Africa's Slow Adoption Of Harm Reduction Strategies Raises Tobacco Risks
As discussions continue, the urgency for African nations to embrace harm reduction strategies becomes increasingly evident, aiming to protect public health and reduce tobacco-related harm.
Nairobi, Kenya—Harm reduction experts warn that Africa’s sluggish adoption of tobacco harm reduction strategies is increasing the risk of combustible cigarette-related diseases among its populations, writes Josephine Chinele.
Despite existing anti-smoking bans, tobacco-related illnesses continue to claim approximately eight million lives annually worldwide.
Chimwemwe Ngoma, a Malawi Harm Reduction Advocate, noted that Sweden, a leader in adopting harm reduction products, has seen a significant decline in daily smoking prevalence—from 27% in 1981 to just 5.3% in 2022.
During the same period, daily use of snus, a smokeless tobacco product, increased from 14% to 20.2%.
“The rate of lung cancer cases among Swedish men in 2022 was less than half the European average. A 2019 study found that substituting smoking with snus in Sweden reduced smoking-related deaths by 50% compared to other EU countries,” Ngoma stated during the 4th Harm Reduction Exchange held on Wednesday.
Ngoma also highlighted the global disparity in access to harm-reduction products.
Currently, nicotine vapes are legally available to only 54% of the global adult population, heated tobacco products to 36%, snus to 58%, and nicotine pouches to 35%.
In stark contrast, combustible cigarettes remain legal everywhere, posing significant health risks.
Dr. Martin Agwogie, Founder and Executive Director of the Global Initiative on Substance Abuse (GISA), pointed out that Africa is often characterised by repressive drug laws that fail to deter use and instead jeopardise users’ lives.
During his presentation, he emphasised that harm reduction measures, though proven effective, face scepticism and opposition in many African nations.
“For effective and sustainable harm reduction practices, we must focus not only on individual behaviour but also on the physical and social contexts in which substance use occurs,” Dr Agwogie advised.
He criticized the continent's slow evolution in public health approaches to prevent and treat drug addiction, noting that existing policies complicate the lives of those affected by substance use.
The theme of this year’s Harm Reduction Exchange is "Enabling Innovation in Harm Reduction Through Science-Led Regulation and Policy Making," emphasising the need for evidence-based policies to address the tobacco epidemic effectively.
As discussions continue, the urgency for African nations to embrace harm reduction strategies becomes increasingly evident, aiming to protect public health and reduce tobacco-related harm.