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Advancing Tobacco Harm Reduction
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What is Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR)?

Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) is a public health strategy aimed at reducing the health risks associated with tobacco use, particularly for smokers who are unable or unwilling to quit nicotine entirely.

The approach acknowledges that while complete cessation is the best option for health, many smokers struggle to quit. THR encourages the use of lower-risk nicotine products as alternatives to combustible cigarettes to minimize harm.

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Tobacco Harm Reduction, So What?

Tobacco harm reduction (THR) isn’t just an abstract policy idea—it’s a life-saving strategy with real-world implications. If we strip away the technical terms, THR is about helping millions of people who smoke transition to less harmful alternatives, ultimately reducing smoking-related disease and death.

The Big Questions About THR:

Why does banning products not work?

Banning both cigarettes and smoke-free nicotine products fails public health goals because it ignores the realities of addiction, consumer behavior, and harm reduction. History shows that outright prohibitions lead to black markets, unregulated products, and continued use rather than cessation. Smokers who can’t or won’t quit are left with no safer alternatives, increasing illicit cigarette trade and unsafe DIY nicotine use. Instead of reducing harm, such bans remove regulated, lower-risk options, making it harder for smokers to transition away from combustible tobacco. A harm reduction approach—offering safer alternatives while discouraging smoking—has proven far more effective in reducing smoking rates and related diseases.

Why do we need alternative products?

We need alternative nicotine products because not all smokers can or will quit, and providing safer options significantly reduces smoking-related harm. Traditional cessation methods like patches and gums have limited success, while harm reduction products—such as e-cigarettes, snus, and nicotine pouches—offer a realistic, less harmful pathway for smokers to switch away from combustible tobacco. Countries like Sweden, where alternatives are widely used, have the lowest smoking rates and smoking-related diseases in Europe, proving that offering alternatives is a more effective public health strategy than prohibition or abstinence-only approaches.

Tobacco harm reduction - so what?

THR saves lives—it’s that simple. Smoking kills over 8 million people a year, and while quitting nicotine entirely is ideal, many smokers can’t or won’t quit. THR provides safer alternatives like e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and snus, which dramatically reduce exposure to harmful chemicals found in cigarettes. Countries like Sweden and the UK have proven that embracing THR leads to lower smoking rates, fewer smoking-related diseases, and massive public health gains. Ignoring THR means accepting preventable deaths. The real question isn’t “So what?”, but “Why aren’t we doing more?”

What the science says

Increasingly, THR science is validating how these products can play a central role in preventing tobacco-related disease and premature death.

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