LETTER OF APPEAL TO THE WHO FROM CLIVE BATES: FIRST DO NO HARM

Clive Bates , a public policy adviser to the Welsh Government,  is a former  director of ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) .

Contrary to many, perhaps even most anti-smoker advocates who abide by the ''quit or die'' philosophy, he firmly believes  that  harm reduced products such as  smokeless tobacco and/or e-cigarettes are a much less risky alternative to those who refuse or cannot totally give up tobacco. 

This link  http://www.clivebates.com/?p=674 will take you to an open letter he has addressed to the delegates of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, COP-5, who are meeting in Seoul this week to discuss future global tobacco policy.   

A few  well known anti-tobacco advocates have also echoed his opinion in the comment section that the ''quit or die'' WHO policy is  counter-productive and seemingly motivated by interests other than the smoker's health.  

Hopefully, a majority of the delegates at the COP-5 convention will be governed by reason and evidence ( or lack thereof)  and vote down future policies that are designed to serve the interests of corporate funders of anti-tobacco and die-hard ideologists,  at the detriment of the people's health. 

Related reading on the COP-5 convention:  

How ignorant are powerful anti-THR people?

Big pharma cos behind campaign against tobacco: ITGA

World Health Agency Evicts Press, Public From Talks on Global Tobacco Tax