Wellington, New Zealand, 9 February 2026. The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) calls on Asia-Pacific governments to review WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) following US withdrawal from WHO (22 January 2026) and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters questioning continued funding.
The US cited WHO’s mismanagement whilst Peters called the WHO “unelected globalist bureaucrats” demanding taxpayer scrutiny on international commitments.
“The US exit demands FCTC reassessment, especially across Asia-Pacific,” said Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA. “Article 1(d) mandates harm reduction, but WHO blocks vaping and nicotine pouches. Why fund ideology contradicting the treaty?”
“The treaty recognises harm reduction, but current practice has not consistently supported the tools that can accelerate the decline of smoking. Governments should be asking whether the system is aligned with its own mandate and with real world evidence” says Loucas.
The organisation says this disconnect has contributed to policies in some countries that prioritise prohibition over regulation. According to CAPHRA, where safer alternatives are heavily restricted or banned, smoking rates often decline more slowly and illicit markets expand.
“When safer alternatives are prohibited, people do not stop using nicotine,” said Clarisse Yvette P. Virgino of CAPHRA Philippines. “They continue using cigarettes or turn to unregulated products. The effective approach is responsible regulation that protects youth, informs adults and keeps products within a legal and enforceable framework.”
New Zealand proves it works: adult smoking fell to 6.8% via regulated alternatives. Public health analysts, including former Action on Smoking and Health UK director Clive Bates, have criticised the FCTC process for not fully integrating emerging evidence from countries achieving rapid reductions in smoking through risk proportionate regulation.
CAPHRA argues that countries that contribute financially and politically to the WHO system should expect the FCTC to evolve in line with contemporary science and measurable outcomes.
The organisation is calling for greater transparency in Conference of the Parties proceedings, broader engagement with independent scientists, consumers and affected communities, and clearer performance indicators based on smoking prevalence, switching patterns and disease trends rather than the number of product bans or restrictions.
To remain effective in the twenty-first century, CAPHRA says the FCTC should adopt a structured, risk proportionate framework for all nicotine products. This would include a dedicated mechanism within the FCTC system to support evidence sharing, regulatory learning and policy evaluation across countries.
“Countries like New Zealand have shown that firm regulation combined with harm reduction can drive smoking to historic lows,” Virgino said. “Prohibition keeps people smoking. New Zealand’s 6.8% proves regulation works. FCTC ignores this evidence.”
CAPHRA says governments across the Asia Pacific now face a strategic choice about how international tobacco control frameworks should evolve. The organisation believes continued support for the FCTC should be linked to accountability, transparency and a balanced approach that prioritises reducing smoking related harm
Media Contact:
N.E. Loucas,
Executive Coordinator CAPHRA (Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates)
Mobile: +64272348643
Email: [email protected]
Web: https://caphraorg.net/
