Online Launch of Report on How Tobacco Harm Reduction Can Save Lives through Four Key Strategies

Tuesday, 27th August marks the release of an important report highlighting the potential of tobacco harm reduction (THR) and better treatment in saving numerous lives. Focusing on Malaysia and Uzbekistan, this report first seeks to understand the current state of tobacco use and tobacco harm in both Asian countries, before calculating how these statistics could improve by embracing THR at a government and policy level.

The report, compiled by local and international harm reduction experts, has been launched today through an online webinar that highlighted speakers from Malaysia and Uzbekistan, as well as other international experts involved in the report. Professor Sharifa Ezhat of Malaysia discussed the importance of this study in the Malaysian context while experts from Uzbekistan discussed the same regarding Uzbekistan. These conversations were bookended by a keynote speech from Dr Derek Yach on the essence of the report and key conclusions and report recommendations by Dr Delon Human.

The report shares that THR and better treatment can save 880,000 lives across Malaysia and Uzbekistan. With a smoking prevalence of 40.5% among males in Malaysia and 18.8% among males in Uzbekistan, such intervention is necessary and urgent. Moreover, the smoking prevalence in Malaysia is only projected to increase by 2025 and tobacco is classified as the third highest risk underpinning death, disease and disability in the nation. In Uzbekistan, tobacco holds 8th place on the top 10 highest risks.

Given these realities, recognising and embracing THR can significantly help reduce harms caused by tobacco. There are four key strategies outlined in this report to achieve such changes: activating health professionals, encouraging risk-proportionate regulation, strengthening consumer representation and, where appropriate, involving religious leaders and their communities.

To learn more about these strategies and how THR helps save lives, you can read the report here.

You can watch the report launch webinar here.