亞太組織要求台灣政府承認菸草減害是人權

亞太菸草減害倡議聯盟（CAPHRA）表示，它支持 台灣菸草減害協會 （TTHRA）的倡議，該倡議提出了一份連署，呼籲台灣政府允許菸草減害產品作為其主要菸害防制戰略的一部分。

菸草減害是一項公共衛生策略，旨在提供替代方法來減少抽香菸引起的風險。此類替代產品包括創新技術輔助的電子尼古丁傳送系統（ENDS）或電子煙，瑞典鼻菸和加熱不燃燒菸草製品。

大量科學研究表明，這些產品的危害僅佔可燃菸草健康風險的不到5％，或者只是其很小的一部分。與全球每天導致20,000人死亡的可燃香菸不同，菸草減害產品不會產生煙霧(Smoke)，因為它們通過加熱而不是燃燒菸草來傳遞尼古丁。

亞太菸草減害倡議聯盟執行協調員南希·盧卡斯（Nancy Loucas）表示，世界衛生組織西太平洋地區辦事處（WHO-WPRO）建議各國監管電子煙/電子煙（ENDS）以保護公共衛生。

盧卡斯說：「這與世界衛生組織關於健康是一項基本人權的宣言相一致，應該賦予個人權利，以決定其進步和保護自己福祉的權利。」

亞太菸草減害倡議聯盟是一個區域協會，為促進菸草減害的國家組織（例如台灣菸草減害協會和Vapers Philippines）提供支持。 台灣菸草減害協會是亞太菸草減害倡議聯盟台灣代表成員，該協會並與歐洲菸草減害倡議組織（ETHRA），韓國減害學會（KHRA）和澳洲菸草減害協會（ATHRA）合作，希望將國際菸草減害資訊引入台灣，並使用菸草減害策略加強台灣菸害防制的具體作為。

盧卡斯說：「台灣政府拒絕承認菸草減害的概念，包括在使用電子尼古丁傳送系統，這與世衛組織的這兩項聲明背道而馳，使台灣人民處於不利地位，無法對他們的健康自己做出決定。」

台灣菸草減害協會的王郁揚表示，儘管國際間仍在就電子煙該禁或規管進行辯論，但世界衛生組織（WHO）於2020年發布的最新報告顯示，對這些無煙代用品(Smokeless Alternatives)規管的支持。

聯合國甚至也表示，：「提高電子煙稅可以保護人民，並為政府帶來雙贏的局面。」

世衛組織在2017年國際人權日宣布健康為一項基本人權。「世衛組織報告指出，應對電子煙進行規範以保護公共健康。這就是為什麼我向國家發展委員會發起連署，以實現2040年無煙台灣目標」，王郁揚說。

在台灣和其他國家準備於5月31日慶祝世界無煙日之際，王郁揚剛發出了呼籲，今年的主題是「保護年輕人免受菸草業操縱，並防止他們使用菸草和尼古丁」。

無煙台灣基金會（FSFT）表示，無煙國家定義是「香菸吸食率不到全國人口的5％。」預計到2025年紐西蘭將達到無煙目標、英國2030年達到、加拿大2035年達到，無煙台灣希望台灣能在2040年實現無煙目標。

「為實現無煙台灣的目標，我們將繼續將來自世界衛生組織，世界各國政府以及無煙世界基金會的資訊引入台灣。我們希望台灣的《菸害防制法》能夠貫徹執行符合國際標準，以保護人民和兒童的健康。」

同時，還推廣無煙台灣的台灣威卜表示希望更多的台灣人了解國際菸草控制的最新趨勢和行動。

亞太菸草減害倡議聯盟（CAPHRA）是來自澳洲，香港，印度，印尼，馬來西亞，紐西蘭，菲律賓，台灣和泰國的消費者組織的聯盟，旨在教育，倡議和代表成人替代尼古丁消費者可以使用和使用菸草減害產品的權利。

王郁揚是一位認證的菸草減害專家，倡導2040年無煙台灣。

An Asia-Pacific consumer advocacy group has supported the petition asking the Taiwanese government to recognize tobacco harm reduction as a human right in line with the goal for Smoke-Free Taiwan 2040.

