts urged the government to reform tax policies that currently enable smuggling, launch nationwide education campaigns to provide accurate information on nicotine and reduced-risk products, and involve consumers in policy development. “People will make better choices if the law empowers them,” said Anton Israel of the Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines (NCUP). In a joint manifesto, the summit’s convenors called on the government to uphold science-based, consumer-focused regulations that protect public health without criminalizing smokers. They framed harm reduction not as a compromise but as a crucial pillar of a healthier, more pragmatic tobacco control strategy. The event was organized by a coalition of public health and consumer groups, including the Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines (NCUP), Quit for Good, the Philippine E-Cigarette Industry Association (Pecia), and the Science & Innovation Nicotine Advocacy Group (Sinag). It sought to advance the integration of harm reduction principles into the country’s broader tobacco control framework.
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