Setting the Scene Kevin Molloy Global Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Manager KAC

Overview Knowledge Action Change – Who we are What we do - Work-streams Why are we here? What is Harm Reduction? How is Harm Reduction relevant to smoking and tobacco?

Knowledge Action Change – Who we are. K•A•C: promoting health through harm reduction We focus on harm reduction as a key public health strategy. ‘Harm reduction’ refers to policies, regulations and actions that focus on reducing health risks, usually by providing safer forms of hazardous products or encouraging less risky behaviours, rather than solely focussing on eradication of products or behaviours. Harm reduction is a key public health strategy grounded in human rights. We have over forty years of experience of work on drug use, HIV, smoking, sexual health, and prisons. We undertake a wide range of events and communications. We aim to include all stakeholders. Our ethos is to link knowledge transfer and policy development to achieve impact at individual, organisational, community, national and international levels. https://kachange.eu/

Marriott Hotel, Warsaw, Poland Work-streams - GFN 13-15 JUNE 2019 Marriott Hotel, Warsaw, Poland Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN) Policy Makers, Academics, Medical Professionals, Consumers, Public Health Officials Nudging the conversation

Work-streams - Annual stock take of Tobacco Harm Reduction Worldwide. More of this later in the Programme………

Work-streams – Global THR Scholarship The scholarships are intended to: build research capacity in the field of tobacco harm reduction; develop and promote the evidence base; raise awareness of research and its implications for public health policy; enable consumers to make more informed personal health choices; improve the implementation and understanding of tobacco harm reduction; In its second year. https://scholarships.kachange.eu/

Work-streams – Nicotine Science and Policy https://nicotinepolicy.net/ An online daily digest of all the latest news, research, press coverage and opinion pieces concerning all aspects of tobacco harm reduction

Work-streams – City Health International https://cityhealthinternational.org/ Founded in 2012 City Health International is a network of individuals and organisations engaged in the study of and response to structural health issues and health behaviours in the urban environment.

Why are we here? Linking two work-streams No Fire, No Smoke – The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction – Roadshows Global Scholarship – Building research and information sharing capacity Malawi Scholars – Project event Last year 2 scholars were from Africa (Malawi) This year: 5 from Malawi 2 from Kenya 2 from Nigeria 1 from Ghana

What is Harm Reduction? Has uses in all areas of life and the ongoing development of policy and legislation A pragmatic response Recognising that people will engage in risky behaviours for a variety of reasons Seat belts Hard helmets on building sites Speed limits Global Emergence of Drugs and HIV/AIDS Harm Reduction in the 1980’s: MMT Syringe exchange Naloxone Condom Distribution Tobacco harm reduction (E cigarettes, snus, chewing tobacco, gum, patches, sprays etc – more later)

The Harm Reduction Continuum Harm/Chaos Reducing Harm Safety/Abstinence

Harm Reduction and tobacco Nicotine is not the problem, smoking is Not carcinogenic Fairly innocuous Analogous to the way we use caffeine A variety of options – Such as: Electronic devices (e cigarettes, IQOS – most closely resemble the experience of smoking, and most preferred by consumers) Snus Chewing tobacco Gum Patches Sprays 95% safer than smoking Recognises that there are people that cannot or will not quit smoking Saves lives

Thanks for your time kevin@kachange.eu +44 7759 284199