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) said it is supporting the initiative of Taiwan Tobacco Harm Reduction Association (TTHRA, 台灣菸草減害協會 ) which filed a petition calling upon the government of Taiwan to allow tobacco harm reduction products as part of the key strategy for tobacco control.

Tobacco harm reduction is a public health strategy that aims to provide alternatives to reduce risks caused by smoking cigarettes. Such alternatives include innovative technology-aided electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) or e-cigarettes, Swedish snus, and heat-not-burn tobacco products.

Numerous scientific studies have shown that the harms of these products represent less than 5 percent or just a fraction of the health risks of combustible tobacco. Unlike combustible cigarettes which are being linked to 20,000 deaths a day globally, THR products do not produce smoke because they deliver nicotine by heating, and not burning, tobacco.

Nancy Loucas, the executive coordinator of CAPHRA, said that no less than the World Health Organisation Western Pacific Region Office (WHO-WPRO) recommended that countries regulate vaping/ENDS in order to protect public health.

“This aligns with the WHO declaration that health is a fundamental human right and that individuals should be given the right to determine their right to advance and protect their own well-being,” Loucas said.

CAPHRA is a regional association that supports national organizations promoting tobacco harm reduction such as TTHRA and Vapers Philippines. TTHRA, representing Taiwan, is a member of CAPHRA and works with the European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA), the Korea Harm Reduction Association (KHRA) and Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association (ATHRA) by introducing international THR information into Taiwan with the hope of using the THR strategy to strengthen the specific actions of tobacco control mechanism in Taiwan.

Loucas said, “the refusal of the government of Taiwan to recognize the concept of tobacco harm reduction, including the use of ENDS in the fight against tobacco harm, goes against both of these declarations by WHO and puts the people of Taiwan at a disadvantage in making self-determination decisions around their health.”

Yu-Yang Wang of TTHRA said that while international groups are still debating over the ban or regulation of vaping/ENDS, the latest report from the WHO in 2020 shows support for the regulation of these smoke-free nicotine products.

The United Nations also stated that, “raising vaping/ENDS tax and protecting the people can bring a win-win situation for the government.

The WHO declared health as a basic human right on International Human Rights Day 2017. “The WHO report stated that vaping should be regulated to protect public health. That’s why I initiated a petition on National Development Council to promote the goal for Smoke-Free Taiwan 2040,” Wang said.

Wang made the appeal as Taiwan and other countries prepare to celebrate World No Tobacco Day on May 31st. This year’s theme is “protecting young people from tobacco industry manipulation and preventing them from using tobacco and nicotine”.

Foundation for a Smoke-Free Taiwan (FSFT, 無煙台灣基金會) said a smoke-free country means that “the prevalence of cigarette smoking is less than 5 percent of the national population.”

New Zealand is expected to reach the smoke-free target by 2025, the United Kingdom by 2030 and Canada by 2035. FSFT hopes that Taiwan can achieve it by 2040.

“For the goal of smoke-free Taiwan, we will continue to introduce information from the WHO, governments around the world, and foundation for a smoke-free world into Taiwan. We hope that the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act of Taiwan will be in line with international standards to protect the health of the people and children,” Wang said.

Meanwhile, VAPE Taiwan Inc.(台灣威卜) which also promotes “Smoke-Free Taiwan”, expressed hope that more Taiwanese people will understand the latest trends and actions of international tobacco control.

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is an alliance of consumer organizations from Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand that aims to educate, advocate and represent the right of adult alternative nicotine consumers to access and use of products that reduce harm from tobacco use.

Yu-Yang Wang is a certified tobacco harm reduction expert who promotes Smoke-Free Taiwan 2040.

AFP- Tobacco harm reduction is a right, Taiwan told