CAPHRA Condemns WHO’s Anti-Science Agenda On World Vape Day

Monday, 26 May 2025, 9:10 am
Press Release: CAPHRA

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) today challenged the World Health Organization’s (WHO) anti-vaping stance as “scientifically bankrupt,” accusing it of endangering public health by ignoring evidence that safer nicotine products save lives.

The rebuke coincides with the upcoming WHO’s World No Tobacco Day (30 May), which CAPHRA claims weaponizes misinformation to justify prohibitionist policies. “

The WHO’s ‘Health For All’ mantra rings hollow when it dismisses vaping’s life-saving potential,” said Nancy Loucas, CAPHRA’s Executive Coordinator. “Their 2025 theme masks a dangerous agenda: protecting cigarette markets by vilifying harm reduction.”

Loucas condemned WHO’s exclusion of consumer advocates from COP10 talks, noting: “Silencing experts while citing debunked ‘gateway’ theories exposes their fear of facts.” She highlighted stark contrasts: UK youth smoking halved to 3.6% since 2012 under regulated vaping, while Maldives’ vaping ban saw youth smoking rise 12%.

"Vaping is 95% safer than smoking - a fact repeatedly proven, and has contributed to a fast declining smoking rate in countries where it is regulated - that WHO ignores to appease anti-nicotine ideologues,” Loucas stated. “This isn’t public health. It’s prohibitionist theatre that sacrifices smokers’ lives.”

CAPHRA cited Malaysia’s 2024 vaping legalisation, which cut adult smoking 4% in six months, versus Australia’s $2.3billion black market under prescription-only rules.

“The WHO equates vaping with smoking, yet 82 million ex-smokers globally prove otherwise,” Loucas said. “Their 1980s-style fearmongering helps nobody but cigarette traders.”

“This World Vape Day, we demand the WHO stop lying,” Loucas concluded. “Regulate vaping strictly, educate honestly, and watch smoking collapse. The UK model works. Ideological bans kill.”

About CAPHRA

CAPHRA Position Statement on Industry Independence:

• The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates (CAPHRA) is a regional alliance of consumer tobacco harm reduction advocacy organisations. CAPHRA is not related to, or funded by any commercial interests. It is composed of volunteer consumer advocates from the Asia Pacific Region. We hope putting forward this information would clarify any doubt as to our interests and intentions.
• CAPHRA stays committed to its mission to educate, advocate and represent the right of adult alternative nicotine consumers to access and use of products that reduce harm from tobacco use. We advocate for the rights of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region to access and use evidence-based, regulated, and properly marketed harm reduction products as a means of reducing the devastating impact of smoking-related diseases.

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